Men's Soccer Slated to Finish Fourth in MSC Preseason Coaches' Poll

BOWLING GREEN, Ky. -- The Cumberland men's soccer team was voted to finish in fourth place in the 2026 Mid-South Conference Preseason Coaches' Poll as announced by conference officials on Thursday.

The Phoenix wrapped up what was their most successful season on paper with a 14-4-3 record and an appearance in the National Championship Round of 16, where Cumberland fell to No.8-seed Georgia Gwinnett by a score of 2-1.

CU also took home a treasure trove full of awards with the Mid-South Conference Player of the Year, Freshman of the Year, Four MSC All-Conference Honorees, and two NAIA First Team All-Americans all being brought back to Lebanon, helping to highlight the outstanding season.

Cumberlands (Ky.) is the preseason favorite to win the 2026 Mid-South Conference Men's Soccer regular-season championship, as the Patriots received 33 voting points from the conference coaches, including four of the seven first-place votes. Coaches were not allowed to vote for their own team.

Cumberlands accumulated a 9-6-6 record last season, reaching the NAIA National Tournament semifinals. The Patriots also captured the regular-season title last season with 15 points after posting a 5-1 conference mark.

Bethel (Tenn.) and Lindsey Wilson (Ky.) are tied for second in the preseason poll with 29 voting points.

Bethel -- who received two first-place votes from the conference coaches -- is the defending MSC Tournament champion. The Wildcats closed out 2025 with a 13-2-2 record, including a 4-1-1 conference record.

Lindsey Wilson received the final first-place vote in the poll. The Blue Raiders are coming off a 12-4-1 campaign in 2025. Cumberland (Tenn.) garnered 22 voting points in the preseason poll for fourth place, while Campbellsville (Ky.) checks in at fifth in the poll with 17 voting points.

Freed-Hardeman (Tenn.) is sixth in the poll with 10 voting points, followed by Georgetown (Ky.) with seven voting points. The 2026 MSC men's soccer season begins Thursday, August 20, with conference play beginning in early September.

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