Men's Soccer Holds Steady with No. 3 Week Five National RankingMen's Soccer Holds Steady with No. 3 Week Five National Ranking

Men's Soccer Holds Steady with No. 3 Week Five National Ranking

The Knights also debut in the first official 2023 NCAA RPI rankings at No. 2 in the nation.

by Ryan Ladika

ORLANDO – On the heels of the UCF men’s soccer team achieving the highest national ranking in the United Soccer Coaches’ poll in program history last week, the team holds steady with a No. 3 national ranking in the week five iteration of the rankings released Tuesday afternoon.

The latest release marks the third consecutive week the Knights have slotted into the poll’s top five, and the fourth consecutive week UCF has been ranked within the top 10 in the nation dating back to Sept. 5.

The Knights’ second straight week at No. 3 in the nation comes on the heels of the team’s narrow 1-0 defeat on the road at No. 1 Marshall Saturday evening, a contest that represented the first top three matchup in program history.

The Knights also debuted at No. 2 in the nation in the NCAA’s first official RPI rankings Monday, trailing only the top-ranked Thundering Herd.

The Knights have also been ranked within the top 10 in the nation by Top Drawer Soccer and College Soccer News, slotting in at No. 3 and No. 7, respectively. Top Drawer Soccer’s No. 3 ranking of the Knights represents the highest of the season in the poll, one spot higher than the publication’s week four ranking (No. 4).

The Thundering Herd remains atop the United Soccer Coaches’ poll for a second straight week, garnering the No. 1 ranking in the nation, while the West Virginia Mountaineers fall to the No. 4 national ranking following a scoreless draw against Georgia Southern Friday. James Madison (5 votes), Clemson (5) and Florida International (1) round out the Knights’ 2023 opponents to make the cut in the latest national rankings, with each receiving votes.

RANK SCHOOL PREVIOUS FIRST-PLACE VOTES TOTAL POINTS W-L-T
1 Marshall * 1 8 200 8-0-0
2 SMU 6 0 192 7-1-0
3 UCF 3 0 183 4-1-2
4 West Virginia * 2 0 166 6-0-2
5 Akron 4 0 164 5-0-4
6 Stanford 8 0 163 5-1-1
7 Syracuse 7 0 150 4-1-3
8 Louisville 10 0 139 6-1-1
9 Missouri State 9 0 133 5-0-1
10 Wake Forest 14 0 126 5-1-3
11 Portland 5 0 123 5-2-0
12 Georgetown 16 0 113 5-1-1
13 Michigan State 22 0 104 5-0-2
14 Vermont 17 0 91 6-1-1
15 Notre Dame 15 0 82 5-1-3
16 Northwestern 13 0 79 7-0-2
17 San Diego State 21 0 73 6-0-1
18 North Carolina NR 0 71 4-0-3
19 Hofstra 24 0 49 6-1-2
20 UIC 25 0 42 7-1-1
21 Duke 11 0 37 4-2-1
22 Washington 20 0 32 4-2-3
23 Seattle NR 0 19 5-2-2
24 New Hampshire 18 0 13 4-1-2
25 Penn State RV 0 12 5-1-2

RECEIVING VOTES: Pittsburgh (9), Bryant (7), Marquette (7), Denver (6), James Madison (5) * , Clemson (5) * , Oral Roberts (3), Cornell (1), Florida International (1) * 

* Denotes UCF 2023 Opponent