CLEVELAND, Ga. – Appalachian Athletic Conference play is set to make its 2026 home debut in Cleveland Ga. as the Truett McConnell University men's soccer team plays host to the Columbia College Koalas on Wednesday.
 
The Bears opened AAC action with a spotless win on the road against Montreat College last Saturday, netting two goals, recording a clean sheet and reclaiming leads in multiple statistics in the conference in the process. 
 
Wednesday's fixture will be the seventh meeting historically between the two sides. Truett McConnell holds a flawless 6-0 all-time record against the Koalas, with the most recent victory finishing 1-0 at home last season. Current sophomore Carlos Ruiz delivered the game-deciding goal.
 
Columbia College travels south with a 1-1 record to begin the 2026 season with one AAC game already under their belt, a 3-0 loss on the road against Tennessee Wesleyan. Sophomore forward Matthias Dennis currently leads the Koalas in both goals (two) and points (four). In 2025, he finished second on the squad in total points (14) netting six goals in his freshman season.
 
Truett McConnell hopes to expand upon their two-game win streak and remain perfect in AAC competition. Senior Jovica Lazarevic has scored in all but one match so far this season and sits just one goal back of first place in the 2026 AAC Golden Boot race.
 
First whistle is set for 7:00 p.m. under the lights at the TMU Soccer Complex.