The Sun Belt Conference released its 2026 men’s soccer preseason awards and poll on Thursday, setting the stage for what many expect to be another competitive season.
West Virginia emerged as the clear favorite, earning four first‑place votes and 94 points in the league’s initial rankings.
Preseason Player Honors
Among the recognized standouts, West Virginia forward Pablo Pozos was named Offensive Player of the Year after a 2025 campaign that featured 11 goals and three assists, accumulating 25 points.
UCF defender Takahiro Fujita earned Defensive Player of the Year honors, a nod to his role in a backline that kept opponents to two goals or fewer in twelve of thirteen matches.
Goalkeeper Matisse Hébert of UCF was selected as Preseason Goalkeeper of the Year, bringing a 1.20 goals‑against average and ten shutouts from 28 appearances, including stints with Wisconsin.
Pozos also secured a spot on the Preseason All‑Conference First Team, while UCF’s Carl Romberg and Old Dominion forward Lewis Rourke earned similar first‑team recognition.
The all‑conference team selections saw UCF, Kentucky and West Virginia each placing three players, while Marshall and Old Dominion each contributed one member.
UCF’s 2025 run culminated in its first Sun Belt tournament championship, granting the Knights a berth in the NCAA Tournament alongside West Virginia, Kentucky and Marshall.
The conference has now captured multiple NCAA Tournament bids in three straight seasons, totaling eleven selections to date.
Championship Schedule
The 2026 Sun Belt men’s soccer championship is slated for November 8 through 15, with matches hosted at various campus sites across the league.