EDISON, NJ (August 13, 2026) – The Metro Conference’s 13 head coaches have selected Sacred Heart University as the preseason favorite heading into the 2026 men’s soccer season. Siena University’s Lucas Almeida was named the 2026 Metro Conference Preseason Player of the Year while also earning a spot on the Preseason All-Metro Team.
Sacred Heart topped the preseason poll with 156 points and seven first-place votes. The Pioneers claimed the 2025 conference regular-season title after going 7-0-3 in league play before advancing to the conference championship match for the first time since joining the Metro. Sacred Heart finished as the tournament runner-up after falling to Siena, 2-1, in the championship final and enters the 2026 campaign seeking its first conference tournament championship.
Defending tournament champion Siena was selected to finish second with 151 points and four first-place votes. The Saints are coming off the first conference tournament championship in program history after capturing last season’s title with a second-place finish in the 2025 regular-season standings.
Iona University was selected third with 143 points and one first-place vote, followed by Fairfield University in fourth with 135 points and one first-place vote. Marist University and Quinnipiac University tied for fifth with 109 points each to round out the top five of the preseason poll.
Almeida earned Preseason Player of the Year honors after a standout junior campaign in which he was named Siena's Male Athlete of the Year. The West Hartford, CT native led the Saints with 10 goals, 25 points, and three match-winning goals. He became the program's first player to record 20 or more points in a season since 2019 and the first Saint to score double-digit goals since 2012. His 10 goals also rank tied for sixth-most in a single season in program history.
The complete 2026 Metro Men's Soccer Preseason Coaches' Poll and Preseason All-Metro Team are listed below.
| 2026 Men’s Soccer Preseason Coaches’ Poll |
| 1 |
Sacred Heart |
156 (7) |
| 2 |
Siena |
151 (4) |
| 3 |
Iona |
143 (1) |
| 4 |
Fairfield |
135 (1) |
| T5 |
Marist |
109 |
| T5 |
Quinnipiac |
109 |
| 7 |
Niagara |
84 |
| 8 |
Manhattan |
63 |
| 9 |
Mount St. Mary's |
58 |
| 10 |
Saint Peter's |
54 |
| 11 |
Merrimack |
47 |
| 12 |
Canisius |
37 |
| 13 |
Rider |
36 |
| Preseason Player of the Year |
| Lucas Almeida (Siena) |
| Preseason All-Metro Team |
| Player |
Position |
Year |
Institution |
| Ivan Morcillo |
Forward |
Jr. |
Sacred Heart |
| Sean Albritton |
Forward |
So. |
Fairfield |
| Adriano Iannello |
Forward |
So. |
Marist |
| Alex Vaz |
Midfield |
So. |
Fairfield |
| Lucas Almeida |
Midfield |
Sr. |
Siena |
| Danny Istambouli |
Midfield |
Sr. |
Sacred Heart |
| Gijs Verheul |
Midfield |
Jr. |
Marist |
| Daniel Losfablos* |
Defense |
Gr. |
Sacred Heart |
| Jaime Roman Jr. |
Defense |
Sr. |
Iona |
| Andres Becerra |
Defense |
So. |
Iona |
| Bennet Glinder |
Goalkeeper |
Sr. |
Siena |
*Unanimous selection
The 2026 Metro Men's Soccer Championship is a six-team, single-elimination tournament scheduled for November 7–14. Each match will be hosted by the higher seed, with teams reseeded following each round of the championship. The tournament begins with the first round on Saturday, November 7 followed by the semifinals on Wednesday, November 11. The championship concludes with the title match on Saturday, November 14. For more information regarding the 2026 Metro Men’s Soccer Championship, please visit
here.