Men’s soccer rises from ashes of budget cuts past for UW Oshkosh Titans

photo from UW-Oshkosh Titan’s website

After being left for dead on the budget cutting floor 11 years ago, UW-O Men’s Soccer is making a comeback. While the team won’t officially start competing until 2027, excitement is already in the air, with current staff and alumni excited to see the historic program return. 

Former UW-O men’s soccer player Sean Steele believes the return is long overdue and necessary with the growth of popularity in the sport, one that can give new players the opportunity that former alumni had.

“Cutting the program was such a big loss, and you just see how many alumni feel impacted by it,” he said. “Soccer is still a growing sport in the US and any collegiate program wants to offer athletics as part of their identity.”

Former UW-O men’s soccer head coach Toby Bares believes that players cultivated success both on the field and off through the team, leading to many lifelong connections within the alumni. 

“I was surprised how emotional I got when I knew this was actually going to happen. It means so much to so many previous UW-Oshkosh men’s soccer players and I’m so happy for them,” he  said. “There was a very engaging, caring team culture that embraced striving for excellence on the field and in the classroom. The strong bonds that were formed many years ago still exist with so many alumni. It’s so wonderful to see that.” 

Steele, a former West graduate, recalls the atmosphere the team produced when he was younger, and how the team’s outreach motivated him and potentially others.

“Growing up in Oshkosh from my sophomore year in high school I was watching their games. They made that run in 1994 and there was one really big game where I ended up climbing up a baseball fence to see over everybody, and it was a really cool atmosphere. Some of the college guys were also doing camps and coaching youth teams,” he said. “I just felt like they were kind of a local staple in a college town that you dreamed of playing for. I think that that whole vibe made me really interested in the place and that I wanted to go and play.”

Bares believes that this sense of community can be replicated if the team is brought back, and that the program will provide players in the Fox Valley with opportunities they do not currently have. 

“It will give local youth players many opportunities to connect with players via soccer camps, clinics and attending home games. This can help the next generation of players dream and work towards fulfilling their soccer dreams, and it certainly gives area soccer players another university option if they want to try to play at the collegiate leve,l” he said. 

Bares feels that playing locally gives not only the players but the supporters a memorable experience. 

“There’s something special about representing the area where you are from on the playing field,” he said. “The local soccer community will take great pride in watching and cheering for one of their own!”

The team had a sense of community and pride which motivated them to work hard together, leading to success both in and out of competition.

“I think just the level of camaraderie of it was so important, all of the players working hard for each other, and having a tradition that you were trying to uphold motivated us. You knew how much success they had in the past and you just wanted to be a part of that,” Steele said. “I think Toby did a really great job of having the guys understand that, and once you got into the program you knew the history. Once you put on that black and gold jersey, you knew that you were holding up some traditions, and you didn’t want to let them down.”

Chancellor Dr. Manohar Singh also believes the return of UW-Oshkosh Men’s Soccer will benefit the university and generations to come. 

“The return of men’s soccer to the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh is more than the revival of a program; it’s the rebirth of a tradition that meant so much to our campus and our community. Across northeast Wisconsin, there are talented high school student-athletes who grew up hoping they could continue playing the game they love at their hometown UW,” he said. “Today, we’re proud to tell them that opportunity is back. Titans men’s soccer represents a bright future—one that will bring new energy to our campus, new pride to our alumni and community, and new pathways for young athletes who want to combine a great education with high-level competition.”

by Mason Callahan

Published March 20, 2026

Oshkosh West Index Volume 122 Issue VI