Midwestern State is predicted to repeat as Lone Star Conference champions in men’s soccer in 2022, according to the preseason poll announced on Thursday.
The preseason poll reflects the opinions of LSC head coaches, sports information directors and various media representatives throughout the region.
MSU secured the top spot in the poll receiving 245 total points and 15 of 26 first-place votes. The Mustangs enter the season looking for a second consecutive conference championship after claiming their first regular-season title in the LSC since 2010 last year. MSU finished 7-1 in league play one year ago and 16-3-1 overall, picking up a second conference tournament championship in three years and an NCAA Division II postseason berth.
West Texas A&M was selected second in the poll with seven first-place votes and 230 points. The Buffs were 14-4-1 overall and 6-2 in the LSC and advanced to the Division II West Super Regional semifinals. St. Mary’s begins the season ranked third with 199 points and three first-place votes in the poll, following a 5-3 LSC record last year.
Lubbock Christian is tabbed to finish fourth this season, earning 162 points and one first-place vote. The Chaps made their first LSC tournament championship game appearance in 2021, falling in a thrilling double-overtime match that ended on penalty kicks. UT Tyler rounded out the top five with 153 points.
Texas A&M International (128), UT Permian Basin (100), Oklahoma Christian (83), DBU (78) and Eastern New Mexico (52) closed out the preseason poll.
Three men’s soccer standouts were recognized with preseason player of the year awards. MSU’s Mere Escobar was named Preseason Offensive Player of the Year, DBU’s Payton Franklin garnered Preseason Defensive Player of the Year honors and the Mustangs Marc-Antoine Huzen received Preseason Goalkeeper of the Year recognition.
Escobar, a junior from Austin, Texas, returns to the Mustangs after an impressive sophomore campaign during which he scored 11 goals and served up five assists in 20 games while earning first team all-conference honors. The midfielder finished the season second in the LSC for points scored with 27, only trailing former teammate Trevor Amann. He also tied for the league lead in game-winning goals, putting away four match-clinchers.
Franklin, a senior from Greenville, Texas, helped lead a massive defensive turnaround for the Patriots in 2021 as DBU conceded nearly half a goal less per match than the previous season. The defender led the Patriots in minutes played among outfield players, amassing 1,188 minutes on the pitch. Franklin earned second-team all-conference recognition last season.
Huzen, a senior from Paris, France, played every minute between the sticks for the Mustangs, starting all 20 games and allowing a .981 goals-against average in 1,835 minutes. The reigning goalkeeper of the year pulled up 58 saves and stopped 74.4 percent of the shots he faced to lead the LSC.
Additionally, 22 players - seven offensive, eight defensive, and seven goalkeepers - were selected for the first LSC men’s soccer preseason players to watch list. The student-athletes were nominated by their member institution for recognition.
The 2022 men’s soccer season opens Thursday, August 25, with 10 teams competing in a nine-game single-round robin schedule. The LSC Men’s Soccer Championship will include the top six teams based on conference points. The tournament will begin with quarterfinal matches on Tuesday, November 1, followed by the semifinal and championship matches at the No. 1 seed on Friday, November 4 and Sunday, November 6.
2022 LSC Men's Soccer Preseason Poll
| Rank |
School |
1st |
Total |
| 1 |
Midwestern State |
15 |
245 |
| 2 |
West Texas A&M |
7 |
230 |
| 3 |
St. Mary's |
3 |
199 |
| 4 |
Lubbock Christian |
1 |
162 |
| 5 |
UT Tyler |
|
153 |
| 6 |
Texas A&M International |
|
128 |
| 7 |
UT Permian Basin |
|
100 |
| 8 |
Oklahoma Christian |
|
83 |
| 9 |
DBU |
|
78 |
| 10 |
Eastern New Mexico |
|
52 |
LSC Men's Soccer Offensive Players to Watch
| Name |
School |
Class |
Pos. |
Major |
Hometown/High School |
| Liam Mirandon |
Eastern New Mexico |
JR |
F |
Art |
Paris, France |
| Pablo Galietero Diez |
Lubbock Christian |
SR |
F |
Sports Management |
Madrid, Spain/I.E.S. Gabriela Mistral |
| Mere Escobar |
Midwestern State |
JR |
F |
Business Management |
Austin, Texas/Anderson HS |
| Andrick Ferrer |
St. Mary's |
SO |
MF/D |
Management |
San Antonio, Texas/Cornerstone Christian |
| Tajani Fairclough |
Texas A&M International |
JR |
F |
Communications |
Toronto, Ontario/Downsview HS |
| Rodrigo Rogatto |
UT Permian Basin |
SR |
F |
Computer Sciences |
Santos, Brazil/Onis |
| Denis Herrera |
West Texas A&M |
SR |
F |
General Studies |
Tegucigalpa, Honduras/Richmond (Ind.) H.S. |
LSC Men's Soccer Defensive Players to Watch
| Name |
School |
Class |
Pos. |
Major |
Hometown/High School |
| Payton Franklin |
DBU |
SR |
DEF |
Biology |
Greenville, Texas/Greenville HS |
| Ludwig Scherer |
Eastern New Mexico |
SO |
DEF |
Math |
Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany/Werdenfels |
| Jasper Reese |
Lubbock Christian |
SR |
DEF |
Economics |
Rodenburg, Germany/Gymnasium Bad Nenndorf |
| Colby Parton |
Midwestern State |
SR |
DEF |
Exercise Physiology |
Euless, Texas/Trinity HS |
| Lewis Wilson |
St. Mary's |
SR |
DEF |
Comm. Studies |
Aberdeen, Scotland/Kenmay Academy |
| Tahja Reynolds |
Texas A&M International |
SR |
DEF |
Business Admin. |
Manchester, Jamaica/Spalding Clarendon |
| Alejandro Pinzon |
UT Permian Basin |
SR |
DEF |
Engineering |
Tulua, Colombia/Salesiano |
| Kenny Brown |
West Texas A&M |
SR |
MF |
Civil Engineering |
Liverpool, England/St. Edmund Arrowsmith Academy |
LSC Men's Soccer Goalkeepers to Watch
| Name |
School |
Class |
Pos. |
Major |
Hometown/High School |
| Miguel Pedroza |
Eastern New Mexico |
JR |
GK |
Criminal Justice |
Albuquerque, N.M./Atrisco Heritage |
| Tom Miles |
Lubbock Christian |
FR |
GK |
Psychology |
Epsom, England/Glynn School |
| Marc-Antoine Huzen |
Midwestern State |
SR |
GK |
Marketing |
Paris, France/Lycee Voltaire |
| Andre Schlaefli |
St. Mary's |
JR |
GK |
Accounting |
Katy, Texas/Seven Lakes HS |
| Robin Verhoeven |
Texas A&M International |
JR |
GK |
Kinesiology |
Deurne, Netherlands/SV Duerne |
| Kristian Hovind |
UT Permian Basin |
SR |
GK |
Business |
Raelingen, Norway/Raelingen VGS |
| Alfonso Aragon |
West Texas A&M |
SR |
GK |
Finance and Economics |
Huesca, Spain/Santa Rosa-Altoaragon |