FOREST, Va. --- Highly competitive conference tournaments and historic individual school campaigns dot the record books for ODAC men's soccer. League fans experienced that last season with Washington and Lee University's run to the semifinals of the NCAA Division III Tournament. Armed with a locker room full of returning talent from that 2021 squad, the Generals open the new year as favorites atop the 2022 ODAC Men's Soccer Preseason Poll.

Washington and Lee collected 11 first place votes from league head coaches on the way to a chart-topping 143 points. University of Lynchburg, winners of the 2021 ODAC title, garnered the remaining two top nods towards 133 markers. Roanoke College and Randolph-Macon College join W&L and Lynchburg in a clearly defined top-four with 120 and 110 tallies, respectively.

In the following sections, we take a quick look back at last season and get a feel for what to expect for the upcoming men's soccer campaign.

2021 ODAC TOURNAMENT | BRACKET

• The 2021 tournament featured five one-goal games including four 1-0 results and two contests that required extra-time to decide.
• That said, second-seeded Lynchburg proved victorious in a pair of high-margin victories with a 4-0 result over #7 Shenandoah in the quarterfinals and a 3-0 triumph over #6 Virginia Wesleyan in the semifinals.
• Randolph College had fans biting their fingernails with two one-goal victories; the fourth-seeded WildCats down #5 Roanoke, 1-0 in the quarterfinals and then used a 100th minute tally from Evan Blow to seal a 3-2 extra-time triumph at #1 Washington and Lee.
• In the title game at Lynchburg, neither the Hornets nor the WildCats could muster a goal inside regulation and the first extra frame, but 1:24 into the second overtime period, Luke Mega finished off an unassisted effort to grant Lynchburg a 1-0 victory.
• The victory marked Lynchburg's second straight and ODAC record 18th men's soccer championship; the Hornets have played in 11 title games including each of the past three; 10 of their trophies came before the conference instituted a championship tournament in 1989-90.
• Randolph, winner of the 2011 title, has competed in four championship contests.

2021 NCAA DIVISION III TOURNAMENT

• Lynchburg, owners of the ODAC's automatic berth after winning the conference championship, were joined in the field of 64 teams by then nationally top-ranked Washington and Lee as an at-large selection.
• The Hornets traveled to Atlanta, Ga., for early round play at Emory University; they met Hanover College in the first round and dropped a 2-1 extra time decision to the Panthers for an earlier than expected exit from the national bracket.
• Washington and Lee was selected to host first and second round games, and the Generals made the most of the opportunity; they opened with a resounding 6-1 victory over Baruch College and punched a ticket to the regional round with a 2-1 win over Covenant in round two.
• The Generals were again afforded host benefits and much like the previous round, turned it into a pair of victories; W&L took down in-state rival Christopher Newport University, 3-2, and then turned back 11-time national champion Messiah University, 3-1, to advance to the national semifinals for the first time in program history.
• UNC-Greensboro Soccer Stadium was the venue for the final three games in the bracket; Washington and Lee drew Connecticut College; after a scoreless first half and nearly a half-hour of the same in the second, Adrian Zimmerman put W&L ahead with a 74th minute score; the Camels responded with the tying goal in the 83rd minute, which eventually sent the game into extra time.
• With under a minute remaining in the first overtime period, Conn. College registered the game-winner to move on to the championship game; the Camels would go on to win the Division III title.
• W&L finished its season with school records for best NCAA Tournament finish and goals scored (70) and second in program history in winning percentage (.863) and victories (19).

THE NATIONAL SCENE ENTERING 2022

• The United Soccer Coaches (USC) released its annual preseason rankings in early August; Washington and Lee was the lone ODAC team to receive recognition with the Generals slotting in third on the top-25 chart; defending national champion Connecticut College and runner-up Amherst College are ranked first and second ahead of the Generals.
• Barring any changes, the 2022 NCAA Tournament bracket will feature 64 schools; 43 will qualify by automatic bid from their conferences in "Pool A," with zero spots reserved for "Pool B" as independents or those in conference's that do not qualify for an automatic berth; the remaining 21 squads will be chosen at-large from by the NCAA Division III Men's Soccer Championship Committee from "Pool C," which includes all remaining teams not entered by Pool A or B processes.

WELCOME TO THE ODAC!

• Averett University became the 15th full-time member of the ODAC on July 1 and opens its first season of ODAC men's soccer this fall; the Cougars previously played out of the USA South Athletic Conference.
• Head coach Philip Wilson features a squad that went 9-7-2 overall in 2021 with a 4-1-2 mark in the USA South to finish tied for third in the USA South's East Division (eight teams).
• The Cougars earned three consecutive USA South regular season titles in 1979, 1980, and 1981, sharing honors with UNC-Greensboro and Virginia Wesleyan in the latter campaign.
• This year's squad welcomes back 1-of-5 All-USA South East Division honorees; goalkeeper Tyler Yates returns after earning second team laurels.

RETURNING STATISTICAL LEADERS
The athletes listed below represent the top-three returning statistical leaders for each category from the 2021-22 season.
Save Pct./GAA Minimums | 33% of team goalkeeper minutes played

• Points | 32 - Samuel Bass (W&L); 29 - Luke Mega (LYN); 28 - Noah Carney (RAND)
• Goals | 13 - Noah Carney (RAND)/Luke Mega (LYN); 12 - Samuel Bass (W&L)
• Assists | 13 - Michael Kutsanzira (W&L); 8 - Samuel Bass (W&L); 7 - Dylan Berk (RC)/Colton Howell (R-MC)/Nathan Yared (SU)
• GK Minutes Played | 1,785:15 - Griffin Potter (VWU); 1,700:45 - Zach Behe (RC); 1,654:17 - Zach Aylor (RAND)
• GK Saves | 132 - Griffin Potter (VWU); 124 - Ahmed Zaatar (EMU); 91 - Tyler Yates (AU)
• Save Pct. | .880 - Griffin Potter (VWU); .851 - Zach Behe (RC); .800 - Adam Braithwaite (R-MC)
• Goals Against Avg. | 0.53 - Zach Behe (RC); 0.84 - Adam Braithwaite (R-MC); 0.90 - Justin Ennis (LYN)

RETURNING ALL-ODAC TALENT | 2021 ALL-ODAC WOMEN'S SOCCER AWARDS
The 2022 season features 25-of-37 returning All-ODAC honorees from the 2021 campaign plus one All-USA South East Division award winner with the inclusion of Averett University. Co-ODAC Coaches of the Year Chris Yeager from Lynchburg and Mike Singleton from Washington and Lee each welcome back five all-conference stars. The Generals contingent includes midfielder Weyimi Agbeyegbe, the reigning ODAC Rookie of the Year. Roanoke College joins LYN and W&L in returning five all-conference players, most in the conference.

   FORWARDS

• Luke Mega (LYN) -- All-ODAC First Team
• Samuel Bass (W&L) -- All-ODAC First Team
• Noah Carney (RAND) -- All-ODAC Second Team
• Liam Camilleri (RC) -- All-ODAC Second Team
• Brennan Lagana (LYN) -- All-ODAC Third Team
• Kenny Robles (LYN) -- All-ODAC Third Team
• Nathan Yared (SU) -- All-ODAC Third Team

   MIDFIELDERS

• Dylan Berk (RC) -- All-ODAC First Team
• Michael Kutsanzira (W&L) -- All-ODAC First Team
• Carter Averette (LYN) -- All-ODAC Second Team
• Colton Howell (R-MC) -- All-ODAC Second Team
• Alec Taitague (RC) -- All-ODAC Second Team
• Alex Moody (VWU) -- All-ODAC Second Team
• Weyimi Agbeyegbe (W&L) -- All-ODAC Second Team; ROY
• Manzi Shalita (LYN) -- All-ODAC Third Team
• Brandon John (RAND) -- All-ODAC Third Team
• Bogue Cummings (R-MC) -- All-ODAC Third Team
• Niclas Vavra (SU) -- All-ODAC Third Team
• Tyler Smith (W&L) -- All-ODAC Third Team

   DEFENSE

• Elijah Lloyd (R-MC) -- All-ODAC Second Team
• Chris Jerrild (RC) -- All-ODAC Second Team
• PJ Ryan (W&L) -- All-ODAC Third Team

   GOALKEEPERS

• Griffin Potter (VWU) -- All-ODAC First Team
• Zach Behe (RC) -- All-ODAC Second Team
• Adam Braithwaite (R-MC) -- All-ODAC Third Team

ODAC HEAD COACHES
The ODAC features some of the best coaches in the business with five coaches boasting better than .600 career winning percentages. Lynchburg's Chris Yeager leads active coaches with 231 wins, while Mike Singleton has won at a blistering .749 clip overall and .711 in eight seasons at Washington and Lee. This year's group features four new head coaches. Justin Carey at Eastern Mennonite and Brandon Kates at Shenandoah are first-time collegiate head coaches. Mike Baird roams Guilford's sidelines following three seasons at Mary Baldwin University, while Brian O'Connor takes the reins at Randolph armed with a .727 winning percentage after three-plus seasons at Knox College.

• Philip Wilson (AU) -- Overall: 46-79-10 (.378)/8 | at AU: 46-79-10 (.378)/8
• Ryan Bennison (BC) -- Overall: 78-101-10 (.439)/11 | at BC: 78-101-10 (.439)/11
• Justin Carey (EMU) -- First Season
• Matt Cureton (FC) -- Overall: 2-15-0 (.118)/1 | at FC: 2-15-0 (.118)/1
• Mike Bair (GC) -- Overall: 13-25-3 (.354)/3 | at GC: First Season
• Tommy DiNuzzo (H-SC) -- Overall: 58-79-15 (.431)/9 | at H-SC: 43-29-8 (.588)/5
• Chris Yeager (LYN) -- Overall: 231-114-47 (.649)/20 | at LYN: 231-114-47 (.649)/20
  • 7x ODAC Coach of the Year: 2004, 06, 09-10, 16-17, 21
• Brian O'Connor (RAND) -- Overall: 45-16-3 (.727)/4| at RAND: First Season
• Josh Laux (R-MC) -- Overall: 168-120-29 (.576)/18 | at R-MC: 64-41-9 (.601)/8
  • 1x ODAC Coach of the Year: 2007
• Ryan Pflugrad (RC) -- Overall: 94-39-27 (.672)/9 | at RC: 94-39-27 (.672)/9
  • 1x ODAC Coach of the Year: 2014
• Brandon Kates (SU) -- First Season
• Chris Mills (VWU) -- Overall: 77-61-20 (.630)/8 | at VWU: 77-61-20 (.630)/8
  • 1x ODAC Coach of the Year: 2013
• Mike Singleton (W&L) -- Overall: 148-43-20 (.749)/11 | at W&L: 113-28-16 (.771)/8
  
  • 4x ODAC Coach of the Year: 2015, 18-19, 21

THE SCHEDULE AND TOURNAMENT

• The 13-team ODAC contingent will play an unbalanced 10-game schedule in addition to each school's non-league slate.
• The top eight teams in the ODAC standings from conference play will qualify for the ODAC Men's Soccer Tournament; the winner of the tournament will earn the conference's automatic entry to the NCAA postseason.
• The 2022 ODAC Men's Soccer Tournament Schedule features:
  • Quarterfinals: Saturday, October 29 at the #1-4 Seeds
  • Semifinals: Wednesday, November 2 at the two highest remaining seeds (bracket progression)
  • Championship: Saturday, November 5 at the highest remaining seed
  • All game times are TBD
• The NCAA Division III Men's Soccer Tournament field will be finalized on Sunday, November 6, with announcement on NCAA.com on Monday, November 7.
• The City of Salem, Va., the ODAC, and Roanoke College will serve as hosts of the men's and women's national semifinals and championships on the weekend of December 2, 2022; finals dates TBD.

Listed below is the 2022 ODAC Men's Soccer Preseason Poll. For more information on ODAC men's soccer, visit the websites of any of the participating schools, or go to the ODAC's home on the Internet at www.odaconline.com. Don't forget to become a fan of the ODAC on Facebook and follow @odacathletics on Twitter and Instagram.

2022 ODAC MEN'S SOCCER PRESEASON POLL