NEW ORLEANS – The Sun Belt Conference men’s soccer head coaches have voted Marshall as the favorite in the 2025 Preseason Coaches Poll, as the league also announced its preseason all-conference teams and individual honors.
West Virginia senior forward Marcus Caldeira was selected as Sun Belt Conference Preseason Offensive Player of the Year. Caldeira was an All-Sun Belt Second Team selection during the 2024 campaign. He appeared in 21 of the Mountaineers' 22 games last season and was second on the team with 23 points.
Marshall junior defender Takahiro Fujita was selected as the Sun Belt Conference’s Preseason Defensive Player of the Year. Fujita played a key role on the Marshall defense on its run to the national championship game during the 2024 season. The junior was also an All-Sun Belt Second Team selection.
West Virginia, Kentucky and South Carolina each landed three Preseason All-Conference Team selections. Marshall and Georgia Southern each had one pick.
Following a trip to the national championship, Marshall received eight first-place votes and was picked to win the league in a poll of the conference’s 10 head coaches. West Virginia received two first-place votes and was picked second, followed by UCF in third.
2025 Sun Belt Conference Men’s Soccer Preseason Awards
Preseason Offensive Player of the Year:
Marcus Caldeira, West Virginia (Sr., Mississauga, Ontario, Canada)
Preseason Defensive Player of the Year:
Takahiro Fujita, Marshall (Jr., Nara, Japan)
Preseason Goalkeeper of the Year:
Sebastian Conlon, Kentucky, (Sr., Reston, Va.)
Preseason All-Sun Belt Team
F – Ethan Ballek, South Carolina (Sr., Timnath, Colo.)
F – Marcus Caldeira, West Virginia (Sr., Mississauga, Ontario, Canada)
F – Ryan Holmes, Georgia Southern, (Jr., Milton Keys, England)
M – Agustin Lopez, Kentucky, (So., Santa Fe, Argentina)
M – Isaac Scheer, West Virginia, (So., Charlotte, N.C.)
M – Alexander Stjernegaard, South Carolina (Sr., Rungsted Kyst, Denmark)
M – Alejandro Velazquez-Lopez, South Carolina (So., Knoxville, Tenn.)
D – Takahiro Fujita, Marshall (Jr., Nara, Japan)
D – Carlos Hernando, West Virginia, (Grad., Madrid, Spain)
D – Josh Gordon, Kentucky, (Jr., Scarborough, Ontario)
GK – Sebastian Conlon, Kentucky, (Sr., Reston, Va.)
*Ties were not broken.
2025 Sun Belt Conference Men’s Soccer Preseason Coaches Poll
1. Marshall (8) – 97
2. West Virginia (2) – 92
3. UCF - 74
4. Kentucky - 67
5. South Carolina - 65
6. James Madison - 48
7. Old Dominion - 36
8. Georgia Southern - 30
9. Georgia State - 24
10. Coastal Carolina - 17
Parentheses indicate first-place votes