FARMINGTON HILLS, Mich. -- Calvin University has been selected as the preseason favorite in the 2025 MIAA Men’s Soccer Preseason Coaches Poll. The Knights collected six of the eight possible first-place votes and nine points overall.
Hope College was picked second with 12 points and two first-place nods, while Trine University was chosen third with 19 points. Albion College (28 points) and Adrian College (29 points) rounded out the top five.
1. Calvin University – 9 points (6 first-place votes)
Calvin looks to build on a 2024 campaign where it went 4-1-2 in MIAA play and 14-6-2 overall. The Knights entered last year’s league tournament as the No. 3 seed and went on to claim the 2024 MIAA Tournament championship.
Head coach Ryan Souders, at the helm of the program since 2012, earned MIAA Coach of the Year honors for the second-straight season. He brings back multiple key contributors, including midfielder Jake Ziolo, who claimed First Team recognition as a freshman.
2. Hope College – 12 points (2 first-place votes)
Hope posted a 5-0-2 MIAA record and 14-3-3 overall mark in 2024, capturing a share of the conference regular-season title alongside Trine.
The Flying Dutchmen return several All-MIAA standouts, including sophomore forward Jackson Mindling, who earned First Team honors in his first collegiate season, and senior forward Seth Walters, a two-time All-MIAA honoree who was also named to the United Soccer Coaches All-Region VIII Second Team. Junior midfielder Josh Weigel, another two-time All-MIAA pick, returns to bolster the midfield.
3. Trine University – 19 points
Trine matched Hope with a 5-0-2 MIAA record in 2024, finishing 7-7-3 overall to claim co-champion status. The Thunder welcome new head coach Tim McClements, who brings more than 30 years of coaching experience, including his most recent head coaching stint at Southern Methodist University.
Trine returns senior midfielder Jarick Aguilar, a two-time All-MIAA First Team honoree, along with 2024 Second Team All-MIAA picks senior midfielder Braden Estep, senior defender Ryan Cote, and senior defender Gavin Hardy, a three-time All-MIAA honoree.
4. Albion College – 28 points
Albion went 2-2-3 in the MIAA and 3-6-5 overall in 2024. The Britons’ roster features sophomore midfielder Esteban Mercado, who earned Second Team All-MIAA honors as a freshman. Sophomore goalkeeper Tom Veresh also returns after making 64 saves with a .744 save percentage in his rookie season.
5. Adrian College – 29 points
Adrian finished with a 2-3-2 MIAA record and 11-4-2 overall mark last season. The Bulldogs return senior midfielder Owen Emert and sophomore midfielder Brett Wojkowski, both of whom earned Second Team All-MIAA honors in 2024.
6. Kalamazoo College – 35 points
Kalamazoo looks ahead to 2025 under the direction of first-year head coach Mike Haines, a Hornet alum who began his collegiate coaching career as the Kalamazoo women's head coach in 1996. Most recently, Haines was an assistant men’s soccer coach at Western Michigan University.
On the field, the Hornets return senior forward Henry Plumstead, a two-time All-MIAA honoree and 2024 Second Team selection. Sophomore goalkeeper Darius Wright III also returns after posting 14 saves and a .667 save percentage across three regular-season games last year.
7. Alma College – 45 points
Alma went 1-6 in the MIAA and 9-8-1 overall in 2024. The Scots return senior forward Christian Sweis, who led the team with an .800 shots-on-goal percentage. Junior Bradshaw Uhlmann and senior Grant Kaifas also return after making key contributions in goal, recording 20 and 16 saves, respectively.
8. The University of Olivet – 47 points
Olivet posted a 0-6-1 MIAA record and 5-10-1 overall mark last year. The Comets return junior goalkeeper Nicholas Van Port Fleet, who tallied 35 saves and a .778 save percentage in seven appearances, along with senior midfielder Aidan Reynolds, who scored for the Comets during regular-season play.
Looking Ahead
The 2025 MIAA men’s soccer season opens on Friday, August 29. Regular-season conference competition begins on Tuesday, October 7, with Alma hosting Kalamazoo, Hope hosting Calvin, Trine hosting Albion, and Adrian hosting Olivet.
The 2025 MIAA Men’s Soccer Tournament will be contested November 1 (first round), November 5 (semifinals), and November 8 (championship). The tournament champion will earn the league’s automatic bid to the NCAA Division III Men’s Soccer Tournament, which begins November 15.