SMU Soccer's Transfer Class Earns Top National Ranking Ahead of 2026 Season

SMU men's soccer is earning national recognition before the 2026 season even begins.

After capturing the 2025 ACC Championship, the Mustangs have been rewarded for another impressive offseason, as TopDrawerSoccer ranked SMU's 2026 transfer portal class No. 3 in the nation. The ranking highlights the work head coach Kevin Hudson and his staff have done to reload a roster that already enters the new campaign with championship expectations.

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SMU's transfer haul combines proven production with experienced talent from across the college soccer landscape. The class features seven players who were announced during the winter signing period.

Leading the class is defender Noah Holmstrøm, who arrives after earning Sun Belt Defensive Player of the Year honors at Georgia Southern. His addition gives SMU an accomplished defender capable of making an immediate impact against some of the nation's toughest competition.

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The rest of the class provides balance throughout the roster. Defenders TJ Dilley and Holmstrøm strengthen the back line, while midfielders Nick Harshaw, Franco Ocana and Andre Philibbosian bring experience and versatility to the center of the pitch. Goalkeepers Jonathan Evans and Daniel Wozniak also join the program, adding valuable depth between the posts. Together, the newcomers address every area of the field as the Mustangs prepare to defend their conference title.

The national recognition reflects the momentum surrounding the program following last season's breakthrough run. SMU established itself as one of the ACC's premier teams in 2025, and rather than standing pat, the coaching staff aggressively attacked the transfer portal to strengthen an already talented roster.

And not only are they coming off of a conference championship, they are coming off of a conference championship in their first season in the ACC. So needless to say, the Mustangs are going to have quite the target on their back.

Transfer portal success doesn't always guarantee wins, but bringing in experienced players with proven resumes often shortens the adjustment period. For SMU, that combination of returning talent and highly regarded additions gives the program every reason to believe another deep postseason run is within reach.

As preseason preparations continue, the Mustangs will be counting on this nationally acclaimed transfer class to help build on last year's championship foundation and keep SMU among the nation's top college soccer programs.