ARLINGTON, TEXAS – After winning last year’s WAC regular season championship, the San Diego State men’s soccer team was picked to finish first once more in the 2025 WAC Men’s Soccer Preseason Coaches Poll.
Additionally, the Aztecs placed a conference-high three players on the Preseason All-WAC Team. Sophomore defender Cianole Nguepissi was named the Preseason Defensive Player of the Year and Terence Okoeguale and Tristian Viviani made the Preseason All-WAC Team.
Nguepissi (Birmingham, England) started every WAC match on defense as a true freshman last season and helped SDSU post six clean sheets in their eight conference matches.
Last season Okoeguale (Cologne, Germany) led the Aztecs 17 points (6 goals & 5 assists) and was named to the All-WAC First Team and to the United Soccer Coaches Far West All-Region Second-Team. His six goals and five assists both tied for the team lead, and he also led the team in shot on goal percentage (58.3%, 14-for-24). Last week, he was named a “Midfielder to Watch” this season by the United Soccer Coaches.
Viviani (Redwood City, Calif.) is a three-year starter who has displayed his versatility throughout his tenure on The Mesa by playing all over the pitch. He has appeared in 46 matches with 39 starts in his career and last year played 1,495 minutes, the third most on the team, and played a full 90 minutes in all but four matches.
SDSU received four of the eight first place votes and 44 points, edging second place California Baptist who had three first place votes and 39 points.
The Aztecs return six starters from last year’s squad and added several impact transfers for the 2025 season. They host UC Santa Barbara for their final preseason friendly tonight at 7 p.m. on the SDSU Sports Deck.
2025 WAC Men’s Soccer Preseason Coaches Poll (as voted by WAC head coaches
|
Rank |
Team (1st-Place Votes) |
Points |
|
1. |
San Diego State (4) |
44 |
|
2. |
California Baptist (3) |
39 |
|
3. |
San José State (1) |
35 |
|
4. |
UNLV |
27 |
|
Utah Valley |
27 |
|
|
6. |
Grand Canyon |
26 |
|
7. |
Air Force |
14 |
|
8. |
Utah Tech |
12 |
2025 WAC Preseason Offensive Player of the Year (as voted by WAC head coaches)
Angel Iniguez, Sr., MF, San José State
2025 WAC Preseason Defensive Player of the Year (as voted by WAC head coaches)
Cianole Nguepissi, So., D, San Diego State
2025 WAC Preseason Goalkeeper of the Year (as voted by WAC head coaches)
Stockton Short, Sr., Utah Tech
2025 Preseason All-WAC Team (as voted by WAC head coaches)
GK – Stockton Short, Sr., Utah Tech
D – Cianole Nguepissi, So., San Diego State
D – Tristan Viviani, Sr., San Diego State
D – Niklas Dossmann, Sr., San José State
D – Keegan Oyler, R-Jr., Utah Valley
MF – Stavros Charalampous, Jr., California Baptist
MF – Jorge Lopez, Jr., Grand Canyon
MF – Angel Iniguez, Sr., San José State
F – Blake D’Agostino, So., California Baptist
F – Ben Assane, Grad, Grand Canyon
F – Terence Okoeguale, Sr., San Diego State
F – Samir Cuevas, Jr., Utah Tech