WICHITA FALLS, Texas -- Midwestern State, which has captured the Lone Star Conference regular season title twice in the last six seasons, is picked to finish atop the LSC standings this year according to the 2025 preseason poll.

The Mustangs finished last season with a 15-3-3 overall record and was 7-2-1 in conference play. Midwestern State won the conference tournament for the fourth consecutive season and fifth time overall. The Mustangs reached the quarterfinals of the NCAA Men's Soccer Championship and finished the season ranked No. 10 in the nation.

Senior forward Liam Pritchard, who has six goals and 14 assists in his three seasons at MSU, was named as an LSC Preseason Offensive Player to Watch. Pritchard was second on the team last season with seven assists.

Sophomore Skyler Krchnak, a member of the LSC All-Freshman Team last season, was selected as Defensive Player to Watch. Krchnak started 17 of the 18 matches in which he appeared last season and had three assists for the Mustangs.

The preseason poll and preseason players of the year are voted on by LSC head coaches, sports information directors and media members.

This year's team will look much different than the squad head coach Michael Meachum had last season.

"We lost all the Covid guys that we had last year, so this is going to be a brand-new group," Meachum said. "We are bringing a big core group that got to play some big roles and big minutes."

Gabriel Gacovicaj, who scored four goals and had two assists last season, is among the returning players for Midwestern State.

Cooper Tea, Ethan Krchnak and Skyler Krchnak are back for the Mustangs following their redshirt freshman season. All three players played more than 800 minutes last season, and each had three assists. Tea scored a goal in a 2-0 win over St. Mary's last year.

Senior midfielder Jarrod McKechnie, who saw his role expand as the season progressed last season, is also returning for the Mustangs this year.

Midwestern State opens its season on Sept. 5 at Colorado Mesa with kickoff scheduled for 8:30 p.m. Newman visits Stang Park at 6 p.m. on Sept. 11 for the MSU home opener.