The Riverhawks men’s soccer team will host the National Junior College Athletic Association Division III Region 20 tournament Oct. 27-30 at Siegert Stadium.

Athletic Director Duane Herr said having the tournament at AACC gives the Riverhawks a home-field advantage.

“When you’re playing in a tournament like this and then coming off of the regional championship last year, it’s nice to have it at our place again,” Herr said. 

AACC last hosted the NJCAA tournament in 2019.

Head men’s soccer coach Nick Cosentino agreed that playing at home is good for the team.

“They got the family to support them [during the tournament,]” Cosentino noted. … “It’s a big plus to play at home.”

The Riverhawks will play two other teams in their division—Prince George’s Community College and Allegheny College of Maryland. They will also play a team outside of their division—Oxford Emory College from Georgia. 

The Riverhawks lost 8-0 last year in the first round of the NJCAA Divison III playoffs to Richland College.

Cosentino said the squad has potential to reach nationals again.

“We have a very talented team,” Cosentino said. “We’re deeper than we’ve ever been.”

Midfielder Marcus Whalen, a first-year business student, said the team has “a lot of diversity [and] chemistry. … We can use different tools to beat different teams.”

Midfielder Lizandro Tuchez said the team is “going to kill it.”

“We’re going to win it and we’re going to head on to nationals,” Tuchez, a second-year business student, said. “I don’t see us losing. I don’t feel like we’re going to lose. I think we’re going to beat whatever team comes our way and we’re just going to the next level.”