Cal Poly Pomona leads the way as the preseason favorites in the CCAA Men's Soccer Preseason Coaches Poll for the first time since 2018.
 
The Broncos earned 136 points with five first-place votes from the conference coaches. Cal State LA was second with four first-place votes and 130 points. Cal State Dominguez Hills finished third, collecting two first-place votes and 123 points. These teams have combined to win nine of the last 10 CCAA regular-season championships.

 

2023 Men's Soccer Preseason  Poll
Cal Poly Pomona (5)	136
Cal State LA (4)	130
Cal State Dominguez Hills (2)	123
Cal State Monterey Bay	99
Chico State	84
Sonoma State	77
Cal State San Bernardino (1)	73
Cal State San Marcos	60
Cal Poly Humboldt	55
San Francisco State	40
Stanislaus State	33
Cal State East Bay	26
first-place votes in paranthesis

Cal State Monterey Bay was fourth in the poll with 99 points, followed by Chico State with 84 points. Sonoma State edged out Cal State San Bernardino 77-73 to finish sixth. The top 6 teams in the final regular season standings will compete in the 2023 CCAA Men's Soccer Tournament, starting Nov. 5 at on-campus sites, before culminating with four teams in Arcata on Nov. 10-12.
 
Cal Poly Pomona received the nod as the preseason favorites after posting their eighth consecutive season with 11 or more victories (11-3-6, 6-1-4 CCAA). The Broncos return five starters from 2022, including two All-CCAA first-team selections. Cesar Ruvalcaba is back anchoring the defense with leading-scorer Paul Roger Henschke (6 goals, 5 assists) at the forward position. CPP also boasts one of the top returning goalkeepers, with second team All-CCAA selection CJ Walker back for his junior season, and will bring back four of its top 5 goal scorers. The Broncos are looking for their first CCAA regular-season title since 2014.
 
Cal State LA (15-2-3, 7-1-3 CCAA) saw its run of three consecutive CCAA Men's Soccer Championships end last season, but they are back with an experienced team that was ranked all year and finished 15-2-3 (7-1-3 CCAA). The Golden Eagles will bring back its top 4 scorers, who combined to post 22 goals and 12 assists in 2022. Midfielder Oliver Diaz had six goals and four assists in 2022 to earn CCAA Newcomer of the Year honors. Forward Bryan Ortega was Cal State LA's leading scorer with 17 points (six goals, five assists). Alex Rodriguez and Aidan Wait will also return after scoring five goals each to help Cal State LA lead the CCAA and place eighth in the NCAA with 7.15 points per match.
 
Cal State Dominguez Hills (15-2-5) is the defending CCAA regular-season champions, claiming their first title since 2015. The Toros went undefeated in CCAA play (7-0-4) and did not suffer a loss until the postseason. CSUDH has a deep and talented roster returning as they go for back-to-back CCAA Championships. They return six student-athletes who scored at least three goals, including All-CCAA midfielder Michael McKibbin (7 goals, 2 assists) and All-CCAA defender Zane Baumgardt (3 goals). Sebastian Ascencio (0.99 GAA) is also expected to be back in net. The Toros finished the season with a conference-leading 50 goals, two more than Cal State LA, and good for 10th in NCAA Division II.
 
Cal State Monterey Bay went 8-8-2 in 2022 with a 6-5-0 mark in conference play to earn their first bid to the CCAA Men's Soccer Tournament since 2007. The Otters improved by three wins in conference play from 2021 to grab the No. 4 seed. They held their opponents to 80 fewer shot attempts, and Colin O'Mahony was named the CCAA Defensive Player of the Year. CSUMB will bring back 11 student-athletes who started at least nine matches, including goalkeeper Matthias Milton.
 
Chico State upset CSUMB in the first round of the CCAA Tournament in Seaside to finish their season in the conference semifinals. The Wildcats went 7-5-8 last season and 3-2-6 in the conference. The six ties were two more than any other team in the conference, as the NCAA eliminated the overtime period during the regular season starting in 2022. Chico will bring back 85 percent of its scoring from last season with its top five goal scorers returning, including All-CCAA midfielder Adrian Fontanelli.
 
Sonoma State also pulled off a first-round upset in the CCAA Tournament, knocking off No. 3 seed Cal Poly Pomona in an epic shootout (7-6). Reiner ter Reit made a CCAA season-best 12 saves in regulation to help propel the Seawolves to the victory. He is back with seven more starters this season, including two-time All-CCAA midfielder Sean Rohane. SSU ranked third in the CCAA in save percentage (.798) and second in saves per game (4.75).
 
Cal State San Bernardino collected the remaining first-place vote to finish seventh in the preseason poll with 73 points. CSUSB reached the conference semifinals in 2021 but went .500 in 2022, finishing at 5-5-7 to miss the tournament. Nicklaus Sullivan led the Yotes in goals and assists, and he returns at the forward position. CSUSB will also bring back its top three other scorers and starting goalkeeper, Aiden Hanes.
 
Cal State San Marcos was edged out for the final CCAA Tournament spot by Sonoma State, just missing the playoffs after posting 14 points in conference play, matching their most since 2016. CSUSM finished the season 4-5-2 in the CCAA and 6-4-1 at home. The Cougars were the most accurate team in the CCAA and 19th in all Div. II, with .512 percent of their shots being on target of the goal. Leading goal-scorer Giovanni Marsh and leading assist man Stefano Brunetto are both back.
 
Cal Poly Humboldt will serve as the host of the 2023 CCAA Men's Soccer Tournament. The Lumberjacks will attempt to make the tournament for the first time in program history. Last season, Humboldt ranked fourth in the CCAA in goals (26) and assists (24). They will bring back All-CCAA forward Juan Perez and an experienced goalkeeper in junior Adrian Gallardo.  
 
San Francisco State (40 points), Stanislaus State (33), and Cal State East Bay (26) round out the 2023 CCAA Men's Soccer Preseason Coaches Poll.
 
Follow CCAA men's soccer matches throughout the season on the CCAA Network at CCAAnetwork.com. All CCAA men's soccer home matches and road games against conference opponents are scheduled to be streamed on the Network all season long. Follow the action for just $9.95 per month. Sign up today to support your favorite team and student-athletes.
 
The 2023 season will begin on Thursday, Aug. 31. Nine CCAA teams will play on opening day, with 11 playing over the weekend. San Francisco State will start its season on Labor Day, Sept. 4, in Hawaii against Chaminade. The teams will try to earn one of the six bids to the CCAA men's soccer tournament starting Sunday, Nov. 5, at campus sites. For more information, click here.
 

CCAA Preseason Watchlist (returning first or second team All-CCAA selections)
Zane Baumgardt	D	Cal State Dominguez Hills
Oliver Diaz	MF	Cal State LA
Adrian Fontanelli	MF	Chico State
Paul Henschke	F	Cal Poly Pomona
Michael McKibbin	MF	Cal State Dominguez Hills
Bryan Ortega	F	Cal State LA
Marlon Radel	D	Cal State LA
Sean Rohane	MF	Sonoma State
Cesar Ruvalcaba	D	Cal Poly Pomona
CJ Walker	GK	Cal Poly Pomona