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NEW YORK\u00a0\u2013 Defending CUNY Athletic Conference men’s soccer tournament champion Lehman edged defending regular season champion Brooklyn in the conference’s preseason coaches’ poll released Tuesday morning.<\/p>\n
The Lightning, who finished fourth during the regular season last season before allowing just one goal in three games en route to the program’s first men’s soccer title since 2022, garnered six of eight first place votes and totaled 44 points.<\/p>\n
Brooklyn, which won its first conference regular season title since 1981 a season ago, picked up one first place vote and finished with 41 points.\u00a0 Baruch earned the other first place vote and slotted third in the preseason poll with 37 points.<\/p>\n
John Jay totaled 30 points and placed fourth in the poll, followed by CCNY with 27 points.\u00a0 The Beavers reached the conference title match as the No. 6 seed last season.\u00a0 Hunter placed sixth with 24 points.<\/p>\n
York (13) and Medgar Evers (8) rounded out the poll.<\/p>\n
One Player to Watch from each team was also announced Tuesday morning.<\/p>\n
The 2026\u00a0CUNYAC Men’s Soccer Championship begins with a pair of first round contests on Wednesday October 28, followed by the conference semifinals on Saturday, October 31.\u00a0 The championship game is set for Saturday, November 7\u00a0at 10:30 am at York College in a doubleheader with the women’s soccer championship game later that day.<\/p>\n
2026 CUNYAC Men’s Soccer Preseason Poll
\n(first place votes in parentheses)<\/p>\n
1. Lehman (6) – 44
\n2. Brooklyn (1) – 41
\n3. Baruch (1) – 37
\n4. John Jay – 30
\n5. CCNY – 27
\n6. Hunter – 24
\n7. York – 13
\n8. Medgar Evers – 8<\/p>\n
CUNYAC Men’s Soccer
\nPlayers to Watch<\/p>\n
Sardor Abidov, Baruch – A sophomore midfielder for the Bearcats, Abidov appeared in 12 games and was in the starting lineup nine times.\u00a0 He finished the season with two goals and an assist for five points.<\/p>\n
Andrew Gavrilov, Brooklyn – The CUNYAC Rookie of the Year a season ago, Gavrilov finished with 15 goals and an assist for 31 points, leading the conference in scoring and ranking among the national leaders in goals per game, points per game and total goals.<\/p>\n
Fausto Rodriguez, CCNY – A junior midfielder for the Beaverrs, Rodriguez played in 14 games last aseason and was a starter on four occasions.<\/p>\n
Yassine Jaballah, Hunter – Jaballah started 10 games and played 11 as a freshman for the Hawks last season.\u00a0 The sophomore midfielder finished the season with 10 shots.<\/p>\n
Sekou Sheriff, John Jay – A First Team All-Conference midfielder for the Bloodhounds in 2025 as a freshman, Sheriff played in 15 games, starting 11, and ranked third on the team in scoring with four goals and five assists for 13 points.<\/p>\n
Lance Brdaric, Lehman – Brdaric, a First Team All-Conference defender for Lehman last season, was also the Most Valuable Player of the 2025 CUNYAC Men’s Soccer Championship.\u00a0 He was one of five players to start all 17 games for the Lightning.<\/p>\n
Mouhamed Diakhoumpa, Medgar Evers – A sophomore defender, Diakhoumpa was one of three players to play in all 15 games for the Cougars as a rookie in 2025.\u00a0 He was in the starting lineup 14 times.<\/p>\n
Derick Aboagye-Frimpong, York – A First Team All-Conference midfielder as a rookie in 2025, Aboagye-Frimpong was one of six Cardinals to play in every game.\u00a0 He led York in scoring with six goals and three assists for 15 points.<\/p>\n
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