ORLANDO — For the first time since the fall 2021 slate, the UCF men’s soccer team will begin the season within the nation’s top 25.
Made official in Tuesday afternoon’s announcement, the Knights have been ranked the No. 19 team in the nation in the United Soccer Coaches’ 2024 preseason poll.
The program made history last fall, most notably earning the first No. 1 ranking in a regular-season poll in UCF Athletics history in weeks nine and 10, and was ultimately ranked within the top 25 from week one through the final poll Dec. 12.
Despite of a trio of losses to conclude the 2023 season, UCF finished the year at No. 19 in the final poll, representing the first time since the 2020-21 campaign that saw the Knights ranked in the United Soccer Coaches’ final poll (No. 13).
The defending national champion Clemson Tigers, a squad over which UCF earned a slim 2-1 victory to commence the 2023 season, open the new year as the top-ranked team in the preseason poll, while the West Virginia Mountaineers, UCF’s Sun Belt conference mate, join Clemson in the top five at No. 3.
The Marshall Thundering Herd begin the season at No. 8 in the country, James Madison pulls in one spot ahead of the Knights at No. 18, and the Kentucky Wildcats received votes to round out the remaining Sun Belt Conference members included in the preseason rankings.
The Seattle Redhawks, UCF’s Aug. 25 opponent, garnered the No. 23 slot in the poll as well, while the Wake Forest Demon Deacons, whom the Knights will meet Aug. 31, pull in at No. 15.
UCF will open the season with Exhibition Games in Boca Raton at FAU today (Saturday) at 5 p.m. and then host Stetson at the UCF Soccer Complex next Thursday (August 15) at 7 p.m.
The Knights will open the regular season against No. 24 Mercer on Thursday, August 22, as the 8 p.m. nightcap after the UCF women host Utah Valley at 5:30 p.m. at the UCF Soccer Complex.
