Missouri State Bears soccer


The Missouri State Bears men's soccer team represents Missouri State University in NCAA Division I men's soccer. Since the 2025 NCAA soccer season, the Bears have competed in the American Conference, following more than 30 years as a member of the Missouri Valley Conference. The team plays its home matches at Betty & Bobby Allison South Stadium. They are currently coached by Michael Seabolt, who completed his fourth season as head coach in 2025. Missouri State has made 9 NCAA tournament appearances, most recently in 2024. The Bears' overall record in the NCAA tournament is 3–9. They have won 12 conference regular-season titles and three conference tournaments. Missouri State has had 8 players selected in the MLS Draft.
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History

Conference memberships

For the first seven years of the program's existence, it was an independent. They switched their conference affiliation for a year in 1989 to the Association of Mid-Continent Universities. They switched back to being an independent for the 1990 season. From 1991 to 2024, the team was a member of the Missouri Valley Conference. In May 2024, Missouri State announced it would move its athletic program to Conference USA, which sponsors soccer only for women, effective in July 2025. In October 2024, the Bears were announced as a new men's soccer associate of the American, also effective in 2025.
Prior to 2005, Missouri State was known as Southwest Missouri State.
†Founding member of the conference

Facilities

Betty and Bobby Allison South Stadium
Missouri State plays their home matches at Betty and Bobby Allison South Stadium. The on-campus, 1,500-seat stadium was built in the summer of 2014. The stadium has a combination of bleacher and chair-back seating. The stadium features a Sport Turf artificial turf playing surface. The stadium has locker rooms for both men's and women's soccer programs. It also has a press box and Daktronics LED premier video board.

Championships

Conference championships

Regular season

Missouri State has won 12 regular-season conference championships in the team's history. They won back-to-back championships twice, in 2013–2014 and 2019–2022. In 2019 the Bears finished the regular season undefeated in both conference and non-conference play. Jon Leamy coached the team for its first 10 championships, with current coach Michael Seabolt on board for the two most recent championships.

NCAA tournament history

Missouri State has appeared in 9 NCAA tournaments, including each tournament since 2019, and has an overall record of 3–9. Missouri State won their first tournament game 2019 at home against Denver 1–0. This was the first time the program hosted a tournament game. Prior to 2005 Missouri State was known as Southwest Missouri State, making 2 appearances in 1997 and 1999. Jon Leamy coached the Bears in their first six tournament appearances, and current coach Michael Seabolt has led the Bears to three tournaments.
1997Jon LeamyFirst roundSaint LouisSaint LouisL 2-1
1999Jon LeamyFirst roundUABUABL 2-1
2009Jon LeamyFirst roundSaint LouisSaint LouisL 2-1
2019Jon LeamyFirst round
Round of 32		Missouri State
UCF		Denver
UCF		W 1-0
L 2-1
2020–21Jon LeamyRound of 32
Round of 16		UNCW
Cary, NC		Maryland
Washington		W 2-1
L 2-0
2021Jon LeamyFirst roundMissouri StateCreightonL 1-0
2022Michael SeaboltFirst roundCreightonCreightonL 2-1
2023Michael SeaboltFirst round
Round of 32		Missouri State
Stanford		Omaha
Stanford		W 1-0
L 3-1
2024Michael SeaboltSecond roundMissouri StateKansas CityL 2-1

Yearly results

Missouri State's first season was in 1981 where they went 4-6-1 under head coach Frank Dinka. From the inaugural season in 1981 to the end of the 2004 season Missouri State was known as Southwest Missouri State. The school changed their name to Missouri State in 2005 and since then has been known as Missouri State. The Bears were an independent until 1988 when they joined what is now the Summit League for a year. After a lone season as an independent again, Missouri State joined the Missouri Valley Conference. They remained members of the MVC through the 2024 season, after which they will join the American Athletic Conference. They made their first NCAA Tournament appearance in 1997 when they lost to Saint Louis University in the first round 2–1. The Bears have appeared 3 more times since then, most recently in 2019 where they reached the round of 32. 2019 was also Missouri State's most successful season as they went 18-1-1 and went an undefeated 10-0-0 in conference play and 16-0-0 during the regular season.

MLS Draft History

Missouri State has had several alumni drafted by Major League Soccer clubs in the various MLS drafts.

MLS College Draft

Missouri State has had 1 player drafted in the MLS College Draft. Matt Caution was drafted in the third round of the 1998 Draft by the Dallas Burn, now known as FC Dallas.
PlayerPositionYearDraft RoundTeam
Matt CautionFW19983Dallas Burn

Note: The MLS College Draft was held from 1996 to 1999.

MLS Supplemental Draft

Missouri State has had 2 players drafted in the MLS Supplemental Draft. Doug Lascody was drafted in the third round of the 2005 Draft by the Kansas City Wizards, now known as Sporting Kansas City. Justin Douglass was drafted in the fourth round of the 2007 Draft by the Houston Dynamo.
PlayerPositionYearDraft RoundTeam
Doug LascodyMF20053Kansas City Wizards
Justin DouglassDF20074Houston Dynamo

Note: The MLS Supplemental Draft has been held off and on since 1996. The last draft to have taken place was in 2013.

MLS SuperDraft

Missouri State has had 5 players drafted in the MLS SuperDraft. Chris Brunt was drafted in the third round of the 2002 draft by the then-Kansas City Wizards. Missouri State had two players selected in the 2004 Draft; Matt Pickens in the second round with the Chicago Fire and Jamal Sutton in the fourth round with the Columbus Crew. Matthew Bentley was selected in the fourth round of the 2020 draft by Minnesota United FC. Jesús Barea was selected in the first round of the 2025 MLS SuperDraft by Real Salt Lake.
PlayerPositionYearDraft RoundTeam
Chris BruntDF20023Kansas City Wizards
Matt PickensGK20042Chicago Fire
Jamal SuttonFW20044Columbus Crew
Matthew BentleyFW20204Minnesota United FC
Jesús BareaFW20251Real Salt Lake