PLAINVIEW, TX – The Wayland Baptist Men's Soccer team will begin postseason play on Wednesday, November 4, as the No. 8-seeded Pioneers travel to Oklahoma City to face top-seeded and nationally ranked No. 3 Mid-America Christian University in the opening round of the 2026 Sooner Athletic Conference (SAC) Men's Soccer Tournament. Kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. at Dill Soccer Field.
Wayland enters the conference tournament with a 4-8-4 overall record and a 3-5-1 mark in SAC play. Despite an up-and-down regular season, the Pioneers secured a spot in the eight-team postseason field and will have an opportunity to compete for a conference championship.
The Pioneers will face a familiar opponent in Mid-America Christian, as the two programs met just one week earlier in their regular-season finale on October 28.
In that matchup, Wayland fell 5-1 to the Evangels in Oklahoma City. The Pioneers battled throughout the contest, with Renato Katrip scoring Wayland's lone goal in the 88th minute off assists from Josue Gonzalez and Joao Valmorbida. Katrip's goal marked his fourth of the season, while goalkeeper Benjamin Godard finished with seven saves against a strong MACU offensive attack.
Wednesday's postseason contest will provide the Pioneers with an opportunity to respond to that result, with a spot in the SAC Tournament semifinals on the line.
Mid-America Christian enters the tournament as the conference's No. 1 seed after capturing the SAC regular-season championship. The Evangels finished the regular season with a 15-1-2 overall record and an undefeated 8-0-1 mark in conference action.
Ranked No. 3 nationally, MACU has established itself as one of the top programs in the NAIA this season, presenting Wayland with a challenging opening-round matchup.
For Head Coach Robert Ssejjemba and the Pioneers, the postseason offers a fresh opportunity to build on their regular-season experiences and compete against one of the nation's top teams.
Wayland has shown its ability to compete in tightly contested matches throughout the season, with four draws and several competitive performances against conference opponents. The Pioneers will look to draw on those experiences as they prepare for Wednesday's win-or-go-home contest.
With the regular season behind them, the Pioneers will now turn their full attention toward the postseason and the opportunity to extend their 2026 campaign.
SAC TOURNAMENT OUTLOOK
The winner of Wednesday's matchup will advance to the SAC Tournament semifinals on Saturday, November 7, where they will face the winner of the No. 4 Southwestern Christian and No. 5 University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma matchup.
The SAC Tournament Championship is scheduled for Wednesday, November 11.
MATCH INFORMATION
Matchup: No. 8 Wayland Baptist (4-8-4, 3-5-1 SAC) vs. No. 1 Mid-America Christian (15-1-2, 8-0-1 SAC)
Date: Wednesday, November 4, 2026
Time: 7 p.m. CST
Location: Dill Soccer Field – Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
Previous Meeting: Mid-America Christian defeated Wayland Baptist, 5-1, on October 28.
What's at Stake: A berth in the SAC Tournament semifinals on November 7.
