CANTON, Ga. – Following a run to the third round of the NCAA Playoffs and a No. 13 national ranking in Division III, the Trinity Tigers have been selected as the preseason favorite to capture the SAA crown.
Trinity collected 56 points and seven first-place votes to lead the poll in its first season as an SAA member. Defending champion Oglethorpe placed second with 48 points and one first-place vote, followed by Rhodes, Southwestern, and Centre rounding out the top five.
The poll was voted on by the league’s eight head coaches.
2025 SAA Men’s Soccer Preseason Poll
- Trinity – 56 (7)
- Oglethorpe – 48 (1)
- Rhodes – 45
- Southwestern – 35
- Centre – 30
- Sewanee – 29
- Berry – 23
- Millsaps – 14
Last season, Trinity finished with an impressive 19-1-3 overall record, going 10-0-1 in SCAC play to secure the conference title. The Tigers advanced past Belhaven and Bowdoin in the NCAA tournament before falling to No. 11 Babson College in the third round. The team returns SCAC Offensive Player of the Year Adam Knutson, who led the squad in goals and earned USC All-Region honors, alongside three key contributors lost to graduation, including All-American JC Rule. The United Soccer Coaches preseason poll tabs the Tigers at No. 11.
Oglethorpe also saw postseason success, highlighted by All-American Ben Alram and multiple All-Region selections. The Stormy Petrels finished 9-3-6 overall and 3-1-2 in SAA play before edging Rhodes 1-0 in double overtime to claim the conference championship and secure their second straight NCAA appearance.
The 2024 season kicks off on Friday, August 29, with the SAA Tournament scheduled to begin November 6 in Georgetown, Texas, hosted by Southwestern University.
For more information on all things SAA, visit the websites of any of the participating schools, or go to the SAA's home on the internet at
www.saa-sports.com. Be sure to stay up to date on all of your Southern Athletic Association news by following @SAA_Sports on Twitter (X) and @SAA_Sports on Instagram.
SAA Men’s Soccer Champions
2024 – Oglethorpe (3-1-2)
2023 – Oglethorpe (6-1)
2022 – Rhodes (4-0-3)/Sewanee (5-2)
2021 – Oglethorpe (6-0-1)
2020 – no season
2019 – Oglethorpe (7-0)
2018 – Oglethorpe (7-0)
2017 – Oglethorpe (6-0-1)
2016 – Oglethorpe (6-0-1)
2015 – Oglethorpe (5-1-1)
2014 – Millsaps (6-1)
2013 – Millsaps (5-1-1)
2012 – Berry (5-1-1)/Centre (5-1-1)