PAC Release

TRAFFORD, Pa. -- The Allegheny College men's soccer team placed third in the 2026 Presidents' Athletic Conference (PAC) preseason poll, as voted on by the conference's 13 head coaches.

The Gators, who finished third in the PAC last fall, earned 101 points in the preseason poll. They finished just one point ahead of fourth-place Geneva College. The defending champions from Grove City College led the league with 132 points and 11 first-place votes, followed by Franciscan University with 120 points and the remaining two first-place votes.

In addition to the preseason poll, the PAC released its Players to Watch for the upcoming season. The list included four Gators, highlighted by returning All-PAC selections Will Gruca (Baden, Pa./Ambridge) and Cadan Bennett (Gibsonia, Pa./Pine-Richland). Gruca was named to the All-PAC First Team as a junior after a 31-point (10g-11a) campaign, while Bennett earned honorable mention accolades with a 1.85 goals-against average and 90 saves in goal. Junior forward Micah Khembo (Pittsburgh, Pa./North Catholic) and sophomore midfielder Nathan Tolliver (Columbus, Ohio/Upper Arlington) were also recognized.

Fifth-year head coach John Lichina '14 has his sights set on a fifth consecutive postseason appearance in 2026. Allegheny has qualified for the PAC tournament each season since rejoining the conference in the fall of 2022. Last year, the Gators defeated Washington & Jefferson College in overtime in the quarterfinal round, before falling to Franciscan on the road in the semifinals.

The AC men's soccer team will begin the 2026 season on the road against Baldwin Wallace University on Tuesday, September 1, at 7 p.m.