LANCASTER, Pa. – Two-time defending champion Johns Hopkins edged 2024 NCAA quarterfinalist Dickinson for the top spot in the 2025 Centennial Conference Men's Soccer Preseason Poll. The Blue Jays secured six first-place votes and 77 points to narrowly take the No. 1 poll position over the Red Devils, who received the other four first-place nods and compiled 73 points. 

Franklin & Marshall (62) and Muhlenberg (61) were back-to-back in third and fourth place, respectively, while Washington College (47) and Swarthmore (45) were also projected to make the six-team playoff field. Gettysburg (27), McDaniel (25), Haverford (17) and Ursinus (16) rounded out the preseason poll voting. 

The 2025 season kicks off on Friday, Aug. 29 with all 10 CC teams in action on opening day. Conference is set to begin on Saturday, Sept. 20, with the six-team CC tournament slated for Nov. 4-7-9 at the higher-seeded team's home fields. 

2025 Centennial Conference Men's Soccer Preseason Poll

2025 Schedule | 2024 Championship Results | 2024 All-Centennial Team | History & Records | United Soccer Coaches Preseason Poll 

Four Centennial teams qualified for the NCAA Tournament last fall, marking the fourth time in conference history that four or more teams represented the CC in the national postseason tournament. The CC record number of NCAA qualifying bids remains five, which occurred in 2021. 

Dickinson, F&M and Hopkins each posted first-round victories, with the Red Devils advancing all the way to the Elite Eight for the deepest postseason run in program history. Dickinson's season eventually came to an end with a 3-2 loss to Washington and Lee in the quarterfinals. It marked the 11th time in CC history that a conference team advanced to at least the quarterfinal round of the NCAA Tournament. 

Hopkins became back-to-back CC champions last fall, edging Muhlenberg in penalty kicks in the title game for its second-straight championship triumph over the Mules. The Blue Jays and Mules have met in each of the past three championship rounds, with the Mules taking the title back in 2022 on penalty kicks. 

JHU leads the all-time title count with 11 while Muhlenberg is second with seven. Haverford has the third-most CC crowns with four, followed by Gettysburg (3), F&M (2), Swarthmore (2), Dickinson (1) and Washington College (1). 

The conference welcomes back a large number of accomplished players this season, including two All-Americans, 12 All-Region picks and 27 All-Centennial honorees. All 10 CC teams return at least one all-conference player, while six different teams will welcome back at least one All-Region performer. 

The Dickinson senior duo of forward Saul Iwowo and midfielder Ethan Jarden headline the list of CC standouts back on the pitch this fall. Both earned All-America honors from the United Soccer Coaches (USC) in 2024, with Iwowo picking up second team accolades and Jarden landing on the third team. Iwowo was also named CC Offensive Player of the Year and became a three-time All-CC honoree. The London, UK native enters his senior campaign tied for first in CC history with five career CC Tournament goals, tied for 14th all-time with 13 game-winning goals, tied for 23rd with 36 goals and tied for 24th with 89 points. 

Iwowo and Muhlenberg junior defender Sam Roberts are the two multi-time All-Region performers back in the conference this fall, and along with Jarden account for three of the seven players with multiple All-Centennial awards to their names. Other multi-time all-conference picks include F&M senior goalkeeper Nolan Booth, the Swarthmore duo of senior defender Jackson Haynes and senior midfielder Adrien Marcelli, and Washington College junior defender Tshazi Kamau. 

A trio of CC teams are ranked in the United Soccer Coaches (USC) Preseason Poll - Dickinson is eighth, Hopkins is 18th and F&M is 22nd. 

Returning All-American (2)

Saul Iwowo, Dickinson, Sr., F (2024 Second Team)
Ethan Jarden, Dickinson, Sr., M (2024 Third Team)

Returning All-Region (12)

Saul Iwowo, Dickinson, Sr., F (2024 First Team, 2023 Third Team)
Ethan Jarden, Dickinson, Sr., M (2024 First Team)
Nicholas Dwamena, Dickinson, So., M (2024 Second Team)
Timi Omoniwa, Dickinson, So., F (2024 Third Team)

Jack Bordon, Franklin & Marshall, Sr., D (2024 Fourth Team)

Athi Msiza, Gettysburg, Sr., F (2022 Second Team)

Tate Roth, McDaniel, Jr., GK (2024 Fourth Team)

Ben Mulford, Muhlenberg, Sr., GK (2023 Third Team)
Sam Roberts, Muhlenberg, Jr., D (2024 Second Team, 2023 Third Team)
Sim Dorsey, Muhlenberg, Sr., F (2024 Fourth Team)

Len Yamabe, Swarthmore, Jr., M (2024 Second Team)
Jackson Haynes, Swarthmore, Sr., D (2024 Third Team)

Returning All-Centennial (27)

Saul Iwowo, Dickinson, Sr., F (2024 First Team & Offensive POTY, 2023 First Team, 2022 Honorable Mention)
Ethan Jarden, Dickinson, Sr., F (2024 First Team, 2023 Second Team)
Timi Omoniwa, Dickinson, So., F (2024 First Team)
Nicholas Dwamena, Dickinson, So., M (2024 Second Team & Rookie OTY)
Luke Finkielstein, Dickinson, Sr., D (2022 Honorable Mention)

Nolan Booth, Franklin & Marshall, Sr., GK (2024 Honorable Mention, 2023 Honorable Mention)
Thomas Kaplan, Franklin & Marshall, So., D (2024 Honorable Mention)
Nico Gonzalez, Franklin & Marshall, Jr., D (2023 Honorable Mention)

Athi Msiza, Gettysburg, Sr., F (2022 Second Team)
Noah Holgado, Gettysburg, Sr., F/M (2023 Honorable Mention)

Aidan Lacy, Haverford, Jr. F (2024 Honorable Mention)

Will Andrus, Johns Hopkins, Sr., D (2023 Honorable Mention)

Tate Roth, McDaniel, Jr., GK (2024 First Team)
Chase Osborn, McDaniel, Sr., D (2024 Honorable Mention)
AJ Nordone, McDaniel, Sr., F (2023 Honorable Mention)

Sam Roberts, Muhlenberg, Jr., D (2024 First Team, 2023 First Team)
Sim Dorsey, Muhlenberg, Sr., F (2024 Second Team)
Ben Mulford, Muhlenberg, Sr., GK (2023 First Team)
Saleem Diakite, Muhlenberg, So., F (2024 Honorable Mention)

Len Yamabe, Swarthmore, Jr., M (2024 First Team)
Jackson Haynes, Swarthmore, Sr., D (2024 Honorable Mention, 2023 Second Team)
Adrien Marcelli, Swarthmore, Sr., M (2024 Honorable Mention, 2023 Honorable Mention)
Henry Lin, Swarthmore, Sr., D (2024 Honorable Mention)

Julian Faust, Ursinus, Sr., M (2023 Honorable Mention)

Tshazi Kamau, Washington College, Jr., D (2024 First Team, 2023 Second Team)
Tyler Davidson, Washington College, Sr., M (2024 Honorable Mention)
Ryan Sharpley, Washington College, Sr., D (2024 Honorable Mention)