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NAIA

Men’s Soccer Notebook; A Look at the Top Five and Contests to Watch

Reanne Hanson
|
October 23, 2026

A Look at the Top Five

Olivet Nazarene University Tigers Logo

Olivet Nazarene (Ill.)

The ONU Tigers remains unbeaten on the season with a 10-0-3 record, and have prevailed to the No. 1 spot in the most recent NSC Poll. ONU has two regular-season games remaining before the Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference Tournament begins on Nov. 3.

MidAmerica Nazarene University Pioneers Logo

MidAmerica Nazarene (Kan.)

The Pioneers have a top-ten matchup on deck against William Penn (Iowa) on Saturday, Oct. 24 at 1:30 p.m. CT. The two teams are tied in the league standings with 25 points. MNU has three contests remaining before the Heart of America Athletic Conference Tournament begins on Nov. 4.

Cumberland University Phoenix Logo

Cumberland (Tenn.)

Cumberland (Tenn.) recently had its unbeaten streak snapped after coming out on the wrong side of a 2-0 decision against No. 7 Faulkner (Ala.) in a non-conference affair. The Phoenix have one regular season Mid-South battle remaining against Campbellsville (Ky.) on Saturday, Oct. The conference tournament kicks off on Oct. 28.

Life University Running Eagles Logo

Life (Ga.)

Life (Ga.) men’s soccer ranks second in the Southern States Athletic Conference standings with a 7-0-2 record in league play and an 11-1-3 overall mark. The Running Eagles face SSAC foes Blue Mountain Christian (Miss.) and UT Southern (Tenn.) before the conference tournament begins Oct. 3.

Indiana Wesleyan University Wildcats Logo

Indiana Wesleyan

IWU has two contests remaining, including a ranked matchup against No. 23 Bethel (Ind.), before the Crossroads League Tournament begins Nov. 4. The Wildcats hold a 12-2-2 overall record and a 6-1 mark in conference play, leading the league standings with 18 points.


National Selection Committee Poll

KANSAS CITY, Mo.- The second National Selection Committee STADIONIC Men’s Soccer Top 25 has been released, with Olivet Nazarene (Ill.) taking over the No. 1 spot. MidAmerica Nazarene (Kan.) climbed three places to No. 2, while Cumberland (Tenn.) slipped one spot to third. Life (Ga.) and Indiana Wesleyan rounded out the top five at No. 4 and No. 5, respectively.

Bellevue (Neb.) and Grand View (Iowa) entered the NSC poll this week after being unranked in the previous release. Bellevue landed at No. 21, while Grand View claimed the No. 25 spot.

Members of NSC each completed an individual ballot to evaluate teams based on approved criteria used to select and seed the national championship field. The same data being used come November when the selection committee conducts their final meeting to determine the national championship field, which will be released on November 13.


Upcoming Contests to Watch

Saturday

MidAmerica Nazarene (Kan.) at William Penn (Iowa) at 1:30 p.m. CT

LSU Shreveport (La.) vs. LSU Alexandria (La.) at 3:30 p.m. CT

Rio Grande (Ohio) at Midway (Ky.) at 6 p.m. ET

Sunday

Rocky Mountain (Mont.) at Walla Walla (Wash.) at 2 p.m. MT

Stanton (Calif.) at Westcliff (Calif.) at 2 p.m. PT

UT Southern (Tenn.) at Life (Ga.) at 3:30 p.m. ET


Players of the Week (Oct. 20)

Brayden Pierson of Mount Vernon Nazarene (Ohio)

Adam Sherwood of Bellevue (Neb.)


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