COLONIA, N.J. – The Knights are sharpening their swords for another run at the top. Queens College enters the 2025 season as the team to beat, claiming the No. 1 spot in the East Coast Conference Men’s Soccer Preseason Poll and sweeping both Preseason Player of the Year honors.
Unanimously chosen as Preseason Offensive Player of the Year, Harry Cooke returns as one of the most dangerous strikers in Division II soccer. The Market Drayton, England native was a scoring machine last fall, leading the ECC in nearly every offensive category: goals (23), points (53), shots (85), shots on goal (50), and game-winners (8). He also finished second in assists with seven, proving he can create just as well as he can finish.
On the other end of the pitch, Thanasis Shehadeh anchors the defense after being named Preseason Defensive Player of the Year. The redshirt sophomore from Nicosia, Cyprus, wasted no time in making his mark in his debut season. Shehadeh allowed only eight goals all year for a conference-best 0.659 goals-against average — the only keeper in the ECC to stay under one goal per game. His eight shutouts topped the league, meaning that nearly two out of every three matches ended with his opponents scoreless. With 36 saves and an .818 save percentage, Shehadeh proved he was the last line of defense no one wanted to face.
The Knights’ place atop the poll reflects their rising dominance. Queens collected 80 points and eight first-place votes after a 2024 campaign that saw them finish 11-5-2 overall and unbeaten (7-0-1) in conference play, advancing to the ECC semifinals. The Knights were crowned ECC champions in 2023 and have now reached the postseason three straight years — cementing themselves as a program built for sustained success.
Chasing closely behind are the Mercy Mavericks, who earned 70 points to secure second in the poll. Mercy rose as high as No. 10 in the United Soccer Coaches Poll last season before finishing at No. 19 nationally. The Mavericks posted a 9-3-5 record, including an undefeated 5-0-3 mark in conference play, and like Queens, have been a consistent postseason presence with three straight playoff appearances.
The rest of the preseason poll showcases the depth of competition across the league. District of Columbia slots in at third with 51 points, just ahead of Molloy in fourth (48). D’Youville follows in fifth with 47 points and one first-place vote, while Roberts Wesleyan sits sixth with 43. St. Thomas Aquinas comes in seventh with 36 points, followed by Staten Island (18) and Daemen (12) to round out the rankings.
2025 ECC Men’s Soccer Preseason Poll
1. Queens - 80 points (8 first-place votes)
2. Mercy - 70 points
3. District of Columbia - 51 points
4. Molloy - 48 points
5. D'Youville - 47 points (1 first-place vote)
6. Roberts Wesleyan - 43 points
7. St. Thomas Aquinas - 36 points
8. Staten Island - 18 points
9. Daemen - 12 points