HT men predicted to finish second in HBCUAC soccer standings

By Alan Wiederhold
HT Athletic Communications
 
AUSTIN – Huston-Tillotson University's men's soccer team was picked to finish second in the HBCU Athletic Conference standings following a vote of the league's coaches.
 
The Rams also placed three of their players on the preseason All-HBCU Athletic Conference team. Senior defender Jose Camarena (Austin, Texas / Connally) and sophomore midfielders Alejandro Cruz (Lockhart, Texas) and Manuel 'Lito' Guevara (Del Valle, Texas) were honored on the preseason team.
 
Coming off a 2025 season in which head coach Aaron Yancy was named the conference's Coach of the Year as he led the Rams to the postseason tournament championship match, the Rams received 35 points in the 2026 preseason poll, two behind defending tournament champion Wiley.
 
HT received two first-place votes from the league's seven coaches, while Wiley got three first-place votes.
 
Though the conference's postseason championship will again be held in Shreveport, La., the proverbial road to the championship goes through Texas, as the league's four programs in the Lone Star State took the top four places in the poll.
 
Paul Quinn was picked to finish third in the preseason poll, with 27 points, followed by conference newcomer Jarvis Christian, which earned 24 points and one first-place vote.
 
Talladega (Ala.) (22), Oakwood (Ala.) (12), and Tougaloo (Miss.) (11) rounded out the predicted order of finish. The conference dissolved its East/West divisional format from 2025, and the top four teams in the standings will qualify for the postseason tournament.
 
The Rams (0-1-1) opened the season last week with a 1-1 draw at Texas Lutheran and a 4-1 setback at Concordia Texas.
 
HT visits San Antonio on Thursday for a match at former Red River Athletic Conference rival Our Lady of the Lake. The match, scheduled for 1 p.m., will follow the women's match between the two schools.
 
– HT –