KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Following a return to the NCAA Tournament and a second round appearance by the Christopher Newport men's soccer team, the Captains finished out the year ranked No. 24 in the final United Soccer Coaches Division III National Rankings released on Tuesday. CNU (13-3-5) captured the Coast-To-Coast Athletic Conference Championship and advanced to the postseason for the fifth time in six seasons. 

After wrapping up the 2025 campaign with a 13-win campaign, matching the most victories in a season since 2019, the Captains were picked No. 24 by the voters in the final poll of the season. National champion Tufts University captured the top spot and were followed in the top five in order by Trinity (Texas), St. Olaf, Emory, and Bowdoin. 

Christopher Newport toppled Trinity (Texas) during the regular season, proving its mettle against the best Division III had to offer in 2025. The Tigers fell in the national championship game, in overtime, to suffer its only other loss of the year. CNU also earned positive results with a draw against Dickinson, ranked No. 6 in the final poll, and a 3-1 win over Hampden-Sydney, receiving votes in the final rankings. 

Over the course of the season, Christopher Newport dropped boasted one of the top defensive units in the country as the Captains surrendered just 16 goals in 21 games played for a 0.76 goals-against average. That mark ranked in the top-30 among Division III competition while CNUalso ranked 34th nationally in save percentage. Senior goalkeeper Hayden Dewey ranked eighth in the country in shutouts with 10 as he started all 21 games played in 2025. 

Three Captains hauled in United Soccer Coaches All-Region plaudits including second team defender Carson Friedlein and third team midfielders Barry Jones and Asher Kuzemka. Friedlein anchored the aforementioned defense while also making a significant impact on the offensive end, scoring 10 points on four goals and two assists. He led the Captains with three game-winning goals including the clinching tally against Trinity on September 19. Jones and Kuzemka played out of the midfield and each collected their second All-Region certificate. 

CNU made the team's 15th NCAA Tournament appearance including the fifth since 2019 when head coach Justin Chezem took the reins. Chezem and his assistant coaches - Shawn Trueblood, Ryan Hagerty, Ethan Larson, and Dom Stumpo -- were named the C2C Coaching Staff of the Year for their performance leading the Captains in 2025. After capturing the seventh conference tournament title in program history, Chezem led CNU to an overtime postseason victory against Berry to extend a streak of seven NCAA Tournament appearances with at least one victory. 

Christopher Newport closed the season with the most wins in a year since 2019 and will graduate just four starters from the lineup heading into 2026. 
 

National - Poll 10 - December 9, 2025

Rank	School	Prev	W-L-T
1	Tufts University	1	14-1-3
2	Trinity University (Texas)	5	15-1-1
3	St. Olaf College	4	16-2-3
4	Emory University	6	13-1-3
5	Bowdoin College	10	10-3-3
6	Dickinson College	RV	13-0-7
7	Wheaton College (Mass.)	8	15-0-4
8	Augsburg University	2	16-2-2
9	Connecticut College	7	10-3-5
10	Williams College	15	8-4-4
11	SUNY Cortland	9	12-1-5
12	Rowan University	RV	15-3-4
13	Macalester College	RV	15-4-0
14	Washington University (Mo.)	12	13-3-0
14	University of Lynchburg	13	17-1-2
16	Messiah University	NR	11-7-2
17	University of Scranton	17	12-0-6
18	Brandeis University	18	9-3-5
19	Middlebury College	14	9-5-2
20	University of Chicago	3	11-2-5
21	Denison University	25	14-2-3
22	University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire	21	12-2-4
23	University of Massachusetts-Boston	NR	12-3-4
24	Christopher Newport University	22	12-2-5
25	Luther College	NR	9-2-7

Records shown are final regular season 2025 records.

Also receiving votes: Catholic University, Wesleyan University, University of Lynchburg, Babson College, Calvin University, Hampden-Sydney College, Edgewood University, Texas Lutheran University