BRIDGEWATER, N.J. – The NEC released its 2025 Men's Soccer Preseason Poll on Wednesday afternoon, with the FDU Knights picked to finish third behind Mercyhurst and reigning league champion LIU.
The 2025 Knights will have a fresh look under second-year head coach
Jaymee Highcock, with 19 newcomers set to don the Burgundy and Blue for the first time. Eight of those additions bring previous collegiate experience, including several with Division I backgrounds.
Alongside the new talent, FDU returns 15 players from last year's squad. The 2024 Knights earned the No. 1 seed in the NEC Tournament before falling in a penalty shootout that decided the championship match. Key defenders
Gabriel Le Guen,
Jeffrey Marquez, NK Tima, and
Dominic Valenzuela are among the returners expected to anchor the backline in 2025.
Highcock welcomes back assistant coaches
Tiago Capela,
Innocent Bulle, and
Fallou Tounkara, and has added
Jovin Grewal to this year's staff.
The Knights were one of three programs to receive first-place votes in the preseason poll. Mercyhurst, who wore the 2024 regular season crown, earned the most first-place votes (five) and tied with LIU for the top spot in the rankings.
2025 NEC Men's Soccer Preseason Poll
- (tie) LIU (3)
Mercyhurst (5)
- FDU (2)
- Le Moyne
- Saint Francis U
- Stonehill
- New Haven
- Howard
- Chicago State
- CCSU
The Knights kick off their season at home on August 21 against UAlbany at 7 p.m.
Connect with the Knights on Instagram and X @FDUKnightsMSOC.
