-Laredo, Texas
 
Midwestern State is predicted to repeat as the Lone Star Conference men's soccer champion according to the 2024 preseason poll, it was announced on Tuesday (Aug. 27). MSU's Mere Escobar and Juan Galindo also claimed preseason player of the year honors along with St. Mary's Johnny Thurbin.
 
The preseason poll and preseason players of the year are voted on by LSC head coaches, sports information directors and media members.
 
MSU totaled 362 and collected all but one of the 33 possible first-place votes. Head coach Michael Meachum's Mustangs went 20-1-1 overall and 9-0 in league play last season, winning the LSC regular season and tournament titles. MSU reached the third round of the NCAA Division II Men's Soccer Championship and finished the year ranked in the top 10 in the nation. MSU has won a record 11 LSC regular season titles (also 2021, 2005-2009, 2001-2003 and 1999) and four conference tourney crowns (also 2022, 2021 and 2019).
 
West Texas A&M was picked as the conference runner-up with 303 points. The Buffs went 7-6-5 overall and 4-3-2 in league play last season. WT swept the LSC regular season and tournament titles in 2020 and also won the regular season four other times (2009, 2007, 2003 and 2000).
 
St. Mary's was predicted to finish in third place with 275 points and landed the other first-place vote. The Rattlers, who went 8-5-6 overall and 2-2-5 in league play last year, won the LSC title in 2022 and 2019.
 
DBU, which reached the LSC tournament title match last year, was the fourth-place pick with 266 points. Texas A&M International was selected for a fifth-place finish with 211 points, followed by Lubbock Christian (179 points), Oklahoma Christian (174 points), Eastern New Mexico (136 points), UT Tyler (124 points), St. Edward's (113 points) and new league member Sul Ross State (35 points).
 
Escobar was named Preseason Offensive Player of the Year. The senior forward from Austin, Texas, led the league with 17 goals, six game-winning goals and 13 assists in 2023. He was named the D2CCA Ron Lenz NCAA Division II Player of the Year, earned all-American honors and was voted the LSC's player and forward of the year.
 
Galindo was named Preseason Defensive Player of the Year. The senior defender from Dripping Springs, Texas, led a unit that allowed just 13 goals and recorded a league-best 12 shutouts.
 
Thurbin was named Preseason Goalkeeper of the Year. The junior from Lingfield, Surrey, England, made 19 saves and recorded two shutouts in five matches.
 
Additionally, 29 players – 11 offensive, 11 defensive, and seven goalkeepers – were selected for the LSC Men's Soccer Preseason Players to Watch list. The student-athletes were nominated by their member institution.
 
The LSC men's soccer season begins on Sept. 5. To see the schedule, click here.
 
The six-team LSC Men's Soccer Championship will be held Nov. 9 (quarterfinals), Nov. 15 (semifinals) and Nov. 17 (final). The top two seeds receive a first-round bye. The quarterfinals will be held on campus, while the semifinals and title match will be hosted by the No. 1 seed.
 
All LSC soccer matches can be viewed live on FloSports.
 
 
2024 LSC MEN'S SOCCER PRESEASON POLL, AWARDS, PLAYERS TO WATCH
 
Preseason Poll
Rank     School 1st          Total
1             Midwestern State           32           362
2             West Texas A&M                              303
3             St. Mary's           1             275
4             DBU                      266
5             Texas A&M International                              211
6             Lubbock Christian                         179
7             Oklahoma Christian                      174
8             Eastern New Mexico                     136
9             UT Tyler                               124
10           St. Edward's                      113
11           Sul Ross State                  35
 
Preseason Offensive Player of the Year
Mere Escobar, F, Sr., Midwestern State
 
Preseason Defensive Player of the Year
Juan Galindo, D, Sr., Midwestern State
 
Preseason Goalkeeper of the Year
Johnny Thurbin, GK, Jr., St. Mary's
 
Offensive Players to Watch
Name   School Class    Pos.       Major    Hometown
Peyton Voelker DBU      Sr.           F             Business Administration             Timnath, Colo.
Nick Huenig      Eastern New Mexico     Sr.           F             Business Administration             Lichtenberg, Germany
Nako Amare      Lubbock Christian         Jr.            F             Info. Systems and Tech.              Botswana
Mere Escobar   Midwestern State           Sr.           F             Business Management Austin, Texas
Isaias Silva         Oklahoma Christian      Sr.           F             Criminal Justice              Mustang, Okla.
Jommar Reyes St. Edward's      Sr.           MF          MBA      San Antonio, Texas
Gael Gallegos   St. Mary's            So.         F             Management    Laredo, Texas
Lewis Coates    Sul Ross State  Jr.            MF          Kinesiology        England
Felipe Garcia    Texas A&M International              Jr.            F             Kinesiology        Dallas, Texas
Julian Smith       UT Tyler               Gr.          F             Health Administration  Indianapolis, Ind.
Matteo Landais               West Texas A&M              Jr.            MF          Sociology           Vitre, France

Defensive Players to Watch
Name   School Class    Pos.       Major    Hometown
Hunter Dierlam                DBU      Sr.           MF          Communications           Sacramento, Calif.
Kristopher McDonald   Eastern New Mexico     Jr.            D             Undecided         Spanish Town, Jamaica
Alejo Garcia      Lubbock Christian         Sr.           D             Exercise Science            Suances Canabria, Spain
Juan Galindo     Midwestern State           Sr.           D             Accounting        Dripping Springs, Texas
Jorge Blanc        Oklahoma Christian      So.         D             International Business Santiago, Dominican Republic
Irvin Abarca       St. Edward's      Sr.           D             Business Administration             Del Valle, Texas
Andrick Ferrer  St. Mary's            Jr.            D             Management    Buffalo, N.Y.
Martin Kjelstad Forø      Sul Ross State  Fr.           D             Business Administration             Norway
Saul Fernandez                Texas A&M International              Sr.           D             Kinesiology        Gijon, Spain
Joseph Musungaie         UT Tyler               Jr.            D             Construction Mngt.       Johannesburg, South Africa
Theo Bennetts  West Texas A&M              Sr.           D             Marketing           Chichester, England

Goalkeepers to Watch
Name   School Class    Major                                    Hometown
Catalin Nastuta               Eastern New Mexico     Sr.           Computer Science         Silleda, Spain
Connor Pettigrew            Lubbock Christian         Sr.           Accounting        Frisco, Texas
Pepe Hinterschuster     Oklahoma Christian      Fr.           Business Finance           Neustrelitz, Germany
Johnny Thurbin St. Mary's            Jr.            Business             Lingfield, Surrey, England
Isaac Poole        Sul Ross State  Sr.           Kinesiology        Boise, Idaho
Alan Johnson    UT Tyler               Gr.          Business Administration             Indianapolis, Ind.
Zach Kos             West Texas A&M              So.         Sports and Exercise Science     Austin, Texas