Defending NCAA Division II national champion Midwestern State is predicted to win the LSC men’s soccer regular season title according to the 2026 preseason poll, it was announced on Tuesday (Aug. 18). MSU’s Parker Plaxco, Davis Mays and Jake Morris – all members of the national title squad – 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 351 points and collected 30 of the possible 33 first-place votes. Head coach Michael Meachum’s Mustangs went 19-3-3 overall and 8-2 in league play last season. In addition to the first national title in LSC men’s soccer history, MSU captured the conference’s regular season and tournament title. MSU has won a record 12 LSC titles and six LSC tournament crowns – including five in a row. MSU enters the 2026 season on an 11-match winning streak.
St. Edward’s is picked as the conference runner-up with 293 points. The Hilltoppers finished 8-6-4 overall and 6-2-2 in league play last season – their second straight third-place finish.
UT Dallas is predicted in third place with 290 points and two first-place votes. The Comets (11-5-2, 7-2-1 LSC) were the league-runner-up last year.
Lubbock Christian is the fourth-place pick with 241 points and the final first-place vote. The Chaps (8-8-4, 5-2-3 LSC) reached the LSC tournament championship match last season.
UT Tyler is selected in the fifth place with 198 points, followed by DBU (187 points) to round out what would be the potential six teams to qualify for the LSC tournament.
Five-time LSC champion West Texas A&M (175 points) is picked to finish in seventh place, followed by three-time LSC champion St. Mary’s (161 points), Oklahoma Christian (133 points), Sul Ross State (75 points) and Texas A&M International (74 points).
Plaxco was named LSC Preseason Offensive Player of the Year. The senior forward from Stephenville, Texas, led the league with five game-winning goals and was second with 31 points (13 goals and five assists) in 2025.
Mays was named LSC Preseason Defensive Player of the Year. The graduate student defender from Wichita Falls, Texas, led a unit that allowed opponents to average just .68 goals per match – best in the league.
Morris claimed LSC Preseason Goalkeeper of the Year honors. The junior from Parker, Colo., led the conference with 11 shutouts, including clean sheets in the national semifinal and final.
Plaxco and Mays were both All-LSC First Team selections in 2025, while Morris was the LSC tournament Most Valuable Player. Plaxco was also a member of the LSC All-Academic Team.
Additionally, 31 players – 10 offensive, 11 defensive and 10 goalkeepers, including Plaxco, Mays and Morris – 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 Aug. 27. To see the league schedule, click here.
- All 11 LSC men’s soccer teams are eligible to win the regular season title and advance to the LSC and NCAA Division II postseason tournaments.
- The six-team LSC men’s soccer tournament is scheduled for Oct. 31 (quarterfinals), Nov. 4 (semifinals) and Nov. 7 (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.
- The NCAA Division II Men’s Soccer Championship is set for Dec. 3 and 5 at CPKC Stadium in Kansas City, Mo.
- All LSC soccer regular season and tournament matches can be viewed live on FloCollege. Monthly, yearly and family subscriptions are available.
2026 LSC MEN’S SOCCER PRESEASON POLL, AWARDS, PLAYERS TO WATCH
Preseason Poll
| Rank |
School |
1st |
Total |
| 1 |
Midwestern State |
30 |
351 |
| 2 |
St. Edward’s |
|
293 |
| 3 |
UT Dallas |
2 |
290 |
| 4 |
Lubbock Christian |
1 |
241 |
| 5 |
UT Tyler |
|
198 |
| 6 |
DBU |
|
187 |
| 7 |
West Texas A&M |
|
175 |
| 8 |
St. Mary’s |
|
161 |
| 9 |
Oklahoma Christian |
|
133 |
| 10 |
Sul Ross State |
|
75 |
| 11 |
Texas A&M International |
|
74 |
Preseason Offensive Player of the Year
Parker Plaxco, F, Sr., Midwestern State
Preseason Defensive Player of the Year
Davis Mays, D, Gr., Midwestern State
Preseason Goalkeeper of the Year
Jake Morris, GK, Jr., Midwestern State
Players to Watch
Offensive
| Name |
School |
Pos. |
Cl. |
Major |
Hometown |
| Erik Oliveira |
DBU |
F |
Sr. |
Finance |
Vitoria, Brazil |
| Alex Lachevre |
Lubbock Christian |
MF |
So. |
Sport Management |
Barcelona, Spain |
| Parker Plaxco |
Midwestern State |
F |
Sr. |
Sport, Coaching, Leadership & Admin. |
Stephenville, Texas |
| Igor Caballero |
Oklahoma Christian |
F |
Sr. |
Sports Management |
San Sebastian, Spain |
| Filip Adamski |
St. Edward’s |
MF |
So. |
Finance |
Swinoujscie, Poland |
| Kai Louviere |
St. Mary's |
MF |
So. |
Business |
Hondo, Texas |
| Antonio Schauer |
Texas A&M International |
F |
So. |
Kinesiology |
Sankt Georgen an der Stiefing, Austria |
| Avery Brazzell |
UT Dallas |
F/MF |
Sr. |
Interdisciplinary Studies |
Shady Shores, Texas |
| Noe Coutino |
UT Tyler |
F |
Sr. |
General Business |
El Paso, Texas |
| Felix Casas |
West Texas A&M |
D |
Sr. |
Criminal Justice |
Juarez, Mexico |
Defensive
| Name |
School |
Pos. |
Cl. |
Major |
Hometown |
| Jack Golden |
DBU |
D |
5th |
Accounting |
Flower Mound, Texas |
| Joao Catafesta |
Lubbock Christian |
MF |
Jr. |
Finance |
Foz do Iguacu, Brazil |
| Davis Mays |
Midwestern State |
D |
Gr. |
MBA |
Wichita Falls, Texas |
| Luca Winder |
Oklahoma Christian |
D |
Sr. |
Psychology |
Bovingdon, England |
| Timmy Hollenbeck |
St. Edward’s |
D |
Sr. |
Political Science |
Hutto, Texas |
| AJ Valdivia |
St. Mary's |
D |
Gr. |
MBA |
Perris, Calif. |
| Marlon Meda |
Sul Ross State |
D |
Sr. |
Geology |
Dubai, UAE |
| Jorge Delgado |
Texas A&M International |
D |
So. |
Petroleum Engineering |
Houston, Texas |
| Callum Thompson |
UT Dallas |
D |
So. |
Business Admin. |
Maumelle, Ark. |
| Sawyer Backus |
UT Tyler |
D |
So. |
General Business |
Cary, N.C. |
Goalkeepers
| Name |
School |
Pos. |
Cl. |
Major |
Hometown |
| Sean Mattivi |
DBU |
GK |
Sr. |
Entrepreneurship |
San Antonio, Texas |
| Milo Paci |
Lubbock Christian |
GK |
Jr. |
Finance |
Troyes, France |
| Jake Morris |
Midwestern State |
GK |
Jr. |
Business Analytics & info Systems |
Parker, Colo. |
| Dante Caffaro |
Oklahoma Christian |
GK |
So. |
Sports Management |
Para de Minas, Brazil |
| Kaleo Perez-Francis |
St. Edward’s |
GK |
Sr. |
Kinesiology |
Austin, Texas |
| Fabian Enriquez |
St. Mary's |
GK |
So. |
Exercise & Sports Sci. |
Longview, Texas |
| Nicklas Berg-Eriksen |
Texas A&M International |
GK |
Sr. |
Business Admin. |
Lorenskog, Norway |
| Ryder Claborn |
UT Dallas |
GK |
Jr. |
Psychology |
Lawton, Okla. |
| Niclas Becker |
UT Tyler |
GK |
Sr. |
Criminal Justice |
Frankfurt, Germany |
| Luke Southerington |
West Texas A&M |
GK |
Sr. |
Special Education |
Oldham, England |