Upcoming Event: Men's Soccer at California on September 14, 2025 at 5 p.m.
/
5 p.m.
Men's Soccer
at California
.png&width=24&height=24&type=webp)
Bjornsson Named to ACC Preseason Watch List; Duke Picked Fourth in ACC Poll
8/13/2025 2:05:00 PM | Men's Soccer
DURHAM, N.C. - The Duke men's soccer team was tabbed to finish fourth in the annual ACC Men's Preseason Coaches Poll and Ulfur Bjornsson was named to the ACC Preseason Watch List, the conference announced on Wednesday.
The Blue Devils garnered 160 total votes, including two first-place votes, while Clemson picked up the top spot in the preseason table with 185 votes.
Bjornsson, who was also named to the United Soccer Coaches Forward to Watch list, is coming off a 2024 campaign where he registered 18 starts in Duke's 19 matches and led the Blue Devils in total points (29), courtesy of 13 goals and three assists. For his sophomore showing, he was named a semifinalist for the MAC Hermann Trophy, Second Team All-America, First Team All-ACC and First Team All-South Region. A native of Hafnarfjörður, Iceland, Bjornsson enters his junior season with 23 goals, seven assists and 53 total points in his two seasons in Durham.Â
The 15th-ranked Blue Devils defeated UNC Asheville, 5-1, in their second preseason exhibition on Tuesday, Aug. 12. Duke will play its third and final exhibition on Saturday, Aug. 16, hosting James Madison at Koskinen Stadium. Admission to the match, which begins at 6 p.m., is free for all fans.
2025 Preseason ACC Coaches Poll
1. Clemson (4), 185
2. Wake Forest (5), 175
3. Pitt (4), 167
4. Duke (2), 160
T5. Stanford, 136
T5. SMU, 136
7. North Carolina, 115
8. NC State, 108
9. Virginia, 104
10. Notre Dame, 81
11. Syracuse, 63
12. California, 57
13. Virginia Tech, 34
14. Louisville, 33
15. Boston College, 21
 First-place votes in parentheses
Preseason Watch List
Ask Ekeland, Sr., M, Boston College
Alfredo Ortiz, Sr., D, California
Ransford Gyan, So., M, Clemson
Ulfur Bjornsson, Jr., F, Duke
Alex Svetanoff, GK, RFr., Louisville
Andrew Czech, M/D, Gr., North Carolina
Donavan Phillip, Jr., F, NC State
Wyatt Lewis, Jr., M, Notre Dame
Casper Svendby, Sr., D, Pitt
Jaylinn Mitchell, Jr., M, SMU
Zach Bohane, Sr., M, Stanford
Chimere Omeze, So., D, Syracuse
Umberto Pelà, Sr., M, Virginia
Sam Joseph, Sr., GK, Virginia Tech
Cooper Flax, Sr., M, Wake Forest
Players nominated by their respective schools
To stay up to date with Blue Devils men's soccer, follow the team on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook by searching "DukeMSOC".
#GoDuke
The Blue Devils garnered 160 total votes, including two first-place votes, while Clemson picked up the top spot in the preseason table with 185 votes.
Bjornsson, who was also named to the United Soccer Coaches Forward to Watch list, is coming off a 2024 campaign where he registered 18 starts in Duke's 19 matches and led the Blue Devils in total points (29), courtesy of 13 goals and three assists. For his sophomore showing, he was named a semifinalist for the MAC Hermann Trophy, Second Team All-America, First Team All-ACC and First Team All-South Region. A native of Hafnarfjörður, Iceland, Bjornsson enters his junior season with 23 goals, seven assists and 53 total points in his two seasons in Durham.Â
The 15th-ranked Blue Devils defeated UNC Asheville, 5-1, in their second preseason exhibition on Tuesday, Aug. 12. Duke will play its third and final exhibition on Saturday, Aug. 16, hosting James Madison at Koskinen Stadium. Admission to the match, which begins at 6 p.m., is free for all fans.
2025 Preseason ACC Coaches Poll
1. Clemson (4), 185
2. Wake Forest (5), 175
3. Pitt (4), 167
4. Duke (2), 160
T5. Stanford, 136
T5. SMU, 136
7. North Carolina, 115
8. NC State, 108
9. Virginia, 104
10. Notre Dame, 81
11. Syracuse, 63
12. California, 57
13. Virginia Tech, 34
14. Louisville, 33
15. Boston College, 21
 First-place votes in parentheses
Preseason Watch List
Ask Ekeland, Sr., M, Boston College
Alfredo Ortiz, Sr., D, California
Ransford Gyan, So., M, Clemson
Ulfur Bjornsson, Jr., F, Duke
Alex Svetanoff, GK, RFr., Louisville
Andrew Czech, M/D, Gr., North Carolina
Donavan Phillip, Jr., F, NC State
Wyatt Lewis, Jr., M, Notre Dame
Casper Svendby, Sr., D, Pitt
Jaylinn Mitchell, Jr., M, SMU
Zach Bohane, Sr., M, Stanford
Chimere Omeze, So., D, Syracuse
Umberto Pelà, Sr., M, Virginia
Sam Joseph, Sr., GK, Virginia Tech
Cooper Flax, Sr., M, Wake Forest
Players nominated by their respective schools
To stay up to date with Blue Devils men's soccer, follow the team on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook by searching "DukeMSOC".
#GoDuke
Players Mentioned
F
/ Men's SoccerCinematic Recap vs Notre Dame
Tuesday, November 12
A DOMINANT WIN OVER NOTRE DAME - MEN'S SOCCER
Tuesday, November 05
Duke Athletics: A Tour of Campus
Saturday, October 19
Welcome to Duke
Saturday, October 19
