Indiana Selected as Big Ten Men’s Soccer Preseason Favorite

ROSEMONT, Ill. – The Indiana Hoosiers have been selected as the favorite the 2025 Big Ten Conference title, according to a vote of the league’s coaches released on Tuesday.

Ranked No. 11 in the United Soccer Coaches Preseason Poll, Indiana received six first place votes and four second place nods to take the top spot. Maryland finished second, while defending Big Ten Tournament champion Ohio State placed third. UCLA and Washington rounded out the top five.

The conference also unveiled the 2025 Big Ten Players to Watch List on Tuesday, as selected by the league’s coaches. Included in the list are eight student-athletes who earned All-Big Ten recognition in 2024. Among them are a pair of First Team honorees including Goalkeeper of the Year Zac Kelly from Michigan State and Maryland midfielder Leon Koehl.

The 2025 Big Ten Men’s Soccer season kicks off on Thursday, with all 11 teams in action. 

The complete 2025 Big Ten Men’s Soccer Preseason Poll and Players to Watch List can be found below.

2025 Big Ten Men’s Soccer Preseason Poll

1. Indiana
2. Maryland
3. Ohio State
4. UCLA
5. Washington
6. Michigan
7. Michigan State
8. Wisconsin
9. Rutgers
10. Penn State
11. Northwestern

2025 Big Ten Men’s Soccer Players to Watch
Palmer Ault, Sr., F, Indiana
Josh Maher, So., D, Indiana
Collins Oduro, Jr., M, Indiana
Luca Costabile, Sr., D, Maryland
Leon Koehl, Jr., M, Maryland
Sadam Masereka, Sr., F, Maryland
Raymundo Mendez, Gr., M/F, Michigan
Nolan Miller, Sr., D, Michigan
Shuma Sasaki, Gr., F/M, Michigan
Zac Kelly, Sr., GK, Michigan State
Miles Merritt, Jr., M, Michigan State
Brandon Munson, So., D, Michigan State
Jason Gajadhar, Sr., M, Northwestern
Nigel Prince, Sr., D, Northwestern
Fritz Volmar, Jr., D, Northwestern
Marko Borkovic, Sr., F, Ohio State
Thomas Gilej, Gr., M, Ohio State
Luciano Pechota, Sr., M, Ohio State
Malick Daouda, So., M, Penn State
Caden Grabfelder, Jr., M, Penn State
Kai Phillip, Gr., F, Penn State
Nick Collins, Jr., D, Rutgers
Ciaran Dalton, Sr., GK, Rutgers
Joschi Schelb, Jr., M, Rutgers
Drew Brown, Sr., D, UCLA
Sergi Solans Ormo, So., F, UCLA
Tamir Ratoviz, So., M, UCLA
Egor Akulov, Sr., D, Washington
Richie Aman, Sr., F, Washington
Charlie Kosakoff, Jr., F, Washington
Matisse Hébert, So., GK, Wisconsin
Ellis Jones, Jr., D, Wisconsin
Matthew Zachemski, So., M, Wisconsin