Bridgewater, N.J. - The Northeast Conference announced the 2025 men's soccer preseason poll this afternoon. Mercyhurst was picked to finish atop the league in a tie with LIU. The Lakers received five first place votes and the Sharks earned three.

Mercyhurst is coming off a tremendous first season as a Division I program. The Lakers finished with an 8-7-2 record and were NEC regular season champions with a 5-1-2 mark in conference play. Senior captain Dylan Sumner was named NEC Player of the Year while head coach Austin Solomon and his staff were named NEC Coaching Staff of the Year.

LIU is defending its NEC Tournament Championship from 2024. The Sharks went 4-1-3 in NEC games and defeated FDU in the NEC Championship game on penalty kicks.

Rounding out the top five of the 10 team field is FDU at third, Le Moyne in fourth, and Saint Francis in fifth.

The second half of the rankings begin with Stonehill at six. NEC newcomer New Haven was picked seventh after finishing their final year in the Northeast 10 Conference with a 12-4-4 record.

Howard was picked eighth, followed by Chicago State, and Central Connecticut State.

The Lakers will look slightly different than last season, losing Sumner and 17 other players. However, several Lakers from last year's starting rotation will return to the pitch. Irish native Benjamin Buckley will come back for his junior year after being named to the NEC All-Conference Second Team a season ago. Other returning defenders who made significant contributions last season include Mario Ganser, Ryan Mrvcic and Jak Lucas-Higginbotham.

The midfield will see some changes this season. The Lakers graduated Sumner, Lockie Fay, Jorge Tallada Torres and Callum Cleary who regularly held up the midfield. Senior midfielder Sergio Sanchez will return this year after making 12 appearances a season ago.

On the attacking front, Alvar Silva will return for his junior year. Silva registered 6 points and appeared in all 17 matches in 2024.

The Lakers have brought in a total of 32 new players, including 19 freshmen and 13 transfers. Ethan Aler is a six-foot three defensive transfer who brings experience on the back line from Point University in Georgia.

Transfer forwards Jo Hanamoto and Nako Amare Tesfaye look to add to the Lakers offensive unit.

In the midfield, the Lakers have acquired Santiago Bustamante Garcia and Marcel Duffau. Other transfers include Jordi Masegosa from Southeastern Community College, Alex Chung from George Washington, and Jacob Conti from Duquesne. 

The Lakers kick off the 2025 season at home Aug. 21 against Robert Morris.