The University of Vermont men’s soccer team and Vermont Green Football Club will compete for another national title this Saturday. Seven months after winning the first national championship in school history, UVM’s Maxi Kissel and three other players are set to take on Ballard FC in a bid for the NCAA Division I trophy.
Kissel, a forward from Germany, has played a key role in Vermont Green’s undefeated season so far. He scored crucial goals in recent weeks, including one against FC Motown of New Jersey in an early round of the United Soccer League 2 playoffs. The team is led by UVM goalkeeper Niklas Herceg and defender Nathan Siméon, both from Germany.
The success of UVM and Vermont Green has sparked interest in soccer among Vermonter fans, with many attending high-profile games this season. Chris Taylor, head coach of Vermont Green, attributes the team’s recent success to the excitement generated by UVM’s championship win last fall. “They paved the way, I think, for this season,” he said.
The match against Ballard FC is expected to be intense, with the opposing team having won the national championship game in 2023. However, Kissel remains confident in Vermont Green’s ability to come from behind and win. “Maybe it’s a Vermont thing,” he said, smiling, acknowledging the parallels between his college team’s run and the current team’s chances.
Source: https://vtdigger.org/2025/07/31/this-team-feels-so-similar-heading-into-a-championship-vermont-green-fc-builds-off-uvm-mens-soccers-success