A Season of Bright Stars and Bitter Lessons: Rutgers-Camden Soccer’s 2025 Campaign
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By Addy Adebo
While honors were plentiful, a playoff dream slipped away. The Rutgers-Camden men’s soccer team’s 2025 season highlighted remarkable individual talent that ultimately could not change the disappointment of an early playoff exit. The Scarlet Raptors finished with a record of 7-8-4 overall (4-3-2 in the NJAC).
The season’s achievements were led by senior Eric Swen, who received United Soccer Coaches All-Region IV honors, adding to his three All-Conference selections. His ability to play both forward and defense was essential for the Raptors. He was joined on the All-NJAC First Team by senior captain and midfielder Brandon Valeri.
Off the field, the team’s dedication to academics stood out, winning the United Soccer Coaches Team Academic Award again. Four players also made the College Sports Communicators (CSC) Academic All-District Team, which honors the top student-athletes in the nation.
The Raptors’ season kicked off with a strong start, including a dominating 4-0 victory over St. John Fisher. Other wins followed, including a 4-3 Homecoming victory over nationally-ranked Rowan, which Head Coach Timothy Oswald called “a highlight of the season.”
However, the team experienced a string of last minute non-conference losses and a crucial conference loss to Kean late in the season. This particular 2-1 decision on October 25th, was seen by players as a crucial turning point. Team Captain and Academic All-District recipient Jason Garwood noted that the team became “so tunnel vision on trying to beat Montclair” that they overlooked “smaller teams,” a vital lesson for the future. The Raptors fought hard to secure the fifth seed in the NJAC playoffs but lost in the first round, 2-0, to The College of New Jersey (TCNJ).
Despite the disappointing end, the program’s foundation seems strong. Coach Oswald praised the “positive team culture” built by his players. Captain Jason Garwood described the season as a “torch passing” from a talented senior class to an able group of freshmen. He also recognized senior Joseph Lodise as an “unrecognized captain” who set a good example and “would always put his best [effort] every time he stepped on the pitch.”
Oswald also mentioned that Rutgers-Camden is one of only three NJAC programs to reach the conference playoffs for four straight seasons. He highlighted sophomores Dylan Pino and Nik Grello, Captain Jason Garwood, and freshman Antonio Yantas as players poised for breakout seasons.
Reflecting on the playoff loss to TCNJ, Garwood commented that a key disallowed goal was “all part of the game, and we use it as motivation… it makes you want to fight even harder because you are right there but not there yet.” With a core of award-winning young players now battle-tested, the Scarlet Raptors men’s soccer squad feel they are closer than ever to achieving their goals.
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