BABSON PARK, Mass.—After capturing five of the last six New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) tournament championships and making six straight trips to the NCAA Tournament, the Babson College men's soccer team was picked to finish second in 2026 when the conference released its preseason coaches' poll on Friday.
Defending regular season champion Wheaton received six of the nine first-place votes and 62 points to finish atop the poll, while Babson had the other three top votes and was runner-up with 53 points. Coast Guard (49) edged defending tournament runner-up WPI (47) for third place in the voting, and Springfield (29) and Emerson (29) tied for fifth.
Led by 41st-year head coach
Jon Anderson '75, the Beavers return nine starters and 25 veterans from last year's squad that finished 11-7-4 overall and 4-2-2 in NEWMAC play. The Beavers downed Coast Guard and WPI to claim the NEWMAC crown, and blanked SUNY Oneonta, 1-0, in the first round of the NCAA Tournament before falling to No. 7 Connecticut College, 2-1, in the second round.
The Beavers open the 2026 campaign against Gordon on Hartwell-Rogers Field on September 1. The NEWMAC debut comes in game seven at home vs. Springfield on September 26.
2026 NEWMAC Men's Soccer Preseason Coaches' Poll
| Rank |
School (first-place votes) |
|
| 1 |
Wheaton (6) |
62 |
| 2 |
Babson (3) |
53 |
| 3 |
Coast Guard |
49 |
| 4 |
WPI |
47 |
| T-5. |
Springfield |
29 |
| T-5. |
Emerson |
29 |
| 7 |
Salve Regina |
24 |
| 8 |
MIT |
23 |
| 9 |
Clark |
8 |
