Four-time defending Lone Star Conference tournament champion Midwestern State is predicted to win the LSC men's soccer regular season title according to the 2025 preseason poll, it was announced on Tuesday (Aug. 26). St. Edward's Arthur Souza and St. Mary's teammates Luke Mulkey and Johny Thurbin claimed preseason player of the year honors.
The preseason poll and preseason players of the year are voted on by LSC head coaches, sports information directors and media members.
MSU totaled 338 points and collected 16 of the possible 33 first-place votes. Head coach Michael Meachum's Mustangs went 15-3-3 overall and 7-2-1 in league play last season. MSU reached the national quarterfinals of the NCAA Division II Men's Soccer Championship and finished the year ranked in the top 10 in the nation. MSU has won a record 11 LSC regular season titles (the most recent coming in 2023) and five conference tourney crowns (also 2019).
Defending LSC champion St. Mary's is picked as the conference runner-up with 331 points and 13 first-place votes. The Rattlers went 12-4-4 overall and 8-1-1 in league play last season en route to their third league title over the past six seasons (also 2019 and 2022). StMU reached the LSC tournament title match.
St. Edward's is predicted to finish in third place with 297 points and landed three first-place votes. The Hilltoppers went 8-6-4 overall and 5-2-3 in league play last season after being predicted to finish 10th in the conference.
DBU is the fourth-place pick with 241 points. Five-time LSC champion West Texas A&M is selected for a fifth-place finish with 239 points, followed by Lubbock Christian (169 points) to round out what would be the potential six teams to qualify for the LSC tournament.
UT Tyler is picked to finish in seventh place with 161 points, followed by Oklahoma Christian (134 points), new league member UT Dallas (104 points), Texas A&M International (86 points) and Sul Ross State (78 points). TAMIU picked up the final first-place vote.
Souza was named LSC Preseason Offensive Player of the Year. The graduate student forward from Houston, Texas tied for second in the LSC with eight goals – three were game-winners – last season. He was also the league's Academic Player of the Year.
Mulkey was named LSC Preseason Defensive Player of the Year. The senior defender from Parker, Texas led a unit that allowed a league-low 16 goals last season and was named the LSC Defensive Player of the Year.
Thurbin claimed LSC Preseason Goalkeeper of the Year honors for the second straight season. The senior from Surrey, England posted the league's best goals-against average (.791) and recorded the most shutouts (nine) in 2024. He was voted LSC Goalkeeper of the Year.
Souza, Mulkey and Thurbin were each All-LSC First Team selections in 2024.
Additionally, 29 players – 11 offensive, 11 defensive and seven goalkeepers, including Souza, Mulkey and Thurbin – were selected for the LSC Men's Soccer Preseason Players to Watch list. The student-athletes were nominated by their member institution.
Notes:
- The LSC men's soccer season begins as early as Sept. 4. To see the league schedule, click here.
- The LSC men's soccer tournament is scheduled for Nov. 8 (quarterfinals), Nov. 12 (semifinals) and Nov. 15 (final). The quarterfinals will be held on campus of the No. 3 and No. 4 seeds; the semifinals are hosted by the No. 1 and No. 2 seed; and title match will be hosted by the highest remaining seed.
- LSC soccer matches can be viewed live on FloCollege.
2025 LSC MEN'S SOCCER PRESEASON POLL, AWARDS, PLAYERS TO WATCH
Preseason Poll
| Rank |
Team (1st) |
Total |
| 1 |
Midwestern State (16) |
338 |
| 2 |
St. Mary's (13) |
331 |
| 3 |
St. Edward's (3) |
297 |
| 4 |
DBU |
241 |
| 5 |
West Texas A&M |
239 |
| 6 |
Lubbock Christian |
169 |
| 7 |
UT Tyler |
161 |
| 8 |
Oklahoma Christian |
134 |
| 9 |
UT Dallas |
104 |
| 10 |
Texas A&M International (1) |
86 |
| 11 |
Sul Ross State |
78 |
Preseason Awards
Preseason Offensive Player of the Year: Arthur Souza, F, Gr., St. Edward's
Preseason Defensive Player of the Year: Luke Mulkey, D, Sr., St. Mary's
Preseason Goalkeeper of the Year: Johnny Thurbin, GK, Sr., St. Mary's
Offensive Players to Watch
| Name |
Team |
Pos. |
Cl. |
Major |
Hometown |
| Gavyn Rosales |
DBU |
F |
Sr. |
Business |
Prosper, Texas |
| Manuel Nunez |
Lubbock Christian |
MF |
Sr. |
Business |
Murcia, Spain |
| Liam Pritchard |
Midwestern State |
F |
Sr. |
Exer. Physiology |
Hartlepool, England |
| Ethan Nakolo |
Oklahoma Christian |
F |
So. |
Psychology |
Yukon, Okla. |
| Arthur Souza |
St. Edward's |
F |
Gr. |
MBA |
Houston, Texas |
| Gael Gallegos |
St. Mary's |
F |
Jr. |
Management |
Laredo, Texas |
| Lewis Coates |
Sul Ross State |
MF |
Sr. |
Kinesiology |
Harrogate, England |
| Byron Aguilar |
Texas A&M International |
F |
Sr. |
Business Admin. |
Dallas, Texas |
| Evan Pustejovsky |
UT Dallas |
MF |
Jr. |
Business Admin. |
Allen, Texas |
| Oscar Sosa |
UT Tyler |
MF |
Sr. |
Kinesiology |
El Paso, Texas |
| D'Jonte Davis |
West Texas A&M |
F |
Jr. |
Business Admin. |
Prosper, Texas |
Defensive Players to Watch
| Name |
Team |
Pos. |
Cl. |
Major |
Hometown |
| Evan Lupo |
DBU |
D |
Sr. |
Economics |
Frisco, Texas |
| Geoffroy Letienne |
Lubbock Christian |
D |
Sr. |
Business |
Auxerre, France |
| Skylar Krchnak |
Midwestern State |
D |
So. |
Computer Science |
Pearland, Texas |
| Renato Disha |
Oklahoma Christian |
D |
Jr. |
Finance |
Peshkopi, Albania |
| Irvin Abarca |
St. Edward's |
D |
Sr. |
Business Admin. |
Del Valle, Texas |
| Luke Mulkey |
St. Mary's |
D |
Sr. |
Management |
Parker, Texas |
| Mario Hurtado |
Sul Ross State |
MF |
Sr. |
Kinesiology |
La Paz, Mexico |
| Chris Fuentes |
Texas A&M International |
MF |
Sr. |
Accounting |
Dallas, Texas |
| Callum Thompson |
UT Dallas |
D |
Fr. |
Business Admin. |
Maumelle, Ark. |
| William Kenne |
UT Tyler |
D |
Sr. |
Management |
Stockholm, Sweden |
| Arthur Marci |
West Texas A&M |
D |
Sr. |
Business |
Sao Paulo, Brazil |
Goalkeepers to Watch
| Name |
Team |
Pos. |
Cl. |
Major |
Hometown |
| Connor Pettigrew |
Lubbock Christian |
GK |
Gr. |
Accounting |
Frisco, Texas |
| Nick Hardiman |
Oklahoma Christian |
GK |
So. |
Accounting |
Gold Coast, Australia |
| Angel Ramirez |
St. Edward's |
GK |
Jr. |
Business Admin. |
Hutto, Texas |
| Johnny Thurbin |
St. Mary's |
GK |
Sr. |
Finance & Risk Mgmt. |
Surrey, England |
| Benjamin Aviles |
Sul Ross State |
GK |
So. |
Business Admin. |
Vina del Mar, Chile |
| Ioannis Koupepides |
Texas A&M International |
GK |
So. |
Kinesiology |
Nicosia, Cyprus |
| Luke Southerington |
West Texas A&M |
GK |
Jr. |
Special Education |
Oldham, England |
