Gaels Soccer Team: Experienced and Ready for Victory

Experienced, Young, Deep. Those are the three words head coach Mike St. Martin used to describe the Gaels soccer team this season.

Two soccer players in matching black uniforms talking on a field, with a player in white nearby.

Mount Saint Joseph has an astonishing 19 varsity players returning to this 2026 team. They have the experience; now the question is how they can balance team chemistry along with the fight to win the league. “The biggest challenge is getting everyone minutes, but you have 19 players who have experienced the gauntlet of the MIAA, including playoffs. These players should know what to expect.” That is what coach Saint Martin had to say about having an experienced roster. Loyola Blakefield is looking for a record-setting fourth title in a row, but MSJ is competing for that title. After losing in a tight semifinal game last season to the eventual champion Loyola Blakefield, the Gaels are hungry for revenge.

A young male soccer player wearing a dark jersey with the number 10 stands on the field, looking towards the game. Another player is in the background, with trees and a school building visible.

Mount Saint Joseph had a good preseason, starting it off by traveling to Cape Henlopen High School to play Sussex Central, and a strong Salesianum high school. The Gaels defeated Sussex Central 2-0 and tied 2-2 against the No. 11-ranked high school in the nation at the time, Salesianum. After that, the Gaels had scrimmages against Crofton, Guilford Park, Broadneck, and Bowie. Between those scrimmages, MSJ defeated back-to-back WCAC champions Gonzaga, 2-1 at home in a non-league game.

This will be Coach Saint Martin’s 31st season as head coach of the Gaels soccer team. The coaching staff consists of Mike St. Martin, Mike Linsenmeyer, and two soccer and school alums, Torren Aikens and, more notably, head assistant coach Joe Walker. In an interview, coach Walker was asked how the culture differed from and resembled what it was like when he played on the team as a student. He responded, “From when I was a player vs. currently, players had to deal with tough things, whether that be playtime or a headache. The difference is that when I was playing, they weren’t getting the attention they are getting now. Our roster is bigger than when I played, due to the higher potential of players, which is a great thing, but can cause challenges.”

A soccer field at Mount Saint Joseph, featuring a scoreboard marked 'HOME OF THE GAELS' and spectators across the bleachers, with players lined up on the side.

Mount Saint Joseph has a promising roster and an experienced coaching staff. They showed they can do it as a squad during preseason, picking up big results. The Gaels have the ingredients; now can they put these together to create that experience of winning a trophy? Only time will tell, but one thing is to have the Gaels on your radar this season.