IRVING, Texas – Defending American Conference men’s soccer tournament champion Charlotte has been selected as the 2025 preseason favorite for the second consecutive year, as voted on by the league’s head coaches.
The 49ers earned 58 points and four of the nine possible first-place votes. FIU placed second with 47 points and one first-place vote, followed by Memphis and South Florida, who tied for third with 46 points apiece. Memphis received two first-place votes, while South Florida collected one.
New conference affiliate member Missouri State was tabbed fifth with 45 points and one first-place vote, while Florida Atlantic ranked sixth (33 points), followed by UAB (19), Tulsa (16), and Temple (14). Coaches were not permitted to vote for their own teams.
Florida Atlantic graduate forward Mamadou Diarra was named the Preseason Offensive Player of the Year. Tulsa senior defender Wes Bottenburg earned Preseason Defensive Player of the Year honors, while Charlotte senior goalkeeper Leo Stritter and Memphis senior goalkeeper Filiip Sabatti shared the Preseason Goalkeeper of the Year award.
Diarra made an immediate impact in his first season with the Owls, tying for the league lead with eight goals – three of which were game-winners – on his way to being named the 2024 American Offensive Player of the Year. His honor was the program’s first conference Player of the Year award since 2004.
Bottenburg, a former All-Freshman Team selection in 2022, anchored Tulsa’s back line last season, starting 13 of 14 matches and scoring two goals to earn First Team All-Conference recognition.
Stritter started all 19 matches for Charlotte in 2024, helping the 49ers to a second straight conference tournament title. He led the NCAA in shutout percentage (.578), posted an 11-3-5 record, and was named the tournament’s Most Outstanding Defensive Player.
Sabatti backstopped Memphis to the 2024 American regular season championship, boasting a .792 save percentage in conference play and recording three clean sheets. He was named the league’s Goalkeeper of the Year.
The 2025 American Preseason All-Conference Team features several returning award winners, including UAB sophomore defender Mathis Richter (2024 Freshman of the Year), South Florida junior midfielder Pedro Faife (2024 Midfielder of the Year), Florida Atlantic senior midfielder Aboubacar Traore (2024 First Team All-Conference) and Florida Atlantic senior midfielder Sebastian Zettl (2024 Second Team All-Conference). Memphis sixth-year forward Lucho Galizzi (2024 Second Team All-Conference), and Memphis sophomore defender Ryan Ruguaru (2024 All-Freshman Team), also return. Diarra, Galizzi, and Faife were all unanimous preseason selections.
Additional honorees include Charlotte junior forward Natsuki Ogata, FIU senior defender Joao Domingues, senior forward Eduardo Mustre, and graduate defender Owen Travis, Missouri State junior midfielder Alex Matthews, and South Florida sophomore defender Tyler Richardson.
2025 American Men’s Soccer Preseason Coaches’ Poll
1. Charlotte (4) 58
2. FIU (1) 47
3. Memphis (2) 46
South Florida (1) 46
5. Missouri State (1) 45
6. Florida Atlantic 33
7. UAB 19
8. Tulsa 16
9. Temple 14
(#) denotes first place votes
Preseason Offensive Player of the Year
Mamadou Diarra, Gr., F, Florida Atlantic
Preseason Defensive Player of the Year
Wes Bottenburg, Sr., D, Tulsa
Preseason Goalkeeper of the Year
Leo Stritter, Sr., Charlotte
Filip Sabatti, Sr., Memphis
Preseason All-Conference
Mathis Richter, So., D, UAB
Natsuki Ogata, Jr., F, Charlotte
Leo Stritter, Sr., GK, Charlotte
Mamadou Diarra, Gr., F, Florida Atlantic*
Aboubacar Traore, Sr., M, Florida Atlantic
Sebastian Zettl, Sr., M, Florida Atlantic
João Domíngues, Sr., D, FIU
Eduardo Mustre, Sr., F, FIU
Owen Travis, Gr., D, FIU
Lucho Galizzi, 6th, F, Memphis*
Ryan Ruguaru, So., D, Memphis
Filip Sabatti, Sr., GK, Memphis
Alex Matthews, Jr., M, Missouri State
Pedro Faife, Jr., M, South Florida*
Tyler Richardson, So., D, South Florida
Wes Bottenburg, Sr., D, Tulsa
* denotes unanimous selection
