NASHVILLE – After earning a Gulf South Conference postseason berth for the second consecutive season, the Trevecca Nazarene University men's soccer team enters 2026 picked No. 8 in the GSC Preseason Coaches' Poll.

The Trojans received 42 points in voting by the league's 11 head coaches.

2026 GSC MEN'S SOCCER PRESEASON COACHES' POLL 

*As voted on by the GSC Head Coaches

**First-place votes in parentheses

Trevecca also placed three players on the 2026 GSC Newcomers Watch List. Midfielders Joe Coyle, Levi Jones and Zion Jones were selected for preseason recognition.

2026 GSC MEN'S SOCCER NEWCOMERS WATCH LIST 

Coyle is a junior from Liverpool, England. Levi Jones, a graduate midfielder from Freetown, Sierra Leone, joins the Trojans after time at Lipscomb University, while Zion Jones is a freshman midfielder from Freetown, Sierra Leone.

AUM is the preseason favorite with 94 points and four first-place votes. Mississippi Christian received a league-high six first-place votes and is second with 90 points.

Christian Brothers is third with 77 points and the remaining first-place vote, followed by UAH with 68 and Montevallo with 59 to complete the preseason top five.

West Alabama is sixth with 58 points, followed by Lee with 51, Trevecca with 42, Union with 31, Delta State with 21 and Spring Hill with 14.

LEAVY RETURNS, CRONIN ELEVATED

Danny Leavy returns to lead the Trojans for an 18th season in 2026.

Leavy guided Trevecca back to the postseason in each of the last two seasons after the program missed postseason play for six consecutive years.

There is also a new title for the man alongside Leavy on the Trevecca coaching staff.

Shane Cronin has been elevated to associate head coach, continuing his work with the men's soccer program alongside Leavy.

The staff welcomes back a veteran roster that includes returning production throughout the field and a goalkeeper coming off a record setting freshman season.

A LATE SURGE CHANGED THE 2025 SEASON

Trevecca's place in the 2026 preseason poll comes after a 2025 season that changed considerably over the final month.

The Trojans opened last season with consecutive victories for the first time since 2022.

Trevecca defeated Carson-Newman 2-1 in the season opener behind two goals from Chris Douglas, giving the Trojans their first victory over the Eagles.

Trevecca followed with a 2-0 victory at Ohio Dominican. Daniel Shiel scored the opening goal, Luke Tedder added another and Hunter Walker recorded his first collegiate clean sheet.

A 1-1 draw at nationally-ranked Cedarville two days later left the Trojans 2-0-1 through their first three matches.

The results became more difficult once GSC play arrived.

Trevecca opened conference play with a loss at West Alabama before responding with a 1-0 home victory against UAH. Jose Garcia scored the game-winning goal in the 77th minute and Walker recorded his second shutout.

The Trojans then went through a five-match losing streak despite playing several close contests. Only one of those five matches was decided by more than two goals, and the stretch included one-goal losses to Montevallo and Tusculum.

At 3-6-1 overall and 1-5 in the GSC, Trevecca's postseason chances had narrowed considerably.

Then the season turned.

Trevecca defeated Midway 2-1 behind goals from Tedder and Connor Woulfe before returning to conference play with a scoreless road draw at Lee.

Judah Jones and Jack Franklin followed with goals in a 2-0 victory at Delta State.

After a setback at Mississippi Christian, Trevecca returned to the Hill needing results during the final weekend to keep its season alive.

The Trojans produced their highest-scoring performance of the season with a 4-0 win against Christian Brothers. Tom Hooper converted two penalty kicks late in the match.

Trevecca entered the regular-season finale needing at least a point against Union, along with help elsewhere in the league.

The Trojans got both.

Trevecca played Union to a 2-2 draw, denying the Bulldogs a postseason berth, while Christian Brothers and Lee played to a scoreless draw.

The combination sent Trevecca into the GSC Championships as the final qualifier.

The Trojans' season ended with a 5-1 quarterfinal loss at Mississippi Christian, but Trevecca finished the year 3-2-1 over its final six regular-season matches and reached the conference tournament for a second consecutive season.

DOUGLAS, SHIEL RETURN TO LEAD THE ATTACK

Junior forward Chris Douglas returns after leading Trevecca in goals and points in 2025 despite appearing in nine matches.

Douglas scored five goals, added an assist and totaled 11 points in nine starts.

He opened the season with two goals in the victory over Carson-Newman and added an assist in the following win at Ohio Dominican. Douglas also scored twice against Montevallo.

Douglas enters 2026 with 11 career goals, four assists and 26 points in 26 matches.

Junior Daniel Shiel gives Trevecca another proven attacking option.

Shiel scored three goals and added a team-high three assists in 2025, finishing with nine points.

He led the Trojans with 32 shots and 13 shots on goal and scored the game-winning goal at Ohio Dominican.

Shiel also produced a season-high three points in the 2-2 regular-season finale against Union.

He enters his junior season with seven goals, three assists and 17 points in 31 career matches.

Junior Phillip Collins also returns at forward after appearing in 12 matches with five starts last season. Collins has played 27 career matches and has two goals, an assist and five points.

EXPERIENCE THROUGH THE MIDFIELD

Trevecca brings back substantial experience in the midfield, beginning with senior Jack Franklin.

Franklin started all 17 matches in 2025 and played 1,198 minutes while scoring three goals.

He scored in consecutive matches to finish the season, finding the net against Union in the regular-season finale and Mississippi College in the GSC quarterfinal.

Franklin earned CSC Academic All-District recognition and GSC Honor Roll honors and enters his senior season with 44 career appearances.

Judah Jones returns after starting 14 of 15 matches last season.

Jones scored two goals, and both were game-winners. He scored the deciding goals in Trevecca's road victory at Delta State and home win over Christian Brothers.

His two game-winning goals led the Trojans, while his 32 shots tied for the team lead.

Senior Connor Woulfe appeared in 14 matches and made six starts last season. Woulfe scored the game-winning goal against Midway and assisted on two goals in Trevecca's 4-0 victory over Christian Brothers.

Junior Jose Garcia started nine of 16 matches in 2025 and delivered one of Trevecca's biggest early conference moments, scoring the game-winning goal in the 1-0 victory against UAH.

Sophomore Fabian Willert appeared in all 17 matches and made 12 starts during his first season. Willert played 1,144 minutes and assisted on Trevecca's go-ahead goal against Montevallo.

Senior Manuel Alonso started all 17 matches and played 1,292 minutes.

The midfield also includes returning senior Jose Angel along with sophomore Anderson Chevrier.

NEWCOMERS ADD TO THE MIDFIELD

Three midfield additions drew the attention of the conference coaches.

Coyle, a 6-foot junior from Liverpool, England, joins the Trojans and was selected to the GSC Newcomers Watch List.

Levi Jones brings NCAA Division I experience to the Hill after time at Lipscomb University. The 5-foot-7 graduate midfielder is from Freetown, Sierra Leone.

Zion Jones, also from Freetown, is a 5-foot-8 freshman midfielder who played at Homelife Academy.

Those additions join an experienced returning midfield group and give Leavy and Cronin additional options entering conference play.

EXPERIENCE RETURNS ALONG THE BACK LINE

Senior defender Tomas Barros anchors an experienced group of returning defenders.

Barros started all 17 matches during his first Trevecca season and led the team with 1,508 minutes played.

Senior Ciarann Bellis appeared in 11 matches and made nine starts, logging 727 minutes.

Junior Seth Isbell appeared in nine matches with four starts, while junior Brodie Cowns and sophomore Deron Ferguson also return.

The current defensive group also includes senior Keagan Toole.

Two freshmen join that unit.

Haden Brown, a 6-foot defender from Nashville, comes to Trevecca from Hillsboro High School. Brown was an All-District selection three times and earned District Player of the Year recognition during his high school career.

Elias Lunde, a 6-foot-3 freshman defender from Oslo, Norway, joins the program after attending Foss High School.

WALKER RETURNS IN GOAL

Sophomore Hunter Walker returns after starting all 17 matches in goal during his first season with the Trojans.

Walker recorded 79 saves, five shutouts, a .718 save percentage and a 1.82 goals-against average.

His five clean sheets included consecutive shutouts at Lee and Delta State during Trevecca's late-season postseason push.

Walker kept opponents scoreless for more than 306 consecutive minutes during that stretch.

He ranked second in the GSC in saves per game and sixth in shutouts per game.

Walker was twice named GSC Freshman of the Week and earned GSC Goalkeeper of the Week recognition following Trevecca's final regular-season weekend.

He recorded six victories in his first Trevecca season.

Freshman Max Williams, a 6-foot-2 goalkeeper from St. Johns, Antigua, joins the group along with sophomore Nick Parodi.

AN EARLY TEST AGAINST THE GSC'S BEST

Trevecca's 2026 schedule provides an immediate opportunity for the Trojans to challenge their No. 8 preseason position.

The schedule includes 18 dates, with eight at home and 10 away from Nashville.

Trevecca opened with an exhibition match at Belmont on Saturday, Aug. 15. Next, the Trojans travel to Covenant on Saturday, Aug. 22.

The first home date comes Thursday, Aug. 27, when King University visits the Trevecca Soccer Complex at 6 p.m.

Thomas More follows at home Saturday, Aug. 29.

Trevecca then visits Carson-Newman on Sept. 2 before hosting Johnson University on Sept. 8.

GSC play opens with one of the most demanding stretches on the schedule.

The Trojans visit preseason No. 5 Montevallo on Saturday, Sept. 12, then travel to preseason No. 4 UAH on Wednesday, Sept. 16.

The GSC home opener comes Saturday, Sept. 19, against preseason No. 2 Mississippi Christian.

Trevecca remains on the Hill for a Sept. 23 meeting with No. 7 Lee before traveling to preseason No. 3 Christian Brothers on Sept. 26.

That means four of Trevecca's first five GSC matches come against teams picked in the preseason top five.

For a Trojan team picked No. 8 after reaching the postseason last year, the opening portion of the conference schedule provides an early opportunity to change the league perception.

MEETINGS WITH THE PRESEASON TOP FIVE

Trevecca faces all five teams selected at the top of the preseason poll.

Four of the five meetings are away from Nashville.

The Trojans open GSC play at No. 5 Montevallo on Sept. 12 before visiting No. 4 UAH on Sept. 16.

Preseason No. 2 Mississippi Christian is the only top-five opponent to visit Trevecca, coming to the Hill on Sept. 19.

The Trojans travel to No. 3 Christian Brothers on Sept. 26.

The final top-five matchup comes Oct. 17 when Trevecca visits preseason No. 1 AUM.

The early stretch means Trevecca will already have faced four of the five preseason favorites before the calendar turns to October.

AN OPPORTUNITY IN THE MIDDLE OF THE GSC RACE

After the early run against the conference favorites, the schedule shifts.

Trevecca hosts preseason No. 10 Delta State on Saturday, Oct. 3, then visits No. 9 Union on Wednesday, Oct. 7.

After an open weekend, preseason No. 11 Spring Hill comes to the Hill on Wednesday, Oct. 14.

That gives Trevecca three consecutive GSC matches against the three teams picked below the Trojans in the preseason poll.

Those matches could become particularly important in the race for a postseason position.

Trevecca showed last season how quickly the conference picture can change. The Trojans entered the closing stretch with work to do before collecting enough late-season points to secure the final GSC Championship berth.

For a team picked eighth in 2026, success against the teams projected below the Trojans will be important, while results against the league's higher-ranked teams provide opportunities to move beyond the preseason expectations.

THE CLOSING STRETCH

The schedule becomes challenging again after the three-game conference stretch against Delta State, Union and Spring Hill.

Trevecca travels to preseason No. 1 AUM on Saturday, Oct. 17.

A nonconference road match at Tusculum follows Tuesday, Oct. 20.

The Trojans then return to the Hill for their final scheduled regular-season match, hosting preseason No. 6 West Alabama at 7 p.m. Friday, Oct. 23.

Trevecca never plays more than two consecutive home matches or two consecutive road matches during the 2026 schedule, giving the season a relatively balanced rhythm despite playing 10 of its 18 dates away from home.

The West Alabama match provides Trevecca with a regular-season finale on the Hill as the Trojans look to return to the GSC Championships for a third consecutive season.

No Trevecca player was selected to the GSC Preseason All-Conference Team.

2026 GSC WOMEN'S SOCCER PRESEASON ALL-CONFERENCE TEAM

Organized alphabetically by school

* 2025 First Team All-GSC

^ 2025 Second Team All-GSC

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