RUSSELLVILLE, Ark. - The Great American Conference (GAC) has announced its 2025 Men's Soccer Preseason Coaches' Poll on Thursday afternoon, and No. 20 Rogers State was picked to finish tied for first.
 
The Hillcats accumulated 33 points, tied with rival No. 23 Fort Hays State, but secured one additional first-place vote with four total. Southern Nazarene was projected to finish third with 26 points, followed by Newman with 22 points, Northeastern State with 16 points, Ouachita Baptist with 10 points and Harding with 7 points.
 
Last season, Rogers State achieved an impressive record of 8-1-3 (9-5-7 overall), sharing the regular season conference title with Southern Nazarene, which also had a record of 8-1-3 (12-5-4 GAC). They earned their first-ever bid to win at the NCAA Tournament, collecting a 3-2 overtime win over SNU before suffering a heartbreaking PK loss to Saginaw Valley State in the second round.
 
The Hillcats are bringing back a talented lineup from last season, featuring All-GAC/MIAA First Team member Brandon O'Rourke, as well as Newcomer of the Year and All-GAC/MIAA Second Team selection Noah Preston-Watkins. The roster also includes second team honorees Louis Bassett, Artur Carvalho and Alex Laing, along with All-GAC/MIAA Honorable Mention Sam Ryder.
 
Rogers State, guided by first-year head coach Jake Simpson, will open the season on the road with a top 20 matchup against No. 4 McKendree in Lebanon, Illinois. Kick off from Leemon Field is set to start at 7:30 p.m.