SAINT PAUL, Minn. – The Yellowjacket men's soccer team sat atop the 2026 Upper Midwest Athletic Conference (UMAC) preseason poll, the league announced Tuesday.
 
The Yellowjackets captured six-of-seven first place votes from the poll of UMAC coaches, collecting 36 points. In second place with the final first place vote was Bethany Lutheran with 32 points.
 
Superior returns senior Jacob Wyles (Watlington, Oxfordshire/FAB Academy), senior Harvey McLoughlin (London, England/Highgate Woods) and sophomore Seth Davidson (Sartell, Minn./Sartell) this season. Wyles, the league's defensive player of the year, tallied 1,580 minutes on the Yellowjacket backline, while McLoughlin's junior campaign logged him a spot on the United Soccer Coaches All-Region Fourth Team. Davidson, the reigning UMAC Rookie of the Year, secured 40 points in his debut season, collecting 16 goals and eight assists.
 
In third place was Northwestern with 24 points, with Minnesota Morris (20) and Crown (18) following. Rounding out the circuit was North Central (12) and Martin Luther (six).
 
The Yellowjackets kick off the regular season Tuesday, Sept. 1 where they take on St. Scholastica. Action at Kenny Harkins Field is set for 5 p.m.