BRENTWOOD, Tenn. – Houston Christian University was picked to finish second in the 2025 Ohio Valley Conference Preseason Men's Soccer poll released on Thursday, as the Huskies enter their third season in the league. Ryan Okerayi, a junior forward from Houston, was named as one of eight "Players to Watch" heading into the season, which kicks off next Thursday.
 
Ryan Pratt returns for his ninth season at the helm after guiding the Huskies to an 8-7-5 overall mark and 5-2-3 ledger in OVC action last season as HCU finished as runner-up in the league after missing the playoffs in their first season. The Huskies picked up two first place votes and 69 total points in the poll of league coaches and communications directors.
 
Two-time defending regular season and tournament champion SIUE has been predicted the preseason favorite. The Cougars, who have claimed both championships during each the 2023 and 2024 seasons, are 17-1-2 in OVC play in the first two seasons of league action, and picked up 14 of 16 first-place votes and 98 points in the poll.

SIUE and HCU were followed by Lindenwood (67), Liberty (64), UIW (55), Western Illinois (39), Eastern Illinois (38) and Southern Indiana (18).

The top six teams in the standings will qualify for the 2025 OVC Men's Soccer Championship Tournament, which will take place November 9, 12 & 15 in St. Charles, Missouri on the campus of Lindenwood.
 
The third-place finish in the league overall and runner-up tournament finish for HCU came after not qualifying for the tournament in the OVC's first season. The Huskies finished ahead of Liberty, UIW and Western Illinois in their four-team pod in 2024 to earn a first-round bye in the conference tournament where they handled Lindenwood in the semifinals 2-0 before falling in a heartbreaking 3-2 double-overtime loss to SIUE in the title match.
 
HCU's eight wins overall were the most since the 2015 team won nine and also marked the first winning record in a season by that same club. The five OVC victories were the most conference wins since going 5-6 in the WAC during the 2019 season.
 
HCU returns three All-Conference players. Okerayi and senior midfielder D'Alessandro Herrera are two-time All-OVC selections, while manning the pipes for his final season is keeper Alex Aitken, who picked up his first all-conference accolade last year. The Huskies have 15 total newcomers, including seven transfers.
 
The Huskies have taken the pitch twice for exhibitions in the preseason. HCU defeated North American University 6-2 at Sorrels Field last Saturday in the first friendly before dropping a tough 2-1 decision to preseason No. 5 ranked SMU on Friday evening in Dallas. Okerayi and Aidan Lopez each had a pair of scores in the win over NAU last week, while Joby Reid was the lone Husky to hit the back of the net against the Mustangs on Friday. 
 
A four-match homestand will kick off the 2025 campaign, as the Huskies will welcome Drake University to Fondren Road on Thursday, August 21 at 7 pm. The third trip through the OVC fixtures begins on September 26 when HCU travels to the Alamo City to take on long-time rival University of the Incarnate Word, the first of three straight away to begin the conference slate.
 
2025 OVC Men's Soccer Preseason Predicted Order of Finish

1. SIUE (14 first-place votes) - 98 points
2. HCU (2) - 69
3. Lindenwood - 67
4. Liberty - 64
5. UIW - 55
6. Western Illinois - 39
7. Eastern Illinois - 38
8. Southern Indiana - 18


2025 OVC Men's Soccer Players to Watch

Eastern Illinois - Yuki Nakamura (Midfielder, Senior)
HCU - Ryan Okerayi (Forward, Junior)
Liberty - Aidan Morrison (Midfielder, Sophomore)
Lindenwood - Sebastià Cerdà Tous (Forward, Senior)
SIUE - Archie McDonnell (Central Defender, R-Sophomore)
Southern Indiana - David Davila (Forward, Sophomore)
UIW - Rochaine Baker (Defender, Senior)
Western Illinois - Liam Gainey (Forward, Senior)
 
 
 
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