2025 Canada West Coaches Poll: Griffins voted to finish 13th
Canada West Communications
EDMONTON – The Griffins men's soccer team will have to fight for respect from the bottom this season after being voted to finish last out of 13 teams in Canada West in the conference's annual Coaches Poll, released Friday.
MacEwan will enter the 2025 campaign with a chip on their shoulder as they take to the road to kick things off at No. 4 Calgary on Saturday (1 p.m.) and at No. 5 Mount Royal on Sunday (4 p.m., both Canada West TV).
The Griffins garnered 30 points in the coaches vote, which came in 13th, well behind top three UBC (144), Victoria (122) and Alberta (117).
MacEwan is coming off a 10th place finish in Canada West last season at 3-10-1 as they narrowly missed the playoffs.
The Griffins' home opener is set for Aug. 30 vs. Alberta (2:30 p.m., Clarke Stadium).
The regular season runs through Oct. 19, with playoffs slated to begin Oct. 24. The Canada West Gold Medal Game will be contested the weekend of Oct. 31 to Nov. 1, hosted by the highest remaining seed in the Prairie Division.
The 2025 U SPORTS men's soccer championship is slated for Nov. 6-9 in Toronto.
Fans can catch all the action on CanadaWest.TV - Presented by BioSteel, with All-Access and Regular Season Sport Passes now available for purchase. The conference's official streaming service now has mobile apps for Apple and Android, in addition to a full suite of Connected TV apps including Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, Android TV and Roku.
2025 CW Men's Soccer Coaches Poll
Team - Points (First-place votes)
UBC Thunderbirds - 144 (12)
Victoria Vikes – 122 (1)
Alberta Golden Bears – 117
Calgary Dinos – 111
Mount Royal Cougars - 111
Trinity Western Spartans - 87
Fraser Valley Cascades - 81
Thompson Rivers WolfPack - 56
Lethbridge Pronghorns – 40
Saskatchewan Huskies - 40
UBCO Heat – 39
UNBC Timberwolves - 36
MacEwan Griffins - 30
MacEwan Griffins overview
2025 Coaches Poll Rank: #13
Team Overview: With a strong incoming recruiting class, the Griffins have reloaded after losing some key pieces to graduation and the pro ranks. Thirteen new players bolster a strong group of returners led by Chance Carter, Ali Yildiz, Jakob Sievert and T-boy Fayia. Always competitive with their Prairie Division opponents, the Griffins will be looking to return to the playoffs for the first time since 2021.
From the coach: "The lads look great and are coming together nicely - keeping lads fresh, and managing their volume appropriately will be crucial." - Adam Loga
Key Performer: Chance Carter
Midfield
5th Year
Hometown: Edmonton, Alta.
Heading into his final university season, the former FC Edmonton player is primed for a big campaign as the general of the Griffins' midfield.
Big and physical, he presents a problem for opposing defenders to contain, has elite two-way ability to control possession and has a cannon of a shot, as evidenced by his 2024 production - three goals and five points in just eight games before an injury ended his season. That's a pace that would have put him in the top 10 in Canada West scoring if he had played all 14 games.
