CORBIN, Ky. – The University of Pikeville men's soccer team was one of four teams to get a first-place vote in the preseason poll of AAC coaches.
 
Union Commonwealth is the preseason favorite, garnering 10 of the 13 first-place votes. The Bulldogs were 9-0-3 in league play last season and then won the tournament as well, where they won three games without allowing a goal.
 
Milligan, which lost to Union 1-0 in the finals, was picked second and received a first-place vote. The Buffs were 8-3-1 last season and finished second in the standings.
 
Truett McConnell and Tennessee Wesleyan finished third and fourth in the poll.
 
UPike was picked fifth and got one first-place vote. The Bears are coming off a season in which it finished 11-6-3 overall and 7-2-3 in the league to finished fourth.
 
After beating Tennessee Wesleyan 3-2 in the quarterfinals of the league tournament, the Bears lost to eventual champion Union Commonwealth 2-0 in the semifinals.
 
UPike had four all-conference players a season ago and three of them are returning.
 
Junior Jakub Rus is the leading returning scorer, having finished last season with seven goals. Senior Juan Farkas had three goals and tied for the team lead with four assists and was named all-conference, as was senior Yali Cohen, who had three goals and an assist.
 
The Bears will open the 2026 campaign on Thursday, Aug. 27 when they visit Louisville to play Boyce College. The home opener will come on Friday, Sept. 4 when they host Carolina (N.C.) University at Bob Amos Park. That game is scheduled to begin at 7 p.m.
 
The preseason poll is as follows:
 
2026 AAC Men's Soccer Coaches' Preseason Poll
School (First-Place Votes) - Total Voting Points
1. Union Commonwealth (10) - 158
2. Milligan (1) - 136
3. Truett McConnell - 130
4. Tennessee Wesleyan - 127
5. Pikeville (1) - 113
6. Reinhardt - 100
7. Columbia International (1) - 93
8. Spartanburg Methodist - 76
9. Columbia - 70
10. Bryan - 60
T11. Johnson - 45
T11. Montreat - 45
13. Bluefield - 30