ROCK HILL, S.C. — The Catawba College men's soccer team tied for fifth, good for a playoff position, in the South Atlantic Conference Preseason Coaches' Poll announced Tuesday.
The Catawba Indians have a solid foundation returning as they retain most of their 2025 starting lineup, including six of the top seven players in minutes played. The midfield and defense will have plenty of familiar faces, while the attacking half is without its top two scorers from last season, most notably SAC Offensive Player of the Year Máté Kenyeres. However, second-year head coach Alex Morais has assembled a big-name recruiting class to fill the gap.
In 2026, Catawba will have one of its most international rosters in program history, with 26 student-athletes hailing from outside the U.S. compared to five domestic players. Seven newcomers spent last season with Division I programs, including Giovanni Massacesi (NJIT), Igor Gonçalves (St. John's) and Hiromasa Iwai (Radford), who were starters for their previous squads.
Experienced returners Alex Payton, Juan Camilo and Luis Rodrigues were tabbed as players to watch coming off their first seasons as Catawba Indians.
Payton started all but one match as a true freshman, leading all field players with 1,276 minutes of action. The Sayama, Japan, native showcased prolific passing and a notable boot from the wing in his debut campaign. He scored two goals with one assist for five points across a five-day stretch late in the year. Over the summer, Payton had the same offensive stat line in five matches with USL League Two side Montgomery United FC.
Camilo, also entering his sophomore season, is coming off a rookie year in which he saw 1,166 minutes at center back and midfielder. He started 13 of 14 matches played, leveraging his 6-foot-2 frame to halt offensive charges and win possession in the air. On the offensive end, Camilo scored one goal and dished out an assist, both coming in the early-season rout of Mount Olive.
Rodrigues established himself as one of the most persistent players in the SAC last year with a nonstop motor. The product of Bom Despacho, Brazil, appeared in 12 matches exclusively as a starter, averaging 85 minutes per match. Rodrigues was credited with an assist at rival Wingate, which ultimately helped Catawba secure a league point via a 2-2 draw.
Catawba opens its 2026 season on Thursday, Aug. 27, when the blue and white host regional foe Belmont Abbey for a 5 p.m. kickoff at Frock Field.
SAC men's soccer preseason coaches' poll
- Anderson (88 points, 6 first-place votes)
- Emory & Henry (86, 2 FPV)
- Lincoln Memorial (78, 1 FPV)
- Lenoir-Rhyne (72)
- Catawba (57)
- Wingate (57, 1 FPV)
- Coker (55)
- Mars Hill (37)
- Carson-Newman (34)
- Tusculum (23, 1 FPV)
- Newberry (18)