SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – Defending Summit League regular season champion Kansas City was selected as the top team in the 2026 Summit League men’s soccer preseason coaches’ poll released Wednesday by league officials. The Roos earned five first-place votes and totaled 25 points overall in the poll, which was voted on by the League’s six head coaches. Delaware, who enjoyed a strong inaugural season in the Summit League, was picked second with 21 points and one first-place vote.

Kansas City will look to build off a historic 2025 campaign that saw the Roos capture their first Summit League regular season title since 2010 and earn an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament. KC finished the season with a 12-4-5 overall record and a 4-1-1 mark in League play, earning 13 points during the regular season. The Roos hosted their first NCAA Tournament match in program history and secured a 1-0 victory over Lindenwood in the opening round.

Delaware earned the second spot in the preseason rankings following a strong debut season in the League. The Blue Hens posted a 12-2-3 overall record in 2025 and finished second in the regular season standings with 11 points in League play (3-1-2). Delaware advanced to the Summit League Tournament semifinals before falling to Kansas City.

UMass rounded out the top three with 16 points after the Minutemen finished their first season as a Summit League affiliate member. Oral Roberts (10), Omaha (9) and St. Thomas (9) completed the 2026 Summit League men’s soccer preseason coaches’ poll. The Golden Eagles, Mavericks, and Tommies each finished the 2025 regular season with five League points.
 

2026 Summit League Men’s Soccer Preseason Coaches’ Poll
Rank	School	Points (1st)	2025 Record (SL)
1.	Kansas City	25 (5)	12-4-5 (4-1-1, 13 pts.)
2.	Delaware	21 (1)	12-2-3 (3-1-2, 11 pts.)
3.	Massachusetts	16	6-5-6 (1-3-2, 5 pts.)
4.	Oral Roberts	10	4-10-3 (1-3-2, 5 pts.)
5.	Omaha	9	3-9-4 (1-3-2, 5 pts.)
5.	St. Thomas	9	7-5-5 (1-3-2, 5 pts.)

 
Players to Watch
Note: Players to Watch nominated by league’s head coaches

Mathias Baucher | Kansas City | Graduate | Midfielder
• Helped Kansas City capture the 2025 Summit League Regular Season Co-Championship and advance to the NCAA Second Round
• Appeared in 21 matches with 14 starts, logging 1,419 minutes while playing the full 90 minutes in six contests
• Recorded two assists, including helpers in the Summit League Semifinal win over Delaware (Nov. 9) and the NCAA Opening Round victory over Lindenwood (Nov. 20)

Jeremy Francou | Kansas City | Senior | Forward
• Earned 2025 United Soccer Coaches First Team All-West Region, First Team All-Summit League and Summit League All-Tournament Team honors
• Started all 21 matches for Kansas City, logging 1,464 minutes while leading the team with 11 goals and ranking second in the Summit League and 19th nationally in total goals
• Finished the season with 25 points on 11 goals and three assists, including four game-winning goals, while helping the Roos claim the Summit League Regular Season Co-Championship and advance to the NCAA Second Round

Rich Monath | Delaware | Senior | Midfielder
• 2025 Summit League Midfielder of the Year, 2025 First Team All-Summit League, 2025 First Team All-ECAC, 2025 United Soccer Coaches All-West Region, and 2025 No. 69 on TopDrawerSoccer’s Postseason Top 100 List
• Started 16 of 17 matches for the Blue Hens, leading the team with 12 goals and adding two assists for a team-high 26 points
• Became the second player in Summit League history to record back-to-back hat tricks, while leading the league in goals per game (.706) and tying for the conference lead with four game-winning goals

Marius Stenner | Delaware | Junior | Forward
• 2025 First Team All-Summit League, 2025 First Team All-ECAC, 2025 United Soccer Coaches First Team All-West Region, 2025 Summit League All-Academic Team, 2025 College Sports Communicators Academic All-District, 2025 Hermann Trophy Watchlist, 2025 No. 44 on TopDrawerSoccer’s Top 100 Postseason List
• Placed second on the team with 11 goals and led the squad with nine assists for a team-high 31 points last season
• Led the Summit League in shots (57), shots on goal (26), points (31) and assists (9), while ranking eighth nationally in points per game (1.82) and tying for the league lead with four game-winning goals

Shane Velez | Massachusetts | Senior | Defender
• 2025 College Sports Communicators Academic All-District Team
• Played a key role in the midfield, starting 15 of 17 matches while producing three goals and three assists for nine points
• Delivered a career-best performance against Quinnipiac (Aug. 28), scoring twice and adding an assist for five points, while finishing the season with 33 shots and 12 shots on goal

Ivan Vhr | Massachusetts | Senior | Defender
• Appeared in 17 matches for the Minutemen, earning starts in 15 contests during the 2025 season
• Produced five points on two goals and one assist while recording 24 shots, including 10 on goal
• Matched a career-high with three points at Quinnipiac (Aug. 28), scoring one goal and adding an assist, while posting a season-best four shots at UMass Lowell (Sept. 10)

Jeff Mesidor | Oral Roberts | Sophomore | Midfielder
• Saw action in 17 matches during the 2025 season
• Found the back of the net once while recording six shots, including three on target
• Made four starts and totaled 777 minutes for the Golden Eagles in freshman campaign

Siem Tegbaru | Oral Roberts | Sophomore | Forward/Midfielder
• Recorded four starts and 16 games played as a freshman
• Tallied one assist in the ORU’s 3-2 win against Central Arkansas
• Racked up six shots with two on target through 497 minutes of play

Simon Guardiero | Omaha | Junior | Defender
• Recorded 12 starts in his debut season with the Mavericks
• Delivered three shots with one on target in 964 minutes of play
• Played a full 90 minutes in five matches last season

Brett Perkins | Omaha | Senior | Midfielder
• Made nine starts across 16 appearances during his junior campaign
• Notched two assists to collect two points with a career-high 929 minutes
• Tallied two shots on goal this past season

Moritz Krenc | St. Thomas | Senior| Goalkeeper
• Started in 13 matches for the Tommies, logging 1141 minutes of action 
• Recorded a program record of four shutouts against Presbyterian, Chicago State, Northern Illinois, and Milwaukee
• Tallied a season high six saves against NIU and Lindenwood

Merrick Schaefer | St. Thomas | Junior | Midfielder
• Started all 15 matches for the team, logging 1,150 minutes of action during the 2025 season
• Provided a consistent presence on the field, playing all 90 minutes in nine contests
• Notched five shots with three on target this past season

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