GAMBIER, Ohio – The North Coast Athletic Conference (NCAC) announced its 2025 men's soccer preseason coaches' poll Tuesday afternoon, with Kenyon College earning the No. 2 spot in the ranking.
The Owls, who collected two first-place votes and tallied 71 points, trailed only Denison University, which secured six first-place nods and 78 points to top the poll. Kenyon sits ahead of Ohio Wesleyan University (62 points, one first-place vote) and DePauw University (48 points), which find themselves in familiar positions from last year. Looking at the second half of the table, John Carroll University slides into fifth with 47 points in its first season as a part of the NCAC, while Wabash College comes in at sixth with 33 points. The College of Wooster (23), Wittenberg University (22), and Oberlin College (21) fill in the final three spots of the table.
Kenyon closed out the 2024 season with a 13-3-5 overall record, placing third in the conference standings with a total of 18 points, just behind first-place Denison and second-place Ohio Wesleyan, which each tallied 20. The Owls advanced to the NCAC Tournament semifinals, where their conference campaign came to a narrow end against rival Denison. Leading into the national tournament, the Owls secured an at-large berth, hosting the first rounds before bowing out in penalties versus Connecticut College in the sweet sixteen.
Head Coach
Travis Wall, now in his third year, and his squad had a remarkable 2024 campaign, notching six All-NCAC selectees, two All-Region honors, four All-Ohio team honorees, and one All-American awardee, while finishing the regular season ranked No. 14 in the United Soccer Coaches' NCAA Division III poll.
The Owls open their season on August 29 when they travel to Capital University for a non-conference matchup scheduled for 7:30 p.m. NCAC play will begin with none other than a rivalry showdown, as the Owls are slated to face Denison University on October 4.
The full 2025 NCAC Men's Soccer Preseason Coaches' Poll is listed below:
- Denison (6) – 78
- Kenyon (2) – 71
- Ohio Wesleyan (1) – 62
- DePauw – 48
- John Carroll – 47
- Wabash – 33
- Wooster – 23
- Wittenberg – 22
- Oberlin – 21
