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Cumberland University

MSOC Preseason Poll

Men's Soccer

Phoenix Kick Off 2026 Season With No. 14 Ranking in Preseason Poll

LEBANON, Tenn. - - The Cumberland men's soccer team will kick off 2026 ranked as the No. 14 team in the country according to the NAIA Preseason Top 25 Coaches' Poll, as was announced by the league office this afternoon.

Cumberland went on a run last season that included a number of ranked wins and upsets over top teams, including knocking off No. 6 Mobile to start the season and No. 2 Lindsey Wilson on their own home turf. CU made it the furthest they have in the program's history, making it to the final site before dropping a 2-1 heartbreaker to Georgia Gwinnett.

The Phoenix's excellent season was wrapped up with a pair of NAIA All-American First Team selections in Philipp Schmidtke and Miquel Gelabert, both of which were named Mid-South Conference Player of the Year and Freshman of the Year respectively.

The men's soccer team will begin their regular season competitions next week against Bryan College on the road at 4 PM in Dayton, Tennessee.

Grand View (Iowa) leads the way in the preseason coaches' poll, a reflection of the conclusion to last year's season, where the Vikings took home the championship title. West Virginia Tech, a team from last season's title game, was tabbed second, while MidAmerica Nazarene (Kan.), Cumberlands (Ky.), and Georgia Gwinnett round out the top five.

The first regular-season Top 25 poll will be released on Wednesday, Sept. 2.
 
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Players Mentioned

Philipp Schmidtke

#9 Philipp Schmidtke

F
6' 0"
Junior
Miquel Gelabert

#19 Miquel Gelabert

F
5' 7"
Freshman

Players Mentioned

Philipp Schmidtke

#9 Philipp Schmidtke

6' 0"
Junior
F
Miquel Gelabert

#19 Miquel Gelabert

5' 7"
Freshman
F