HUDSONVILLE, Mich. – In a preseason poll of eight Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) men's soccer coaches, Calvin University was predicted to win the conference title for the seventeenth-straight season after receiving all-possible first-place votes for a total of seven points.

Hope College received the remaining first-place vote and totaled thirteen points for second place in the preseason poll.  Trine University rounded out the top three with nineteen points.  Albion College (28 points) edged Kalamazoo College (29 points) by a point for fourth place.  Adrian College claimed sixth place with a total of 40 points, followed by The University of Olivet in seventh place with 42 points.  Alma College concluded the preseason poll in eighth place (46 points).

The Knights were deemed the MIAA champions after finishing the 2022 campaign with a 6-1 record in league play (17-3-2 overall), prior to winning the tournament title and playing in the second round of the NCAA Tournament.  Calvin's roster will be headlined by 2022 Most Valuable Player and fifth-year senior Chris Schau, along with 2022 Newcomer of the Year Jacob Ryu and four more First Team All-MIAA honorees including the following: fifth-year senior goalie and four-time honoree Daniel Wunder, fifth-year senior defenders Colin Iverson and four-time honoree Aguma Muhumaza, and senior forward and three-time honoree Oliver Akintade.  Both Schau and Akintade were deemed All-Americans by United Soccer Coaches (USC) following their performances last season.  Sophomore midfielder/defender Jonah Meyer-Crothers will also be returning for the Knights after earning a spot on the All-MIAA Second Team.

The Flying Dutchmen wrapped up 2022 with a 4-2-1 mark in league play and an overall record of 7-4-6.  Hope will look to senior midfielder Mario Hrvojevic and sophomore defender Cole Pauly who both earned a spot on the All-MIAA First Team last year.  Hrvojevic finished top five in conference play with three goals, three assists, and nine points.  Fifth-year senior defender Jake Lyon and sophomore midfielder Seth Walters will also be featured on the roster after previously receiving Second Team All-MIAA recognition.

Trine concluded 2022 with a conference record of 3-2-2 and an overall record of 9-7-3.  The Thunder roster will be headlined by senior midfielder Francesco Mazzei who was named to the 2022 All-MIAA First Team, along with three Second Team All-MIAA honorees:  senior midfielder Joey Donovan, junior defender Luke Kearns, and sophomore defender Gavin Hardy.  Donovan was the runner up in the league with four assists, while Kearns was fourth with three goals.  Senior forward Tyler Murphy will also make an appearance after being named a 2022 First Team CSC Academic All-American.

Albion also finished the 2022 campaign with a 3-2-2 mark in league play with an overall record of 8-7-3.  Junior midfielder Brayden Stavros will return for the Brits after earning Second Team All-MIAA recognition last season.

Kalamazoo went 2-2-3 in the MIAA last year and 5-8-6 overall.  The Hornets will be returning three 2022 Second Team All-MIAA honorees this season:  senior forward Emilio Romo and senior midfielders Paul Kearis and Shun Yonehara.  Both Romo and Yonehara are two time All-MIAA honorees.  Romo led the conference last year with 26 shots.

After finishing with a 1-4-2 conference record last season and an overall record of 2-14-2, Adrian will be led by first-year head coach Charlie Miles.  Olivet concluded 2022 with a 1-3-3 mark in league play and 4-9-4 overall, while Alma went 1-5-1 in the MIAA and 3-11-1 overall.

The 2023 men's soccer season gets underway Friday, September 1.  League play begins on Tuesday, October 3, with Trine hosting Calvin at 4:00 p.m., Olivet hosting Kalamazoo at 5:00 p.m., and Hope hosting Adrian at 7:00 p.m.

Coaches were not allowed to vote for their own programs.