Contact: Brock Reisler, Assistant Executive Director, breisler@midwestconference.org
OSHKOSH, Wisconsin – A vote of the Midwest Conference (MWC) men’s soccer head coaches anticipates Lake Forest College finishing the 2025 campaign as repeat regular season champions. In this year's edition of the poll, the Foresters received seven of nine first-place votes (62 points overall) and edged Illinois College, who is projected to finish second with one first-place vote and 53 points overall.
The 2024 season concluded with Lake Forest College edging Illinois College by one point in the standings to win its second regular season title in the last three years; the Foresters also won their third-straight MWC tournament title.
Knox College and Ripon College are also expected to make the MWC Tournament in November, finishing third and fourth in the poll with 49 points and 43 points, respectively. Ripon picked up the last first-place vote.
The poll rounds out with Grinnell College (42 points), Cornell College (30 points), Lawrence University (17 points), Beloit College (14 points) and Monmouth College (14 points).
The 2025 season officially gets underway on Friday, August 29, with five of the nine teams in action, while league play begins on Saturday, September 27.
The conference’s top four teams in the final standings will meet at the 2025 MWC Men’s Soccer Tournament, scheduled for November 8-9, to compete for the tournament title and the automatic qualifier to the NCAA Tournament.
Full preseason coaches’ poll results and quick facts for all nine league teams can be found below:
2025 MWC Men’s Soccer Preseason Coaches’ Poll Results
1. Lake Forest College (7) - 62 points
2. Illinois College (1) - 53 points
3. Knox College - 49 points
4. Ripon College (1) - 43 points
5. Grinnell College - 42 points
6. Cornell College - 30 points
7. Lawrence University - 17 points
T8. Beloit College - 14 points
T8. Monmouth College - 14 points
() – indicates first-place votes
*Coaches are not allowed to vote for their own teams.
Beloit College Buccaneers
Head Coach: Patrick Sanchez (3rd Season)
2024: 2-16 (overall), 1-7 (MWC)
All-Conference Returnees: None
Cornell College Rams
Head Coach: Nate Grosse (12th Season)
2024: 4-12-1 (overall), 2-5-1 (MWC)
All-Conference Returnees: None
Grinnell College Pioneers
Head Coach: Brian Jaworski (22nd Season)
2024: 8-6-5 (overall), 4-2-2 (MWC)
All-Conference Returnees: None
Illinois College Blueboys
Head Coach: Evan Philpott (7th Season)
2024: 13-5-2 (overall), 7-1 (MWC)
All-Conference Returnees: Jason Hernandez, Defender (Jr); Jacob Pelletier, Midfielder (Sr)
Knox College Prairie Fire
Head Coach: Tyler Sheikh (1st Season)
2024: 7-7-4 (overall), 4-2-2 (MWC)
All-Conference Returnees: Kestervens Dera, Midfielder/Forward (Jr); Arito Nakamichi, Midfielder (Sr)
Lake Forest College Foresters
Head Coach: Dan Andrews (10th Season)
2024: 10-8-3 (overall), 7-0-1 (MWC)
All-Conference Returnees: Alexis Flores, Defender (Sr); Peter Cirbo, Midfielder (Jr); Andrew Swacha, Goalkeeper (Jr); Brett Klemes, Defender (Sr); Gio Diaz, Midfielder (Sr); Nathan Kostovetsky, Forward (Jr)
Lawrence University Vikings
Head Coach: Will Greer (9th Season)
2024: 2-11-4 (overall), 1-5-2 (MWC)
All-Conference Returnees: None
Monmouth College Scots
Head Coach: Ian Hatleli (5th Season)
2024: 3-11-2 (overall), 1-6-1 (MWC)
All-Conference Returnees: None
Ripon College Red Hawks
Head Coach: Marco Rhein (7th Season)
2024: 13-6-1 (overall), 4-3-1 (MWC)
All-Conference Returnees: Andre Robertson, Forward (Sr)