GREENVILLE, S.C. – Conference Carolinas released its Preseason Coaches' Poll for men's soccer, and the Converse University men's soccer team was selected to finish fifth, marking the fourth consecutive year the Valkyries were selected inside the top five. Additionally, sophomores
Jacob Bandel and
Levi Bankirer and senior
Jesper Schierholz were tabbed as Players to Watch.
Bandel, a sophomore forward from Sherrills Ford, North Carolina, led the Valkyries last season in both goals and points, scoring 11 goals and netting 27 points. He appeared in all 17 games during his freshman campaign, making 15 starts. He was tabbed first-team all-conference last season and second-team all-region by D2CCA, the first freshman in program history to earn either recognition.
Bankirer, a sophomore forward from Mooresville, North Carolina, was a second-team all-conference selection last season. He was the 2025 Valkyries' third-leading scorer, netting six goals for 12 points, and is the team's second-leading returning scorer.
Schierholz, a senior defender from Walsrode, Germany, was a third-team all-conference selection last season. He started all 17 games last season and recorded a team-high nine assists.
Young Harris sits atop the poll with 189 points and nine first-place votes. Francis Marion ranks second with 174 points and three first-place votes.
Chowan, North Greenville and Converse rank next with 169, 161 and 146 points respectively, all receiving one first-place vote.
Barton is the highest-ranked team not to receive a first-place vote, finishing sixth with 119 points. Lees-McRae is just behind them with 116 points.
The first team under the 100-point threshold is Belmont Abbey, which finished eighth with 99 points. Just two points behind the Crusaders is Mount Olive in ninth place.
Emmanuel gained 81 points in 10th place, followed by Ferrum, King, Southern Wesleyan, Erskine and Shorter.
The Valkyries kick off the season on the road against the Anderson Trojans on Thursday, August 27 at 7:30 P.M.
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