KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- As Christopher Newport men's soccer prepares to return to competition for the first time since the Fall of 2019, they will do so as one of the nation's Top 25 teams according to the United Soccer Coaches Preseason National Rankings. Playing under head coach Justin Chezem, the Captains hauled in a spot in the preseason poll, ranked No. 22 nationally.

It is the first time since 2017 that Christopher Newport checked into the United Soccer Coaches NCAA Division III Men's Soccer Preseason Poll when they started the year ranked No. 21 nationally. 

The Captains finished with a 14-2-5 overall record in their first season under Chezem and reached the second round of the NCAA Division III Tournament. CNU was 9-1 in conference play and advanced to the CAC Championship match. The 2019 season included an eight-match unbeaten streak and another seven-game roll that will carry into the 2021 campaign. 

This year's roster includes returning fifth-year stars in defenders Davis Pillow and Daniel Hulett to help anchor what was statistically the best defense in program history in 2019. Also returning on the back line is Jacob Dudley for his second season while the team will need to fill the hole left by All-American Derek Cook. Offensively, the Captains return leading scorer Lincoln Kickbush along with Will Collins, who also scored in double figures in 2019. Also returning to Captains Field for the first time since 2018 is Conference Rookie of the Year Tanner Dail, entering his senior season after missing his sophomore year to injury and last season to the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Chezem will have the services of Cory Hogge and Ethan Larson who combined for 13 points on five goals and three assists. In all, the Captains return 22 letterwinners from the 2019 season and will also welcome in a surge of incoming talent that has yet to appear in an official game for the Captains with nine underclassmen ready to contribute. 

The 2021 schedule will be released later this week with the season opener being played on September 1 against Dickinson College. 
 

UNITED SOCCER COACHES TOP 25 NCAA DIII MEN — NATIONAL

NATIONAL - PRE-SEASON POLL - AUGUST 4, 2021

 

Rank	School	Prev	W-L-T
1	Tufts University	1	19-2-2
2	Amherst College	2	19-2-2
3	Calvin University	3	23-2-1
4	Centre College	4	19-4-1
5	Luther College	5	16-5-4
6	Connecticut College	6	13-4-3
7	Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute	7	16-3-4
8	Montclair State University	8	18-5-2
9	Messiah College	9	18-3-2
10	Kenyon College	10	19-2-2
11	Washington & Lee University	11	17-3-3
12	North Park University	12	16-5-2
13	Ohio Wesleyan University	13	15-5-4
14	Claremont-McKenna-Harvey Mudd-Scripps Colleges	14	16-4-2
15	Rowan University	15	12-6-4
16	Swarthmore College	16	11-4-5
17	Johns Hopkins University	17	16-3-1
18	Franklin & Marshall College	18	17-2-1
19	University Of Chicago	19	12-2-5
20	John Carroll University	20	18-3-2
21	University Of Mary Washington	21	14-4-4
22	Christopher Newport University	22	14-2-5
23	Ithaca College	23	13-6-2
24	SUNY Oneonta	24	18-3-0
25	Gustavus Adolphus College	25	18-3-1