DENVER – MSU Denver men's soccer continued its historic 2025 season on Thursday, earning two of the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference's top honors and placing three players on the All-RMAC teams, as announced by the league office.
Head coach Nick Kirchhof was named RMAC Coach of the Year, becoming the first Roadrunner to earn the award since Ken Parsons in 2007. Senior goalkeeper Nick McNeil made program history as MSU Denver's first-ever RMAC Goalkeeper of the Year, capping off a stellar season in net.
The honors come during a banner year for the Roadrunners, who shared the RMAC regular-season title and posted their best overall and conference records since 2019 (9-4-5 overall, 7-2-1 RMAC). It also marked the program's highest conference finish since placing third in 2012.
Kirchhof, in his fifth season at the helm, has led the Roadrunners to their first RMAC Tournament Championship appearance since 2011, after defeating Regis 1-0 in Wednesday's semifinal behind an unbelievable goal from midfield by senior Phillie Villapudua. The victory was MSU Denver's first RMAC Tournament win since 2017.
McNeil anchored the Roadrunners defensively all season, ranking second in the RMAC with five shutouts and a 0.95 goals-against average during conference play. He allowed just 20 goals all year — the third fewest in the league — and posted a .706 save percentage while playing nearly every minute in goal.
On the field, MSU Denver placed three players on the All-RMAC teams:
Perez led the Roadrunners offensively with a career-high six goals, tied for 10th in the RMAC, while also leading the team in points (15) and game-winning goals (2).
Matsumoto was a crucial part of the midfield, leading the team with 11 shots on goal and tallying two goals, including a game-winner over Colorado School of Mines.
Additionally, Brendan O'Toole, Phillie Villapudua, and Robert Sumner were named Honorable Mention All-RMAC, recognizing their consistent contributions throughout the season.
The Roadrunners will look to continue their remarkable postseason run when they face UCCS on Saturday at 1 p.m. in Colorado Springs for the RMAC Tournament Championship.
