INDIANAPOLIS – Lewis University was voted in the preseason coaches’ poll as the favorite to win the 2024 Great Lakes Valley Conference (GLVC) men’s soccer title, the league office announced on Thursday.
The preseason poll is selected by the league’s head coaches, who, per GLVC Bylaws, are not permitted to vote for their own team.
No. 1 Lewis
- Received five first-place votes and 185 total points.
- Ranked fourth in the United Soccer Coaches preseason poll.
- The Flyers finished runner-up for the GLVC Regular Season title, going 13-4-6 overall and 9-2-2 in GLVC competition.
- Lewis reached the semifinals of the NCAA Tournament losing to eventual champions Franklin Pierce.
- Evan Fiffles returns to the sideline for his 33rd season for the Flyers, holding school records for victories (367) and winning percentage (.652).
- Second Team All-GLVC honorees forward Godwin Asore and defender Arturs Gorodnickis return as the Flyers seek their 11th appearance in the NCAA Tournament under Fiffles.
- Asore was tied for fourth in the conference in assists (7) and third in shots on goal (20).
- Gorodnickis placed tied for second in goals (8), third in points (21), and tied for fourth in game-winning goals (3).
No. 2 Indianapolis
- Received six first-place votes and 181 total points.
- Ranked 15th in the United Soccer Coaches preseason poll.
- The reigning conference tournament champions posted a 12-2-7 overall mark while going 8-1-4 in GLVC action, qualifying for their fourth-straight NCAA Tournament appearance.
- Gabe Hall heads into his third year with the Greyhounds, helping two players to GLVC major honors in both of his first two seasons.
- Indianapolis returns a pair of All-GLVC selections – Second Team selection, junior midfielder Kabiru Gafar, and Third Team selection, senior defenseman Bobby Turner.
- Gafar scored three goals and tallied two assists in 16 games last season.
- Turner not only helped lead the Greyhound backline to the third-lowest goals allowed (12) but also chipped in offensively with five goals and two assists.
No. 3 Maryville
- Received two first-place votes and 165 total points.
- Ranked 12th in the United Soccer Coaches preseason poll.
- The Saints finished with a 12-4-6 overall and 7-2-4 Conference record last season, earning the No.5 seed in the conference tournament.
- Maryville advanced to the NCAA Quarterfinals before falling to Lewis, 3-2.
- Head coach Adam Hall enters his first season with the Saints after spending his last eight seasons at Illinois Springfield where he earned the 2023 GLVC Coach of the Year.
- Maryville returns two All-GLVC honorees, defender Alberto Di Pierri and midfielder Mason Crew.
- Di Pierri helped the Saints’ defense allow the fourth-lowest number of goals in the league last season (17).
- Crew finished last season fourth in goals (7), and tied for fifth in points (18).
No. 4 McKendree
- Received 163 total points.
- Ranked 24th in the United Soccer Coaches preseason poll.
- The Bearcats finished fourth in the regular season, going 12-2-7 overall and 8-1-4 in GLVC competition.
- McKendree qualified for the NCAA Tournament for the second time under head coach Scott Gyllenborg, falling to Maryville in the round of 16.
- Gyllenborg enters his eighth season for the Bearcats, where he has a 59-42-22 record.
- Two All-GLVC Second Team honorees return for the Bearcats, senior midfielder Philipp Schmidt and sophomore goalkeeper Christian Herluf.
- Schmidt scored three goals and tallied two assists for eight points last season.
- Herluf marshaled the second-best defense in the conference last season, only allowing eight goals all year. He was also second in goals against average (.373), save percentage (.867), and shutouts (14).
Rounding out the poll respectively in fifth through 15th were Illinois Springfield (137), Rockhurst (125), Drury (115), Truman State (107), Upper Iowa (99), Missouri-St. Louis (72), Missouri S&T (70), Quincy (61), Lincoln (36), William Jewell (34), and Southwest Baptist (25).
The complete poll and voting results can be found below.
2024 GLVC MEN’S SOCCER PRESEASON POLL
| Place |
School |
Points (1st-Place Votes) |
| 1 |
Lewis |
185 (5) |
| 2 |
Indianapolis |
181 (6) |
| 3 |
Maryville |
165 (2) |
| 4 |
McKendree |
163 |
| 5 |
Illinois Springfield |
137 (2) |
| 6 |
Rockhurst |
125 |
| 7 |
Drury |
115 |
| 8 |
Truman State |
107 |
| 9 |
Upper Iowa |
99 |
10
11 |
Missouri-St. Louis
Missouri S&T |
72
70 |
| 12 |
Quincy |
61 |
| 13 |
Lincoln |
36 |
| 14 |
William Jewell |
34 |
| 15 |
Southwest Baptist |
25 |