Belton, Texas –  Hardin-Simmons claimed the ASC’s automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament with a 1-0 win over Mary Hardin-Baylor in the ASC Men’s Soccer Championship final on Saturday.

The No. 2-seeded Cowboys earned a first-round bye, then defeated East Texas Baptist 4-1 on Thursday to advance to the title game. Mary Hardin-Baylor, the regular-season champion, reached the final with a 7-1 win over Schreiner. The title is Hardin-Simmons’ third consecutive conference tournament championship.

After a scoreless first half, Hardin-Simmons’ Jaxon Shaffer broke through early in the second half, in the 49th minute, finishing a feed from Joseph Friederich. From there, Mary Hardin-Baylor kept up the pressure. The Cru put 17 shots on goal and earned 11 of their 12 corner kicks in the second half. Joaquin Sanchez made nine saves and Joel McPherson added eight in goal for the Cowboys, who faced 28 shots in all.

Alex Bethke led UMHB with five shots, four of them on goal. Billy Yonce and Jesus Vasquez added four shots apiece. Hughston Taggart played all 90 minutes in goal for the Crusaders and made one save.

With the win, Cowboys head coach Austin Guest earns his first ASC championship in his first season leading the program. HSU will learn its first-round destination during the NCAA Selection Show on Monday, Nov. 9, at 11 a.m. ET (10 a.m. CT) on NCAA.com.

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2026 All-Tournament Team
Joaquin Sanchez, Hardin-Simmons (MVP)
Liam Cisneros, Hardin-Simmons
Landon Newman, Hardin-Simmons
Jaxon Shaffer, Hardin-Simmons
Alex Bethke, Mary Hardin-Baylor
Rhett Rapuzzi, Mary Hardin-Baylor
Jackson Whitley, Mary Hardin-Baylor
Lewis Patterson, Schreiner
Gabe Zagastizabal, Schreiner
Dylan Garcia, East Texas Baptist
Jacob Wenzel, East Texas Baptist