Jags picked 9th in RRAC Men’s Soccer Preseason Coaches Poll

WACO – The Texas A&M University-Victoria men's soccer team is ready for the work ahead.

On Wednesday, the Red River Athletic Conference announced its men's soccer Preseason Coaches Poll and picked the Jaguars (7-7-2, 5-7-1 RRAC in 2024) to finish ninth. That is the same position the squad finished last season.

First-year head coach Vince Martinez and his team are eager for the challenge to prove the preseason poll wrong.

"The preseason poll is fun to look at and it gives us some perspective of where teams might end up at the end of the season," Martinez said. "But for us, we are entering this year with excitement for all the challenges the Red River Athletic Conference will present."

The Jaguars return a strong portion of their attack from last year in Yahir Pena (4 goals) and Baillie O'Reilly (3 goals, 5 assists). O'Reilly shared the team lead for assists last year and Pena is the leading returning goal scorer on a roster that features 14 returners.

The defense for the Jaguars figures to be strong with three returners from the back line in Jack Dibble, Rhuaraidh Menzies and Jacob Anderson.

Senior goalkeeper Tyler Kaeppeli returns for his fourth year between the posts for the Jaguars after posting a career record 49 saves last season.

The Vernon, British Columbia, native ranks second all-time in program history for saves (134), clean sheets (15) and matches started (41). He is six saves from tying the career record of 140, four clean sheets from tying the all-time record of 19 and eight starts from tying the record of 49, all set by Brian Redmond (2014-16).

This year will also mark a return to the six-team conference tournament format with the top two teams in the regular season standings receiving byes to the semifinals. Seeds three and four will host the fifth and sixth-seeded teams Nov. 7-8 in the tournament's quarterfinals.

The semifinals and championship will be held at Judy Kelley Morgan Field at Texas A&M-Texarkana Nov. 12-14.

The Jaguars open the season at home on Aug. 30 against Oklahoma City University.

Results are shown below with first-place votes appearing in parentheses.