Under the direction of first-year head coach Kirk Harwat, the Cleveland State University men's soccer team advanced to the Horizon League semifinals. Below are highlights and notes from the 2017 season: 

• Cleveland State clinched a berth in the Horizon League Tournament following a 2-1 victory over Wright State Oct. 28.
• Since the League went to a six-team tournament format, CSU has qualified for a League-high eight of the nine League tournaments.
• Over the same span, Cleveland State has earned a top-four seed on seven occasions while no other League team has more than five.
• With its 4-0 Horizon League Tournament win at Wright State Nov. 6, the Vikings punched a ticket to the semifinals for the sixth time under the current tournament format, the most among all League schools. 
• Cleveland State played one of the toughest non-conference schedules in the nation, as its non-conference strength of schedule ranked 15th of the more than 200 Division I schools at the end of the regular season.
• Six of CSU's eight non-League opponents finished the regular season among the top 90 in the RPI. Five of the eight were among the top 60, three were among the top 15 and two were among the top 10.
• CSU's non-conference opponents included the Big Ten regular-season champion and a Big Ten regular-season runner-up, the Patriot League regular season champion, the Mid-American Conference Tournament champion and the Big East Tournament runner-up.
• CSU faced three teams that reached the second round of the NCAA Tournament, two that advanced to the Elite Eight and one that advanced to the 2017 College Cup.
• In the non-conference portion, the Vikings beat Loyola (Md.), 2-1, despite allowing an own goal. CSU also lost just, 1-0, to Elite Eight participant Michigan State and was outshot only by a 9-7 margin.
• Cleveland State's final RPI improved 51 places from the 2016 season.
• The Vikings played 10 games overall against the top 101 teams in the final RPI rankings, the most in the Horizon League. 
• Six of Cleveland State's 10 newcomers started at least one match during the 2017 season, including three true freshmen that started at least 10 matches.
• Cleveland State started two newcomers at central defense in 13 of the team's 19 matches this season.
• In its Oct. 24 match at Cincinnati, head coach Kirk Harwat started four true freshmen along the back line. CSU had three true freshmen starting on defense in three other matches in 2017, including both of its Horizon League Tournament games.
• Seven student-athletes posted their first point as a Viking in 2017, with four—Thomas Bielanski, Madifing Conde, Jordan Ianiro and Vlad Jandric—scoring for the first time. 
• Cleveland State scored twice in the final 14 minutes to win its season opener, 3-1, over Robert Morris and give head coach Kirk Harwat his first career win in his debut match Aug. 25.
• Cleveland State's 22 shots in its match against Northern Kentucky Sept. 16 were a season high and the second-highest such figure in the past five seasons for CSU.
• CSU's 3-0 win at Oakland was its first three-goal win in Horizon League play since 2013. Amazingly, the last time CSU had won by 3+ goals in a road League match came in 1993.
• Columbus Crew SC players Brad Stuver and Josh Williams, both former Vikings, returned to their collegiate stomping grounds as part of the program's Alumni Weekend Oct. 7. Both members of the Eastern Conference finalists signed autographs for fans while their autographed equipment was raffled off.
• Cleveland State carried a seven-game home unbeaten streak into the month of October before dropping a match to Milwaukee Oct. 7. 
• Sophomore Vlad Jandric, senior Alec Nagucki and junior Noah Pio each were selected All-Horizon League Second Team. Thomas M'Barek was also named to the All-Freshman Team.
• Vlad Jandric scored five goals in eight starts in an advanced midfield role, including game-winning goals at Oakland (9/23), vs. Belmont (9/30) and at Wright State (11/6).
• Alec Nagucki was named All-Horizon League for the second straight season as the League's coaches recognized his important role in establishing or winning back possession from his defensive midfield position.
• Noah Pio tied for the team lead in goals (5) and topped the squad in assists (5) to post 15 points.
• Thomas M'Barek started 15 matches in central defense and was named Horizon League Defensive Player of the Week Sept. 25. It was the second straight season in which a CSU freshman won that honor. 
• Pio finished the season strong by posting at least one point in seven of the final 12 matches.
• Pio tied for third in the League in shots in League matches (27) and was also among the top 10 in points, goals and assists.
• Alec Nagucki played a team-leading 1,625 minutes in 2017 while Hesham Hammouda was right behind at 1,589.
• Vlad Jandric and Noah Pio combined to score eight of CSU's final 14 goals against League opponents.
• Pio scored or assisted on eight of the final 12 goals CSU scored against League foes.
• Jandric had the only brace of the season for CSU in its Sept. 23 win over Oakland.
• Pio took 50 shots in 2017, the highest total by a Viking in over 15 years. 
• The average Horizon League side had its opponent attempt 2.7 penalty kicks during the 2017 season. CSU's opponents took six penalty kicks against the Vikings in their final six games of the season.
• In each of Cleveland State's last four losses of the season, the opponent scored the game-winning goal via penalty kick.
• Cleveland State was one of just two League teams to only be granted one penalty kick in 2017.
• After accruing eight fewer cards than every other League team in 2016, the Vikings were again one of the most disciplined squads in 2017. CSU had the second fewest totals in fouls/match (12.21) and yellow cards/match (1.68) and the lowest such totals among the teams that made the League Tournament. 
• Senior co-captain Alec Nagucki played in all 19 matches and finished his career playing in all 74 games over his four years. He finished tied for seventh in CSU history in all-time matches played.
• Fellow senior co-captain Hesham Hammouda and junior Noah Pio joined Nagucki in playing in all 19 matches in 2017. 
• Antonio Burgoa showcased incredible positional flexibility during the 2017 season. He started as a central defender, a holding midfielder, an attacking midfielder and a target forward. Vlad Jandric also displayed versatility, starting in central defense, a holding midfield role and a central playmaking midfield role.
• Vlad Jandric was named Academic All-Horizon League at the conclusion of the season. 
• CSU's 24 goals and 22 assists were its highest such totals since the 2012 season.
• Cleveland State allowed 10 goals from the run of play in its final 16 matches.
• CSU's 4-0 quarterfinal win was its largest margin of victory in Horizon League Tournament history.
• The Vikings became the first team since 1999 to win a Horizon League Tournament contest by at least four goals as the lower seeded team in the match.
• With its 3-0 win at Oakland Sept. 23 and its 4-0 win at Wright State Nov. 6, Cleveland State won two games on the road by at least three goals in the same season for the first time since 1990.