Mid-Atlantic Region

[Kuiper]

Centennial conference posts preseason coaches poll.  Hopkins edges out Dickinson for the top spot

https://centennial.org/news/2025/8/18/hopkins-earns-distinction-as-mens-soccer-preseason-favorite.aspx

2025 Centennial Conference Men's Soccer Preseason Poll

Rank | Institution (First-Place Votes)   Points
1. Johns Hopkins (6)   77
2. Dickinson (4)   73
3. Franklin & Marshall   62
4. Muhlenberg   61
5. Washington College   47
6. Swarthmore   45
7. Gettysburg   27
8. McDaniel   25
9. Haverford   17
10. Ursinus   16

[SierraFD3soccer]

Very fair since no team has played a game yet and many teams lost key parts from last year (except I would argue that is not necessarily the case for Dickinson).

Does not look like JHU has its roster up yet. Hop women's has been up for a while and have 34 players - 4 grad and 6 seniors. Gamesmanship Hop? Both teams start their season on the same day.

[Kuiper]

Very fair since no team has played a game yet and many teams lost key parts from last year (except I would argue that is not necessarily the case for Dickinson).

Does not look like JHU has its roster up yet. Hop women's has been up for a while and have 34 players - 4 grad and 6 seniors. Gamesmanship Hop? Both teams start their season on the same day.

Maybe Coach Appleby is going old school and motivating the players by telling them he hasn't decided who has made the team yet?

[SierraFD3soccer]

Hahahaha.

[Kuiper]

To be fair to Hopkins and Coach Appleby, they did post new recruits on their Instagram account.  In addition to the freshman, here are three transfers announced.  It doesn't tell you who stayed from last year's roster, but it does suggest they didn't exactly load up with mega-experienced grad transfers like in past seasons.

Sean Vaghedi M George Washington (DI) (48 games/29 starts over three seasons, 4 assists)

Ryan Aiken GK Penn State (DI) (no action in 2022 and 2023, left PSU and played with ETure in Spain in 2024)

Alex Gardner M University of South Florida (played club soccer there)

[Kuiper]

Landmark released is 2025 Preseason Coaches Poll as part of a general season preview for the league. Catholic is predicted to take the top spot.

1. Catholic 81 (9)
2. Scranton 73 (1)
3. Juanita 61
4. Moravian 54
5. Lycoming 48
6. Elizabethtown 41
7. Drew 38
8. Susquehanna 23
9. Goucher 21
10. Wilkes 10

[Kuiper]

Skyline released its preseason coaches poll.  Manhattanville and St. Joseph's-Long Island are predicted to be the top two contenders.

2025 Skyline Conference Men's Soccer Preseason Coaches Poll
Rank, Team (first-place votes), Pts.

1.    Manhattanville (7), 117
2.    St. Joseph's-Long Island (5), 108
3.    Merchant Marine, 103
4.    Farmingdale State, 85
5.    Mount Saint Vincent, 80
6.    Yeshiva, 67
7.    St. Joseph's-Brooklyn, 56
8.    Maritime, 55
9.    Mount Saint Mary, 42
10.    Old Westbury, 33
11.    Sarah Lawrence, 32
12.    Purchase, 14

[Kuiper]

The CUNYAC preseason coaches poll is out and Baruch is the consensus favorite, with Lehman and Hunter close behind.

2025 CUNYAC Men's Soccer Preseason Poll
(first place votes in parentheses)

1. Baruch (5) - 46
T2. Lehman (2) - 40
T2. Hunter (1) - 40
T4. John Jay - 28
T4. Brooklyn - 28
6. CCNY - 23
7. York - 10
8. Medgar Evers - 9

[SierraFD3soccer]

To be fair to Hopkins and Coach Appleby, they did post new recruits on their Instagram account.  In addition to the freshman, here are three transfers announced.  It doesn't tell you who stayed from last year's roster, but it does suggest they didn't exactly load up with mega-experienced grad transfers like in past seasons.

Thanks. By my count and besides grad students, 10 freshmen.

[Kuiper]

Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference posted its men's soccer preseason poll.  Penn State-Behrend tabbed to finish first

Pre-Season Ranking*
1. Penn State Behrend (T1)
2. Mount Aloysius (3)
3. Alfred State (T1)
4. Pitt-Greensburg (5)
5. Hilbert (4)
6. La Roche (T6)
7. Pitt-Bradford (T6)
8. Penn State Altoona (8)
9. Carlow (9)
*Number in parenthesis is order of regular season finish in 2024

[Hopkins Walk-On]

Hopkins 2025 roster is now posted
https://hopkinssports.com/sports/mens-soccer/roster

4 transfers - 2 grad students and 2 undergrads
9 freshmen

They replace 10 departed players (seniors or grad students).

[Hopkins Walk-On]

Notably, 8 of Hopkins' 9 freshmen are over 6 feet and other one is 5' 11". This is a notable change from past years and one Coach Appleby highlighted recently.

[Kuiper]

I wouldn't call the USA South a Mid-Atlantic conference, but since we don't have a South thread and we do have some Virginia schools in this conference, I'll put it here.

USA South reveals its preseason coaches poll.  North Carolina Wesleyan (the Wesleyan that apparently is OK with having Wesleyan in its name) is tabbed to repeat as champion.

2025 USA South Coaches Preseason Men's Soccer Poll
Rank    Institution (1st Place Votes)    Points
1.    N.C. Wesleyan* (5)    47
2.    William Peace^ (2)    42
3.    Brevard    37
4.    Methodist (1)    33
5.    Southern Virginia    26
6.    Pfeiffer    18
7.    Greensboro    14
8.    Mary Baldwin    7
*Defending Regular Season Champion
^Defending Tournament Champion

[SierraFD3soccer]

Notably, 8 of Hopkins' 9 freshmen are over 6 feet and other one is 5' 11". This is a notable change from past years and one Coach Appleby highlighted recently.

Going the F&M way, hah, 6'6" keeper and centerback, other is 6'4". Midfielder is 6'4". 21 out of 28 6' or over. Back up keeper is 6'5" When son played, they had a very good intramural basketball team (he was a shooting guard/small forward) in high school), hahaha. Maybe better now??

Also, in my experience, coaches often list players as taller. For instance, a 5'10" player somehow magically becomes 6'0".  Son was 6'1 or 6'0", but was often listed as 6'2"

[Mr_November]

Swarthmore defeat Yeshiva 2-0 at Swat.

Swarthmore looked much the better side, dictating the tempo and generating numerous chances by getting the ball wide and whipping in quality crosses. Most attacks started down the right hand side with Freshman right back #12 Noah Daniel, who was solid defensively and savvy going forward (and good size as a freshman)!

Another standout was Freshman #17 Max Wheeler, who came from CT Rush. Good distributor of the ball and midfield engine - nearly scored one late in second half by settling a bouncing ball in the box and faking a shot past two defenders and shooting high near post.

Yeshiva struggled to create clear cut chances, but standout was #7 at the heart of midfield, JR Franco Busso. He appeared to quite frustrated with his teammates towards the end, and I can't entirely blame him. He had 6 goals and 3 assists in 2023 as a Freshman, 2G 2A last year as a sophomore.

**Please note: I only saw the second half**