Syracuse men's soccer is starting where it left off: at the top of national polls.

The 2022 NCAA national champion is ranked the preseason No. 1 team in the United Soccer Coaches Top 25 Poll released Wednesday.

SU saw five players drafted into the MLS SuperDraft, including starting goalie Russell Shealy, and leading point-getter and College Cup Most Outstanding Player Nathan Opoku signed with Leicester City of the EFL's Championship, but is on loan to a Belgian club.

The Orange return senior Jeorgio Kocevski, of Liverpool, who started 21 games last season and picked up 14 points a year ago, the most of any returner. Kocevski earned NCAA All-Tournament honors in his breakout junior year.

Syracuse will face five of the preseason top 20 teams this season, including the two other ACC teams ranked in the top five — Duke and Pittsburgh.

The Orange opens the 2023 campaign against Providence at the SU Soccer Stadium on Aug. 24 at 7 p.m. 

Including exhibitions, eight other New York college teams will look to knock off Syracuse, including Cornell, who lost to the Orange in the NCAA Tournament last fall.