UNIVERSITY CENTER, Mich. – The Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) announced the 2026 Men's Soccer Preseason Coaches Poll ahead of the start of the upcoming season.
The Saginaw Valley State University men's soccer program was picked to finish first in the poll, collecting 36 points and six first-place votes. Roosevelt follows in second with 30 points and the remaining first-place vote. Northern Michigan was picked third with 23 points, followed by Parkside with 22 and Davenport with 18. Purdue Northwest sits sixth with 11 points, while St. Cloud State rounds out the poll with seven.
The Cardinals are coming off an 11-3-4 campaign in 2025 that saw them capture the GLIAC regular-season championship. Saginaw Valley opened the season unbeaten through its first eight matches and suffered just three losses during the year.
SVSU returns several experienced pieces from last season's championship squad. Redshirt-senior goalkeeper Nick Kay (Walled Lake, Mich., Walled Lake Central HS) returns in net, while senior defenders Abram Freye (Muskegon, Mich., Mona Shores HS), and Luke Allen (Saline, Mich., Saline HS). Junior midfielder Oleksiy Kharko (Mississauga, Ontario, Philip Pocock Secondary Catholic School) and junior forward Matty Telfer (Newcastle, England, Sunderland College) also return after playing significant roles during their first two seasons with the Cardinals.
Saginaw Valley added a large group of newcomers to reload the roster. Graduate defenders Josh Izu (Lagos, Nigeria) and Kai Forsyth (Derby, England) join the Cardinals after previously playing at Jacksonville and Concord, respectively. Junior forward Sora Kozaki (Saitama, Japan, Yaita Chuoh) arrives from Monroe Community College, junior defender Geoff Ojango (Nairobi, Kenya, Loughborough College) transfers from Blinn College, and sophomore defender Witse Moulaert (Brussels, Belgium) comes to SVSU from Mount Marty. Senior midfielder Jo Bédard (Québec City, Canada, St. Andrew's School) also joins the program after playing at Georgia Southwestern State, while redshirt-sophomore goalkeeper Jack Franklin (Jenks, Okla.) arrives from Missouri-St. Louis.
The incoming class also features several freshmen, including midfielders Cole Cooper (Grand Blanc, Mich., Clarkston HS), Bernd Rathgeber (Nördlingen, Germany, BWG Neresheim Secondary School), and Jack Fisher (Holt, Mich., Holt HS), defenders Gabo Vazquez (San Juan, Puerto Rico, DME Academy), Gio Bocanelli (Anagni, Italy, Liceo Scientifico Dante Alighieri), Bryan Martinez-Robles (Coldwater, Mich., Coldwater HS), and Noah Jackson (Redford, Mich., North Farmington HS), forward Lorenzo Calaiacomo (Colleferro, Italy, ITIS Cannizzaro Colleferro/LOVISS San Benedetto), and goalkeeper Kane Meyer (Hartland, Mich., Hartland HS).
Head coach Louis Barrow enters his eighth season leading the Cardinals with a 74-29-24 overall record and a 51-18-12 mark in GLIAC play. Barrow has guided Saginaw Valley to consecutive conference championships, capturing the 2024 GLIAC Tournament title before winning the 2025 regular-season crown. The Cardinals also advanced to the NCAA Division II Tournament quarterfinals during their 2024 postseason run.
The Cardinals open the 2026 campaign at home against Lincoln (Mo.) on Thursday, August 27 at 1:30 PM from Robert C. Braddock Field. SVSU then hits the road for non-conference matches against Charleston (W.V.) on Sunday, August 30 and Tiffin on Thursday, September 3 before returning home to face Northern Michigan in a non-conference contest on Sunday, September 6.
GLIAC play begins at Robert C. Braddock Field against Davenport on Wednesday, September 16 at 1:00 PM. The Cardinals remain home to face Northern Michigan two days later before making their first conference road trip to Purdue Northwest and Parkside.
In total, Saginaw Valley will host eight regular-season matches at Robert C. Braddock Field, including six GLIAC contests. The Cardinals close their home schedule against Purdue Northwest on Sunday, October 18 at 2:00 PM before finishing the regular season with road matches at Davenport on Wednesday, October 21 and Northern Michigan on Sunday, October 25.
