WEST HARTFORD, Conn.  –  The University of Hartford men's soccer team returns to the pitch in 2026 looking to win double-digit games for a third-consecutive season for the first time since 1990-1992. After once again winning 10 games in 2025. 

The Hawks would finish the 2025 season with a 10-6-2 overall record and a 6-3-1 Conference of New England (CNE) record. Hartford would clinch the #4 seed for the second consecutive season and fall in the opening round of the CNE Playoffs by a 2-1 final to Western New England University. 

TOGETHER AS A TEAM
Hartford will return 14 student-athletes from the 2025 season. The Hawks will have seven returners who made five or more starts last season including two-time CNE All-Conference 2nd Team selection junior Brayden Tahiliani (Toronto, Ontario) who is a pivotal center defender for Hartford. 

Last season Tahiliani started 17 games for the Hawks with three goals and being a critical role in all seven shutouts. Brayden would play a team-leading 1,532 minutes in 2025. 

"I have really high expectations for us this season. Being the lone returning All-Conference player comes with a responsibility to lead but I think our biggest strength is going to be how we come together as a team. We have a lot of new guys and a lot of talent, and I'm excited to help set the standard and bring everyone together. Our goal is to win the CNE Conference Championship and I believe we have the ability and team to do so."

Another key member returning is junior Cristian Vitti (Stamford, Conn.) who starts the season as the top goalkeeper on the team after being the number two the past two seasons. Last season Vitti would make five starts for the Hawks with a 2-3 record. Cristian would make 12 saves with a 1.40 goals against average. 

"One goal that I have for the team this year is to win a CNE playoff game. The last two years we have hosted a home game but have had some unfortunate results in those elimination games. But going into this season, with the talent we have I think we could make a deep run.

My preparation for the role I'm going to play this year has been a process that started all the way in the spring last year. It has continued through the summer until now in preseason. Just giving max effort every single day and helping my teammates to do the same is what is going to drive the team to the big year we're all excited and expecting to have."

Senior Ron Palillo (Stony Brook, N.Y.) is one of the four seniors on the team in 2026 and he is one of many that wants to get the Hawks to get their first playoff win in 2019. Palillo played in all 18 games for the Hawks in 2025 making 17 starts with two goals in 1,147 minutes as a midfielder. 

"Coming into college is an incredibly stressful experience so to help the newcomers adapt and fit in we try to spend as much time together as possible. We have tried to do team events just about every day, doing little things like a team trip to the driving range or pasta parties. Our goal has been to bring these newcomers in and make them feel apart of the family to make the transition to college as easy as possible. As a senior, our goal since we first stepped on campus was to win the CNE. It's been a long journey since freshman year, lots of ups and downs, so for us seniors, winning the CNE as a hawk would be an incredible way to finish off my final season."

Other key returning Hawks who made five starts or more last season include junior Jared Noble (Nesconset, N.Y.), junior Adam Eley (Newington, Conn.), junior Jaiden Daigle (Rocky Hill, Conn.) and junior Kyle Theobald (Sandyston, N.J.). 

FRESH FACES
After nine student-athletes graduated after the 2025 season, Head Coach Mike Kulas brings in 18 newcomers to the roster ahead of the new year.  

FULL INCOMING CLASS
Goalkeepers (1): Aiden Chrabascz (Longmeadow, Mass.)
Defenders (3): Evan Stone (Wallingford, Conn.), Logan Giannelli (Andover, Conn.), Hurley Fontaine (Colchester, Conn.)
Midfielders / Defenders (1): Zaire Wharton (Queens, N.Y.)
Midfielders (7): Giancarlo Bacabac (Somers, Conn.), Justin Dooley (Andover, Conn.), Reid Babcock (Tolland, Conn.), Josh Harris (Brooklyn, N.Y.), Cam Soucy (Tolland, Conn.), Lucas Viegas (Long Island, N.Y.), Cole Jones (Plainville, Conn.)
Forward / Midfielders (2): Jovan Lopez-Gutierrez (Meriden, Conn.), Rory Ohalloran (Stamford, Conn.)
Forward (3): Brenden Landry (Old Lyme, Conn.), Jonathan Gutierrez (Clinton, Conn.), Caly Estrada (Hartford, Conn.)

SEASON OUTLOOK
Hartford will start the season taking on a pair of inner-city opponents on the road in the first week of September. UHart starts the season on September 4th against the reigning GNAC Champions University of Saint Joseph before traveling across the city of Hartford to take on Trinity College on September 6th. 

The Hawks will host Eastern Connecticut State University on September 15th at 6:00 PM in the home opener and will take on teams from four different conferences (GNAC, NESCAC, LEC, NEWMAC) across non-league play in 2026.

The CNE schedule starts on September 12th at 7:00 PM as the Hawks take on Gordon College. In total Hartford will play 10 league games in 2026. Hartford will host the University of New England on September 19th at 6:00 PM to kick off the home CNE slate. The Hawks will look to make the CNE Playoffs for the third-consecutive season after finishing the regular season as the #4 seed in the past two years. 

This year all home games will be streamed on the CNE Network powered by HUDL, while other game coverage can be found on the 2026 schedule home page.

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