OKLAHOMA CITY – The Sooner Athletic Conference announced its 2025 Men's Soccer Preseason Poll and after capturing the program's fifth-straight regular season title last year, Mid-America Christian was selected as the favorite to repeat.

In the poll voted upon by the league's 10 head coaches, the Evangels finished with 79 points and received eight of the 10 first-place votes, sitting seven points in front of Oklahoma City (72) who received the other two first-place nods. John Brown notched third with 65 points.

MACU will see a familiar foe to open the 2025 campaign as the Evangels head to Shreveport, La. on Thursday for a 1 p.m. battle against No. 13 LSU Shreveport at The Swamp.
 
SEASON REPORT

• 2024 Record: 14-3-4 (7-0-2 SAC)
• Last Match: Lost vs. No. 19 LSU Shreveport – 4-1 – Nov. 23, 2024 – Dill Soccer Field (NAIA Tournament – 2^nd Round)
• Top Returners:
  • Lucas Catosso – SR – D – All-SAC First Team, Team Captain
    • 2024 Stats: 20 Games Played, 19 Games, Started, 1295 Minutes, 2 Goals, 2 Assists, 6 Points, 14 Shots, 9 SOG, 1 GWG
  • Federico Palacios – JR – F – All-SAC Second Team
    • 2024 Stats: 19 Games Played, 14 Games Started, 1107 Minutes, 5 Goals, 3 Assists, 13 Points, 24 Shots, 14 SOG, 1 GWG
  • Josh Macklin – SR – M – Team Captain
    • 2024 Stats: 20 Games Played, 14 Games Started, 1176 Minutes, 2 Goals, 2 Assists, 6 Points, 20 Shots, 10 SOG, 1 GWG
• Top Newcomers:
  • Haruya Higuchi – JR – F – Previous School: Iowa Lakes CC
    • 2024 Stats (ILCC): 22 Games Played, 14 Games Started, 22 Goals, 8 Assists, 52 Points, 54 Shots, 30 SOG, 5 GWG
  • Ryan Jeanfreau – SR – F – Previous School: Presbyterian (S.C.)
    • 2024 Stats (PC): 16 Games Played, 339 Minutes, 1 Goal, 2 Points, 6 Shots, 3 SOG
  • Diego Sano – JR – M – Previous School: Barton CC (Kan.)
    • 2023 Stats (BCC): 24 Games Played, 23 Games Started, 1 Assist, 1 Point, 1 Shot
• Team Notes:
  • Mid-America Christian will continue to build upon its success under second-year head coach Aaron Hoxie and seventh-year associate head coach James Roberson as the Evangels wrapped up the 2024 campaign with a 14-3-4 overall record while going 7-0-2 in SAC play to seize the program's fifth-straight regular season title. The Evangels also qualified for the NAIA Tournament for the fifth-straight year as well while also hosting a First & Second Round for the second consecutive postseason.
  • Even though the Evangels lost a large sum of its talent from last year's squad, MACU does return some strong leadership with All-SAC First Team defender and team captain Lucas Catosso leading the charge while also returning another All-SAC Second Team honoree in junior forward Federico Palacios. The Evangel entering his third year with the program was the team's second-leading scorer last year, netting five goals and dishing out three assists for 13 points. Seniors Josh Macklin and Carlos Lobo also return to the Evangels lineup and will serve as team captains.
  • MACU continued its reputation of completely reloading with outstanding talent, bringing in a pair of talented strikers in junior forward Haruya Higuchi and senior forward Ryan Jeanfreau. Last year, Higuchi netted 22 goals and dished out eight assists for 52 points and NJCAA powerhouse Iowa Lakes Community College while Jeanfreau was a key member off the bench for NCAA D-I Presbyterian last season.
  • Junior Diego Sano is also expecting to make an impact out of MACU's midfield after spending the last two seasons at another strong NJCAA power in Barton Community College. After missing the 2024 campaign due to injury, Sano helped lead the Cougars to an 18-4-4 record in 2023 after appearing in 24 games and making 23 starts.
  • After graduating a lot of talent in the backfield, the Evangels will be looking to get some strong production out of junior centerback Necsar Rojas and freshman centerback Hayden Hoxie. Last season, Rojas competed for another strong NAIA team in Faulkner (Ala.) while Hoxie brings an incredible high school pedigree, earning two First Team All-State honors.

SCOUTING REPORT
LSU Shreveport

• 2024 Record: 14-4-4 (11-0-2 RRAC)
• Last Match: Lost vs. Bellevue (Neb.) – 1-0 – Dec. 2, 2024 – Wichita, Kan. (NAIA Tournament – Round of 16)
• Series vs MACU (2009-): Series Tied 2-2
• Last Match vs MACU: LSUS won 4-2 – Nov. 23, 2024 – Dill Soccer Field (NAIA Tournament – 2^nd Round)
• Series Streak: LSUS won 1
• Players to Watch:
  • Jack Thomas – SR – M (2024 All-RRAC First Team)
    • 2024 Stats: 21 Games Played, 16 Games Started, 16 Goals, 5 Assists, 37 Points, 58 Shots, 30 SOG, 3 GWG
• Team Notes:
  • Last year's Red River Athletic Conference regular season champion, LSU Shreveport under third-year head coach Adam Kay is in a similar predicament as the Evangels in losing most of its All-RRAC members from last season. However, the Pilots will bring back a stellar striker in senior midfielder Jack Thomas, who garnered All-RRAC First Team honors last year after netting 16 goals and dishing out five assists for 37 points in 21 games of work.
  • LSUS advanced all the way to the NAIA Tournament's final site at the Stryker Sports Complex in Wichita, Kan. last season. However, the Pilots saw their season end after suffering a 1-0 defeat to Bellevue in the Round of 16.
  • The Evangels will be looking to get some revenge on the Pilots after LSUS ended MACU's season in the NAIA Tournament Second Round match at the Dill Soccer Field last fall. However, MACU will be looking to improve to 2-0 at The Swamp. The last time the Evangels played at LSU Shreveport, they came away with a 4-1 win on Aug. 29, 2009. Bryce Jantz and Andy Mendoza each finished on the brace with two goals apiece in the win.