HOUSTON – Houston Christian University opens its 2026 campaign on Thursday night when it hosts Jacksonville University. The tilt with the Dolphins kicks off a three-match season-opening homestand. Kick-off at Sorrels Field is scheduled for 7:30 pm with the game being the back-end of a doubleheader with the HCU women, who host cross-town foe Rice University at 5 pm.
 
The Huskies are coming off a second straight runner-up finish in the Ohio Valley Conference. HCU went 11-5-3 overall and advanced to the OVC title match where it fell at Lindenwood to the Lions in a penalty kick shootout. It was the most victories in a single season since the 1990 team won 14 and HCU are now 10-5-5 in league play over the past two seasons. Ryan Pratt enters his 10th season as the head coach of the Huskies and his 13th overall with the program returning 17 players including All-OVC selections Ryan Okerayi, Nico Kross and Ricardo Garcia.
 
HCU was tabbed to finish second in the Ohio Valley Conference preseason poll. The Huskies received two first place votes and tied with SIUE for the second spot, right behind defending league champ Lindenwood who received 11 first place votes.
 
In addition, Ryan Okerayi was named as one of eight "Players to Watch" for the 2026 campaign, which marks the fourth season of men's soccer for the OVC. Eight teams will once again compete for the league title with one new addition, as UTRGV replaces Liberty University.
 
Okerayi, a senior from Houston, was named to the OVC All-Conference First Team for the third straight season to become the first player named with first-team honors in the same conference since Carlos Gill was a four-time first-team All-Trans America Conference selection from 1982-85.
 
He made 17 starts in 18 appearances and led the team in goals scored for the second time in three seasons, recording nine to go with three assists and 21 total points. He is seventh in career goals at HCU, one of just seven players all-time to tally 20 or more, and he also ranks fourth in game-winners and eighth in total points.
 
Last season he led the OVC in goals, points, game-winners and penalty kicks as well as shots on goal per game and shot accuracy. He was also recently chosen by the United Soccer Coaches as a Player to Watch for the prestigious Missouri Athletic Club Hermann Trophy, presented to the country's top player at the end of the season.
 
The Huskies also return All-OVC players Kross and Garcia to the starting 11. Kross, a senior defender from Heidenheim, Germany, had a goal and two assists in his first season with HCU, starting all 19 matches and missing just 17 minutes of action on the campaign. Garcia, a senior midfielder from Houston, also played in all 19 matches, making 18 starts while ranking fifth on the squad in minutes played.
 
Other notable returnees are Cezar Onut and senior defender Hans Leza. Onut, a junior midfielder from Ploesti, Romania had three assists with 12 starting nods, while Leza, a senior defender from Houston, has missed just two matches in three seasons while posting 41 full-time efforts in 55 outings.
 
HCU features 13 newcomers which includes eight transfers and five rookies.
 
The meeting with Jacksonville marks the first matchup ever between the two schools. The Dolphins are led by fourth-year head coach Ali Simmons, who guided JU to a 6-7-5 mark in 2025, including a 3-2-3 finish in the Atlantic Sun as the team advanced to the tournament semifinals.

JU is paced by sophomore forward Matias Tebon, who was named to the ASun All-Freshman team after recording three goals and three assists. Iver Skerve, a senior defender, also scored three goals. Junior Simen Havig is the lone returning keeper for the Dolphins, having gone 0-3-1 last season.
 
The Huskies played two friendlies in the preseason buildup to opening night, winning both at Sorrels Field. HCU raced out to a 4-0 lead at the intermission behind two goals from Okerayi in what became a 5-1 final scoreline over Dallas Richland in their first outing. HCU then toppled St. Edward's University 1-0 last Saturday evening on a penalty kick by Noah Fernandes in the 76th minute.
 
Fondren Road will be home to the first three matches of the season for HCU, who will host UMass Lowell on Sunday night before a matchup with UC San Diego next Thursday. That final match of the homestand will be another twin-bill with the HCU women. HCU plays its first road match of the season at No. 15 ranked SMU on August 31.

This season, each HCU player will be wearing a patch with the initials "RBS" on their sleeves in honor of former HCU President Dr. Robert B. Sloan, who passed away in July. This commemorative symbol will be represented across all sporting events over the course of the 2026-2027 academic year in remembrance of Dr. Sloan  and his passion, dedication, love and ardent support for HCU Athletics, alongside his wife, First Lady Sue Sloan. 

2026 OVC Men's Soccer Predicted Order of Finish

1. Lindenwood (94 points, 11 first place votes)
2. HCU (80 points, 2 first place votes)
    SIUE (80 points, 3 first place votes)
4. Eastern Illinois (52)
5. UTRGV (46)
6. UIW (42)
7. Western Illinois (36)
8. Southern Indiana (18)

2026 OVC Men's Soccer Preseason Players to Watch (by team alphabetically)

Conner Bayliss (CB, So.), Eastern Illinois
Ryan Okerayi (F, Sr.), HCU
Luca Bartoni (F, Sr.), Lindenwood
Mathias Clausen (D, So.), SIUE
Garrett Morris (MF, Fifth Year), Southern Indiana
Diego Robles (F, Jr.), UIW
Mouhamed Pouye (MF, Sr.), UTRGV
Xavier Gagnon (F, Sr.), Western Illinois


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