The Mountain West Conference has announced its preseason men's soccer rankings for the 2026 campaign, revealing a tight race at the top of the league.
Preseason Poll Details
Grand Canyon University leads the poll with 22 points, bolstered by four first‑place votes from league head coaches, while San José State University matches the total with two top votes. Both programs enter the season with high expectations, the Lopes guided by first‑year head coach Jamie Davies and currently positioned No. 21 in the United Soccer Coaches Poll.
San José State’s Spartans are coming off a 12‑win season in 2025, the most victories for the program since 2003, underscoring the momentum behind their preseason placement.
Behind the leaders, UC Davis is projected to finish third with 15 points, followed by UNLV at fourth with 14, Air Force at fifth with 10, and Utah Tech rounding out the top six with seven points.
Spotlight on Emerging Talent
The conference also unveiled a Watch List that highlights three student‑athletes from each team, aiming to showcase the depth of talent set to feature throughout the schedule.
The 2026 season is slated to begin on Thursday, August 20, and will be streamed live on the league’s dedicated platform, MW+, accessible at watch.themw.com.