Match Notes (PDF)
- Live Stats
Tweet #BuffNation
Tweet #TraditionInMotion

CANYON, Texas – The Buffaloes of West Texas A&M open the 2018 season on Thursday afternoon as they take on the #21 Mavericks of Colorado Mesa in a Regional Showdown at EcoPark in Taos, New Mexico.
 
COLORADO MESA
The #21 Mavericks enter the 2018 campaign picked as the runner-up in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference Preseason Poll announced earlier this month. CMU highlighted three student-athletes on the Preseason All-RMAC Team with Kevin Del Mazo, Briley Guarneri, and James McGhee. Guarneri was also tabbed the RMAC Preseason Goalkeeper of the Year.
 
CMU has made four straight appearances in the NCAA Division II Postseason after falling in the second round of last year's tournament at MSU Texas. The Mavericks finished the campaign with an overall record of 16-4-1 with an 11-2-1 mark in RMAC play.
 
Todd Padgett enters his fifth season as the head men's soccer coach at Colorado Mesa, leading the team to four straight NCAA Tournament Appearances including a run to the National Semifinals in 2014. Padgett has claimed a pair of RMAC Regular Season Titles along with a Tournament Title in 2016.
 
THE SERIES
The Mavericks lead the all-time series against the Buffs, 1-0 with the only meeting between the two programs coming on September 13, 2015 in Grand Junction by a score of 3-1.
 
HEARTLAND CONFERENCE PRESEASON POLL
MSU Texas was tabbed atop of the Heartland Conference Preseason Poll announced on August 21st. The Mustangs picked up 22 of the possible 24 first place votes for 285 points followed by St. Edward's (one first place, 254), West Texas A&M (one first place, 241), Texas A&M-International (203), St. Mary's (176), Rogers State (157), UT Permian Basin (140), Lubbock Christian (120), Newman (94), Dallas Baptist (90), Eastern New Mexico (68) and Oklahoma Christian (44).
 
PRESEASON ALL-CONFERENCE TEAM
WT seniors Troy Reeves, Julio Vargas and Ivan Ulloa were named to the 2018 Heartland Conference Men's Soccer Preseason Team announced on August 21st. WT has finished third in a loaded conference the past two seasons with a pair of appearances in the Heartland Conference Tournament.
 
Twelve Heartland men's soccer players were named to the 2018 Heartland Men's Soccer Preseason All-Heartland Team. Reigning Freshman of the Year Carlos Flores lead a group of three Midwestern State players that includes fellow midfielder Sebastian Venegas and defender Alex Mullet. St. Edward's duo Dylan Armstrong and Cody Spitzer were named to the team for the Hilltoppers. Texas A&M International defender Luis Diaz and 2017 First Team All-Heartland selection in goalkeeper Carlos Herrera both represented the Dustdevils. St. Mary's and UT Permian Basin each earned one Preseason All-Heartland selection in Pato Botello Faz (StMU) and Stefan Faria (UTPB).
 
SEASON OPENER
The Buffs will open up their 28th season of Division II competition on Thursday afternoon, they have compiled an overall record of 21-5-1 on opening day as they have won their last two season openers.
 
Thursday marks the second time that the Buffs will open up the season with a neutral site match as they topped Cal State-Chico (2-1) in the 1996 opener.
 
WT HEAD COACH BUTCH LAUFFER
Butch Lauffer enters his 28th season as head men's soccer coach at West Texas A&M. Lauffer is now the longest tenured head coach in West Texas A&M history in a storied career dating back to 1991. Lauffer reached the 500-win plateau on September 30th of last season in Odessa, Texas with a dominating 13-2 win over UT Permian Basin.
 
During his tenure, Lauffer has coached the men to 26 consecutive non-losing seasons and the women to 12-plus victories in 12 seasons. Lauffer has recorded a 316-145-34 (.661) record at the helm of the Buffs with a 506-212-51 (.680) overall record at WT.