Bronx, N.Y. — The defending CUNY Athletic Conference (CUNYAC) champion Lehman College men's soccer team is officially the team to beat as the Lightning secured the No. 1 spot in the 2026 CUNYAC preseason coaches' poll released this week, narrowly edging out rival Brooklyn College.

Lehman dominated the voting by capturing six of the eight available first-place votes to finish with 44 total points. Brooklyn, last year's regular-season champion, followed closely in second place with 41 points and one first-place vote. Baruch claimed the final first-place vote to slot into third with 37 points.

The Lightning will test their preseason No. 1 ranking immediately with two major early September match-ups:
•    Season Opener: Wednesday, September 2 at Old Westbury.
•    Home Opener: Saturday, September 5 against Sarah Lawrence College at South Field.

The Lightning entering the season as favorites comes on the heels of their historic championship run. Head coach Toma Gojcevic looks for another CUNYAC Championship Ring and a second consecutive trip to the NCAA Division III Tournament. After entering the conference tournament last year as the No. 4 seed, Lehman put on a defensive masterclass, allowing just one solitary goal across three postseason games. The dominant stretch secured the program's first CUNYAC crown since 2022.