USJ Looks For Repeat; Picked To Finish First In 2025 Men's Soccer Preseason Poll

WINTHROP, Mass. – The chase for the 2025 Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) Men’s Soccer crown is on as the defending champion University of Saint Joseph (Conn.) was voted the early favorite by the league's 13 head coaches. The Blue Jays racked up 163 points and eight first-place votes, setting the tone as the team to beat this fall after claiming the trophy in 2024.

Hot on their trail is Emmanuel College, securing 144 points and three first-place votes to take the No. 2 spot. Right behind them is Saint Joseph’s (Maine), earning 141 points and a first-place vote of their own, while Albertus Magnus sits just one point back at 140. With such a tight race at the top, the battle for supremacy is already heating up.

Rivier (111) and Norwich (107) claim the fifth and sixth spots, both looking to push into the upper tier. Regis (89), New England College (78), and Dean (53) make up the middle of the pack in the 7-9 spots, while Lasell (52) and Colby-Sawyer (50) are right on their heels at 10 and 11, respectively. Elms (34) and Mitchell (21) round out the final two slots in this year's preseason poll, eager to shake up the standings.

The 2025 GNAC Men’s Soccer season kicks off on Friday, August 29 with non-conference action across the region before league play begins on Saturday, September 6. Each team will battle through a demanding conference schedule, with only the top eight squads earning a shot at postseason glory in the GNAC Championship Tournament.

Quarterfinals are set for Saturday, November 1, followed by semifinals on Tuesday, November 4, and the GNAC Championship Final on Saturday, November 8. The winner punches their ticket to the 2025 NCAA Division III Men’s Soccer Championship.

2025 Men's Soccer Preseason Poll