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Men's Soccer

Lynchburg, Washington and Lee Share Top-Billing in Men's Soccer Poll

Even Split of First Place Votes

FOREST, Va. --- The answer is 2015. The question – when was the last time the University of Lynchburg or Washington and Lee University did not feature atop the ODAC Men's Soccer Preseason Poll. Now, they both do.

The Hornets and the Generals each collected six first place votes on the way to 116 points to top the 2025 edition of the annual coaches survey. Virginia Wesleyan University sits third with 96 tallies, four markers clear of Roanoke College in fourth position. The Marlins and Maroons occupied those same spots last year.

In the sections below, we look back to the 2024 season to set the tone for this year and then dive into some features of ODAC men's soccer for the upcoming 2025 campaign.

2025 ODAC MEN'S SOCCER PRESEASON POLL
(#) denotes first place votes received

1.University of Lynchburg (6)116 pts.
1.Washington and Lee University (6)     116 pts.
3.Virginia Wesleyan University96 pts.
4.Roanoke College92 pts.
5.Hampden-Sydney College79 pts.
6.Shenandoah University67 pts.
7.Randolph-Macon College65 pts.
8.Bridgewater College45 pts.
9.Eastern Mennonite University42 pts.
10.Averett University33 pts.
11.Randolph College28 pts.
12.Guilford College13 pts.
    • A record nine ODAC schools had .500 or better records in 2024 with four boasting better than .640 winning percentages.
      • Those nine squads posted a 90-47-40 (.621) overall mark
    • The ODAC Tournament featured eight teams in a traditional bracket format
      • Lynchburg headlined the field as the top seed, one point clear of Washington and Lee in the final league table
      • Virginia Wesleyan, Hampden-Sydney, Roanoke, Shenandoah, Randolph-Macon, and EMU comprised the remainder of bracket in that order
      • Quarterfinals: LYN def. EMU, 3-0; HSC def. RC, 2-1; VWU def. SU, 3-0; WLU def. RMC, 1-0
      • Semifinals: LYN def. HSC, 5-0; WLU def. VWU, 3-2
      • Championship: WLU def. LYN, 1-0
    • Washington and Lee hoisted its eighth ODAC title and second in the last three years
      • The Generals have competed in each of the past three title games
      • Lynchburg, winners of an ODAC record 19 men's soccer crowns, have played for the league trophy in five of the past six seasons
      • Virginia Wesleyan won the 2013 championship, which marks the last time a Lynchburg or WLU squad has not lifted the conference trophy
    • ODAC champion Washington and Lee earned the ODAC's automatic entry to the NCAA Tournament's field of 64 teams
    • Lynchburg joined the Generals in the bracket as an at-large qualifier from the NCAA's new NPI selection protocol
    • While WLU traveled to Johns Hopkins University for early round play, Lynchburg was selected to host a four-team pod
      • 1st Round: LYN def. Emory University, 3-0; WLU def. Otterbein University, 1-0
      • 2nd Round: Dickinson College def. LYN, 2-0; WLU tied Johns Hopkins, 1-1, and advanced on PKs, 4-2
    • Washington and Lee continued its national tournament run at Dickinson College
      • 3rd Round: WLU tied Williams College, 1-1, and advanced on PKs, 4-3
      • Quarterfinals: WLU def. Dickinson, 3-2
    • Two weeks after defeating Dickinson in the quarterfinals, the Generals traveled to Las Vegas and Peter Johann Memorial Field for action in the final four
      • Washington and Lee joined three NESCAC schools – Amherst College, Connecticut College, and Middlebury College – in the national semifinals
      • It marked WLU's third appearance in the final four since 2021
      • Semifinals: Conn College def. WLU, 1-0
    • Before the loss to the Camels, Washington and Lee had been riding a program-record 20-game unbeaten streak
    • The senior class posted a 64-13-18 (.768) record that included a pair of ODAC titles
    • WLU is now 16-8-7 (.629) in 10 Division III tournament appearances
    • The ODAC is 38-45-12 (.463) in 51 appearances all-time
    • United Soccer Coaches Preseason Top-25
      • Washington and Lee begins its title defense as the fourth-ranked team in Division III in the United Soccer Coaches (USC) Preseason Top-25 Poll
      • Lynchburg is one of six schools outside of the top-25 that received votes towards the annual survey.
      • Defending national champion Amherst College and runner-up Connecticut College are the top-two teams in the country

  • Last season, 27 of the 36 All-ODAC honorees returned to league pitches. While the number dips a bit to 21-of-37 this year, there are plenty of all-conference stars for fans to support. That includes four members of the 2024 All-ODAC First Team and four of the five special individual award recipients.

    Washington and Lee head coach Lumumba Shabazz had nearly the storybook start to his Generals career last season, earning ODAC Coach of the Year laurels on the way to leading WLU to an ODAC title and a third national semifinal appearance in four seasons. Back to help the Generals repeat that effort is goalkeeper Will Joseph, who earned ODAC/Virginia Farm Bureau Insurance Scholar-Athlete of the Year honors as well as All-ODAC Third Team recognition.

    Lynchburg features the remaining two special award honorees, both starring on a defense that allowed just 12 goals last year. Centerback Benjamin Velasquez was named ODAC Defensive Player of the Year for a second straight season, while fellow backline-mate William Casey collected ODAC Rookie of the Year and All-ODAC Second Team accolades.

    • FORWARDS (5-of-11)
      • Nolan Schulte – Virginia Wesleyan (1st Team)
      • Riley Queen – Bridgewater (2nd Team)
      • Charlie Letson – Hampden-Sydney (2nd team)
      • Walker Stebbings – Hampden-Sydney (3rd Team)
      • Zach Bittler – Virginia Wesleyan (3rd Team)
    • MIDFIELDERS (6-of-12)
      • Jaques Lavielle – Hampden-Sydney (2nd Team)
      • Ryan Pidgeon – Roanoke (2nd Team)
      • Carter Laatsch – Roanoke (3rd Team)
      • Ilan Mejia – Virginia Wesleyan (3rd Team)
      • Gio Zizza – Virginia Wesleyan (3rd Team)
      • Matthew Jenkingsk – Washington and Lee (3rd Team)
    • DEFENDERS (7-of-11)
      • Benjamin Velasquez – Lynchburg (1st Team)
      • Aaron Deans – Virginia Wesleyan (1st Team)
      • William Casey – Lynchburg (2nd Team)
      • Josh Nevins – Virginia Wesleyan (2nd Team)
      • Will Fatzinger – Roanoke (3rd Team)
      • Spencer Furman – Washington and Lee (3rd Team)
      • Willy Hall – Washington and Lee (3rd Team)
    • GOALKEEPERS (3-of-3)
      • Thomas Viscuso – Lynchburg (1st Team)
      • Ben Haynes – Virginia Wesleyan (2nd Team)
      • Will Joseph – Washington and Lee (3rd Team)

  • The athletes listed below represent the top-three returning statistical leaders for major statistical categories from the 2024 season.

     PLAYER #1PLAYER #2PLAYER #3
    FIELD PLAYERS
    Points18Trey Widrick, BC17Gio Zizza, VWU15Nolan Schulte, VWU
    Goals7Trey Widrick, BC7Nolan Schulte, VWU64 Players
    Assists7Gio Zizza, VWU5Wiley Eubank, RMC
    Matthew Jenkins, WLU    		5Ilan Mejia, VWU
    Jonthomas Buckley, AU
    Shots (on goal)50 (20)Jarbin Rodriquez, SU48 (27)Riley Queen, BC48 (21)Ilan Mejia, VWU
                 
    GOALKEEPERS (min. 33% of team goalkeeper minutes played for Save Pct./GAA)
    GK Minutes2249:50Will Joseph, WLU1832:15Thomas Viscuso, LYN1774:57Andrew Arledge, EMU
    Saves86Andrew Arledge, EMU75Christopher Kelley, GC65Will Joseph, WLU
    Save Pct..768Andrew Arledge, EMU.765Ben Haynes, VWU.760Thomas Viscuso, LYN
    GAA.589Thomas Viscuso, LYN.765Ben Haynes, VWU.920Will Joseph, WLU
    Shutouts10Thomas Viscuso, LYN8Will Joseph, WLU8Andrew Arledge, EMU

  • Below are the win-loss records for each coach entering the 2024 season.

    COACHSCHOOLSEASON (AT SCHOOL)OVERALL (PCT.)AT SCHOOL (PCT.)
    Phillip WilsonAverett12th (12th)62-98-28 (.404)62-98-28 (.404)
    Ryan BennisonBridgewater15th (15th)101-117-28 (.467)101-117-28 (.467)
    Justin CareyEastern Mennonite4th (4th)14-23-18 (.418)14-23-18 (.418)
    WillThomsen1st (1st)1st Season1st Season
    Tom DiNuzzoHampden-Sydney13th (9th)82-98-24 (.461)67-48-19 (.571)
    Chris YeagerLynchburg24th (24th)269-124-59 (.660)269-124-59 (.660)
    Sheldon BlueRandolph3rd (3rd)7-14-11 (.391)7-14-11 (.391)
    Josh LauxRandolph-Macon22nd (11th)191-140-37 (.569)87-61-17 (.579)
    Ryan PflugradRoanoke13th (13th)119-59-36 (.640)119-59-36 (.640)
    Brandon KatesShenandoah4th (4th)23-18-13 (.546)23-18-13 (.546)
    Shane KohlerVirginia Wesleyan3rd (3rd)26-7-6 (.744)26-7-6 (.744)
    Lumumba ShabazzWashington and Lee14th (2nd)115-86-34 (.562)15-4-6 (.720)
    • ODAC teams – along with all of Division III – begin official regular season play on Friday, August 29
    • The first playdate of conference games – featuring six matchups – is set for Saturday, September 27
    • The ODAC Tournament will feature the top eight teams from the ODAC regular season table with play shifting to a Saturday-Wednesday-Saturday format
      • Quarterfinals: Saturday, November 1, at #1-4 Seeds
      • Semifinals: Wednesday, November 5, at two highest seeds in bracket matchups
      • Championship: Saturday, November 8, at highest remaining seed
      • If one school were slated to host the field hockey, men's soccer, and women's soccer championship games on that final Saturday (11/8/25), men's soccer would move to Sunday in odd years (this year), while women's soccer would move to Sunday in even years
    • The Division III Men's Soccer Championship bracket will be announced on NCAA.com on Monday, November 10
      • First/Second Rounds: Saturday-Sunday, November 15-16
      • Sectional Rounds: Saturday-Sunday, November 22-23
      • Semifinals: Friday, December 5
      • Championship: Sunday, December 7
        • The ODAC, Roanoke College, and the City of Salem will serve as hosts of the both the men's and women's semifinals and championship games at RC's Donald J. Kerr Stadium