Santi Leads CAA Men’s Soccer Preseason Honors; Hofstra, Elon Enter 2026 as Division Favorites
RICHMOND, Va. (August 17, 2026) -- Hofstra graduate defender Pietro Santi has been named the CAA Men's Soccer Preseason Player of the Year, the league announced Monday. Hofstra was selected as the preseason favorite in the CAA North Division, while Elon was tabbed as the preseason favorite in the South Division. The league's preseason poll and awards were voted on by the conference's 10 men's soccer head coaches.
Santi returns to lead the Pride after a strong 2025 campaign in which he was named to the United Soccer Coaches All-Atlantic Region Second Team. The graduate defender started 13 matches for Hofstra and played a key role in a Pride defense that allowed less than one goal per game and recorded seven shutouts.
Hofstra enters the 2026 season atop the CAA North Division after receiving eight first-place votes and totaling 43 points. Stony Brook claimed second in the North with one first-place vote and 37 points, while Monmouth, which also received one first-place vote, finished third with 30 points. Drexel and Northeastern rounded out the North Division with 20 and 15 points, respectively.
In the South Division, Elon claimed the top spot after receiving nine first-place votes and totaling 45 points. UNCW finished second with one first-place vote and 32 points, followed by Charleston with 27 points and Campbell with 21. William & Mary rounded out the South Division with 20 points.
Hofstra is fresh off a historic 2025 season, concluding the year with a 14-5-1 overall record and a 7-1 mark in conference play. The Pride caused a ruckus with a deep NCAA Tournament run, advancing to the third round after defeating top-seeded and previously unbeaten Vermont, 3-2 in overtime, before falling to Furman in penalty kicks. Hofstra will look to build on its high-powered attack from a season ago under first-year Head Coach Stephen Roche. The Pride finished second in the CAA with 30 goals while leading the conference with 46 assists.
Reigning CAA champion Elon will look to repeat its success in 2026 after garnering the program's first CAA Men's Soccer Championship and making its sixth all-time NCAA Tournament appearance. The Phoenix will lean on returning forward Martin Kozak, who was named the 2025 CAA Most Outstanding Performer in the tournament after recording eight of his team-leading 18 points during the championship run. Kozak will be joined by forward Dominik Renz, who finished second in the conference in game-winning goals last season with four, and midfielder Weston Jonke, who started all 19 matches for the Phoenix. The veteran trio will look to lead Elon in its pursuit of a second consecutive CAA championship.
The 2026 CAA Men's Soccer season officially begins Thursday, August 20, with all 10 teams in action on opening night.
2026 CAA MEN'S SOCCER PRESEASON POLLS AND AWARDS
|
Team (1st Place Votes)
|
Points
|
|
North Division
|
|
|
Hofstra (8)
|
43
|
|
Stony Brook (1)
|
37
|
|
Monmouth (1)
|
30
|
|
Drexel
|
20
|
|
Northeastern
|
15
|
|
Team (1st Place Votes)
|
Points
|
|
South Division
|
|
|
Elon (9)
|
45
|
|
UNCW (1)
|
32
|
|
Charleston
|
27
|
|
Campbell
|
21
|
|
William & Mary
|
20
|
CAA Preseason Player of the Year: Pietro Santi, Hofstra
Preseason All-CAA Team
|
Player
|
Team
|
Pos.
|
Class
|
Hometown
|
| Victor Andersson |
Monmouth |
F |
Jr. |
Örebro, Sweden |
| Martin Kozak |
Elon |
F |
Sr. |
Santiago, Chile |
|
Matt Lenert
|
Charleston
|
F
|
Sr.
|
Falls Church, Va.
|
|
Finlay Oliver
|
Stony Brook
|
F
|
Sr.
|
Oneonta, N.Y.
|
|
Dominik Renz
|
Elon
|
F
|
R-Jr.
|
Ulm, Germany
|
|
Alex Fleury
|
Stony Brook
|
M
|
Sr.
|
Lachine, Quebec, Canada
|
|
Morgan Worsfold-Gregg
|
Drexel
|
M
|
Jr.
|
London, England
|
|
Osei Gyamfi
|
UNCW
|
M
|
Jr.
|
Kumasi, Ghana
|
|
Weston Jonke
|
Elon
|
M
|
Jr.
|
Cleveland, Ohio
|
|
Ben Baldwin
|
Charleston
|
D
|
Jr.
|
Dallas, Texas
|
|
Magnus Jacobsen
|
Elon
|
D
|
So.
|
Silkeborg, Denmark
|
|
Jake Roberts
|
UNCW
|
D
|
Sr.
|
Huntersville, N.C.
|
|
Pietro Santi
|
Hofstra
|
D
|
Grad.
|
Civitavecchia, Italy
|
|
Trey Smiley
|
UNCW
|
GK
|
R-Jr.
|
Lynden, Wash.
|
Honorable Mentions: Stian Bendvold, M, Charleston; Jasen Bottini, F, Monmouth; Bryan Miralrio, F, UNCW; Gavin Carmichael, D, UNCW; Raul Garcia, D, Monmouth; Lennon Gill, F, Charleston; Ben Madore, M, Elon; Herman Johnsen, GK, Monmouth; Xander Martin, M, Campbell; Ethan Kang, M, Northeastern; Tiago Lima-Bittencourt, F, Drexel; Julian Pittaoulis, D, Drexel; Jaden Prado, D, Northeastern; Thor Sigurjonsson, M, William & Mary; Damian Taraska, D, Monmouth; Dan Toulson, D, Charleston
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