Freshman goalkeeper Tomas Romero was the hero of the seven-round penalty shootout that saw the Georgetown University Men’s soccer team win the 2019 NCAA Division 1 College Cup championship. After a thrilling, back-and-forth game against the University of Virginia, the score remained 3-3 after regulation making penalties the deciding factor. Romero’s save gave the Hoyas its first ever National Championship title after coming off a 20-1-3 season; the best in the school’s history.

After the final fifth round of the penalty shootout, each shooter had made their penalty shots as bonus rounds were needed to break the tie. Romero’s seventh round save was the first of the shootout and proved to be the difference maker as Georgetown was deemed victorious.

Georgetown’s goals came from Paul Rothrock, Derek Dodson, and Dylan Wu, who scored his first collegiate goal as a Hoya in his hometown of Cary, NC that night.    

This season marked the second consecutive year that a DMV based collegiate soccer team took home the National Championship title. Last season, the University of Maryland took home its fourth College Cup trophy after defeating the University of Akron 1-0. The championship was also the highest scoring in College Cup history since 1980.

Following the tournament, senior captain Dylan Nealis was the tournament’s Most Outstanding Player and four others were named to the All-Tournament team. Nealis was also selected third overall in the 2020 MLS Superdraft by Inter Miami FC and will begin his career as a professional this upcoming season.

Nealis was one of two players from the Hoya squad to get drafted to the MLS. His co-captain Ifunanyachi Achara was selected 25th overall by MLS runner-up Toronto FC. With Georgetown’s starting 11 consisting of mostly non-seniors, the Hoyas have the necessary depth in order to make a promising fun for another title next season.