By FHSU SPORTS INFORMATION
RUSSELLVILLE, Ark. – Fort Hays State Men’s Soccer was picked third in the GAC/MIAA Preseason Coaches Poll, released on Tuesday (Aug. 8). The Tigers finished in third in the regular season standings last year and ended their season in the conference tournament semifinals. That snapped FHSU’s nine-season streak of making the NCAA Tournament, which was the nation’s longest streak until that point.
The Tigers went 8-5-6 in 2022, continuing their 12-year streak of having a winning record every year going back to the start of the program in 2011. The Tigers placed third in the GAC/MIAA regular season standings last year in a three-way race that came down to the final day of the season. Southern Nazarene ended on top with 26 points, narrowly edging Rogers State with 25 and FHSU with 22. SNU went on to win the GAC/MIAA Tournament and made an appearance in the NCAA Tournament. The three-way race for the title at the end of last season is reflected in the preseason poll as Rogers State received three first-place votes, while SNU and FHSU each received two.
FHSU returns six of its 10 All-GAC/MIAA selections from last year, led by first-team selection Blake Arndt. Four of the remaining five returning all-conference picks last year were in their first year with the program. The Tigers will enter their fifth year under head coach Gerry Cleary. The Tigers are 40-19-11 under his leadership, which includes a pair of NCAA Tournament appearances. The Tigers’ deepest run under Cleary was an appearance in the national quarterfinals during the 2021 season. The program’s deepest run in the national tournament overall occurred in 2018 when the Tigers were a national semifinalist.
The Tigers have several new faces on the team this year with 18 newcomers that will mix with the 15 returners.
Below is the GAC/MIAA Preseason Coaches Poll for 2023.
| Rank | Team | Votes | 1st |
| 1 | Rogers State | 33 | 3 |
| 2 | Southern Nazarene | 30 | 2 |
| 3 | Fort Hays State | 28 | 2 |
| 4 | Northeastern State | 23 | |
| 5 | Harding | 16 | |
| 6 | Newman | 10 | |
| 7 | Ouachita Baptist | 7 |