Men’s Soccer picked to finish second in OAC Coaches Preseason Poll

By Wes Mayberry 

| 2023 Men's Soccer OAC Coaches Poll and Players to Watch (.pdf) |

ADA — The Ohio Northern men's soccer team was picked to finish second in the Ohio Athletic Conference in 2023 in a poll conducted by the league's 10 head coaches.

The Polar Bears received 75 points and four first-place votes in the poll.

Defending OAC Tournament champion John Carroll was selected as the favorite with 77 points and six first-place votes.

Otterbein was picked to finish third with 65 points, Wilmington was picked fourth with 51 points, and Mount Union was picked fifth with 50 points.

The poll also highlighted two players to watch from each school.

ONU was represented by juniors William Shaffer (Galena/St. Francis DeSales) and Ryan Parker (Lexington).

An All-OAC Third Team selection last season, Shaffer started all 22 games, tallying 11 points on three goals and five assists.

Parker tied for the team lead in assists a year ago with eight and added three goals to finish with 14 points.

ONU finished the 2022 season at 13-4-5 overall and was the OAC Regular Season champion with an 8-0-1 mark. The Polar Bears advanced to the third round of the NCAA Division III Tournament and closed the year ranked No. 13 nationally in the United Soccer Coaches Poll.

Ranked No. 13 to open 2023, Northern begins its season Sept. 1 with a home game against No. 5 Kenyon at 7:30 p.m. under fifth-year head coach Chris Matejka.

Coaches Poll