Courtesy of Grand Canyon Athletics

PHOENIX- Grand Canyon men's soccer endures a new chapter this fall under head coach Jamie Davies, and that chapter will begin with a national ranking of 21 via the United Soccer Coaches Preseason Poll.

GCU finished 21 at the end of the year rankings last December after a 14-4-5 season that saw them advance to the NCAA D-I Sweet 16 for the first time in program history.

The Lopes begin play Thursday, August 20 at Stanford, which will pin two top 25 teams together to open the 2026 campaign as the Cardinal were tabbed number nine in the poll. GCU hosts UC Riverside Friday, August 28 for its home opener, one of five straight games played at GCU Stadium between August 28 and September 16.

The 2026 squad returns key pieces from the 2025 team, including senior midfielders Jorge Lopez and Martin Luala as well as junior forward Alan Hermitte. Lopez has seven goals and nine assists in three seasons at GCU, while Luala was drafted with the 28th pick of the first round by San Diego FC in the 2026 MLS SuperDraft and opted to return for his season.