WESTERVILLE, Ohio - Ohio Northern was predicted to win the 2025 Ohio Athletic Conference men’s soccer title by the leagues’ head coaches.

The Polar Bears topped the preseason poll after receiving five of the eight first-place votes and 58 points. Mount Union was picked to finish second with 56 points and one first-place vote, while Otterbein—the 2024 tournament champions—was slotted third with the final two first-place votes and 55 points. Capital followed in fourth with 42 points, while Wilmington rounded out the top five with 29 points. Head coaches do not vote for their own teams in the balloting.

Ohio Northern finished the 2024 season with a 14–5–3 overall record, including a 7–1–1 mark in conference play. The Polar Bears earned an at-large bid into the NCAA Tournament, advancing to the second round after defeating Franciscan, 1–0, in the opening round. In the 2025 United Soccer Coaches Top 25 Preseason Poll, Ohio Northern was ranked 24th among Division III men’s soccer programs. The Polar Bears will open the season on Friday, August 29, against ninth-ranked Mary Washington at 5 p.m.

 

2025 OAC Men’s Soccer Coaches Poll
Rank	School (1st Place Votes)	Pts.
1	Ohio Northern (5)	58
2	Mount Union (1)	56
3	Otterbein (2)	55
4	Capital	42
5	Wilmington	29
6	Marietta	27
7	Baldwin Wallace	23
T8.	Muskingum	12
T8.	Heidelberg	12