Iowa Central squads thinking big on the pitch
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The Iowa Central soccer teams enter 2026 with high expectations on the pitch.
For the Triton men, they finished last year ranked in the Top-20 in the country and boast several key returning players, including Lautaro Brunig Leites, Elliot Day, Dariush Shokri, Lautaro Real, Juan David Martings, Haruki Hayashi, Marcus Aberg and Mateo Muniga.
Brunig Leites had three goals and an assist as a freshman. Day scored a goal and Muniga had a goal and an assist for Iowa Central, who went 11-5-1 overall and 5-3-1 in the ICCAC.
"The team shows promise, but we are still currently in preseason form," ICCC men's head coach Pablo Rodriguez said. "We are looking forward to our exhibition games to give us a better idea of our team."
Last year, the Tritons started the year 6-0, adding another five-game win streak midway through the year. During those five victories, they recorded four consecutive clean sheets, matching their conference win total from the two seasons combined.
Iowa Central also has a pair of Fort Dodge Senior High graduates this year in Mateo Ron and Ayden Hernandez.
Rodriguez will be assisted by Jordan Corrieri this fall, as the conference coaches picked them fifth in the preseason poll.
The Triton women put together an 11-6 mark in 2025 that included a 7-2 run in the league. They also started hot, winning four in a row in which they scored 27 goals. Iowa Central had another three-game win streak and went 6-2 around losses to ranked Indian Hills and Iowa Western.
Jordan Sibenaller boasts an elite keeper in former Southeast Polk standout Alyssa Tucker, along with a pair of key transfers in Ronniellia Bubb and Estella Diaz. Bubb was an NJCAA All-American at Iowa Lakes last year.
"We have 19 freshmen and two transfers coming in," Sibenaller said. "Our preseason games will be very important in evaluating our team. We have a lot of talent from both Iowa and Minnesota, along with a few international players.
"Alyssa is one of the best keepers in the country and our captain."
Iowa Central was selected second in the preseason coaches poll for the league behind Iowa Lakes.
Sibenaller will be assisted by former Iowa Central player Abby Jensen.
2026 IOWA CENTRAL SOCCER
Men's Schedule
Aug. 20 – at East Central; 25 – at Marshalltown; 29 – at State Fair.
Sept. 2 – Dakota Wesleyan; 5 – Dakota County; 12 – at Parkland; 19 – at NIACC; 23 – at Hawkeye; 26 – at Western Iowa Tech; 30 – Marshalltown.
Oct. 3 – at Northwest Iowa; 10 – Northeast; 14 – at Iowa Lakes; 17 – at Central; 21 – Southeastern.
Women's Schedule
Aug. 20 – at Waubonsee; 22 – Rochester Tech; 28 – Schoolcraft.
Sept. 2- at Iowa Western; 5 – Dakota County; 10 – at Morton; 14 – at Heartland; 19 – NIACC; 23 – at Hawkeye; 26 – at Western Iowa Tech.
Oct. 3 – at Northwest Iowa; 10 – Northeast; 14 – at Iowa Lakes; 17 – at Central; 21 – Southeastern.