Ranked by results · 2021 to 2025

The best D3 men's soccer schools, by results

By average final national ranking from 2021 to 2025, the D3 men's programs with the best results are Amherst, St. Olaf College, Connecticut College. This page ranks 50 of the 392 programs that were ranked in at least 4 of those seasons, and sets each school’s graduation rate beside its results.

Programs ranked: 392
Seasons: 2021–25
Listed here: 50

The best D3 men's soccer schools, by results: 50 programs ranked here, read Oct 6, 2026.

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Pictured: Baldwin Wallace v Wooster, men’s, 2023

Erik Drost · CC BY 2.0

How is “best” measured here?

One way only: results on the field. For each program we average its final national ranking across the seasons from 2021 to 2025. The ranking is the final Massey Ratings for the earlier seasons and, from 2025, the NCAA Power Index (NPI). A program is listed when it was ranked in at least 4 of those seasons, so one good year does not put a team on the list.

It says nothing about coaching, facilities, playing time or whether the school suits your player. Use it to understand the level, not to pick a college.

This list, in short
Level	D3 men's
Seasons averaged	2021 to 2025
Programs with enough seasons	392
Listed on this page	50
Minimum seasons ranked	4

Which D3 men's soccer programs have the best results?

The top 50 of 392, best average first. A lower average rank is better.

Programs by average final national ranking
#	School	State	Avg rank	Seasons	Grad rate	Roster
1	Amherst	Massachusetts	6.6	5	93%	31
2	St. Olaf College	Minnesota	6.8	5	84%	31
3	Connecticut College	Connecticut	7.8	4	84%	37
4	Middlebury	Vermont	8.2	5	93%	35
5	Tufts	Massachusetts	9.6	5	93%	31
6	Williams	Massachusetts	15.0	5	97%	28
7	Chicago	Illinois	16.5	4	95%	27
8	Washington & Lee	Virginia	17.2	5	95%	30
9	State University of New York at Cortland	New York	18.3	4	68%	38
10	Trinity University (Texas)	Texas	20.4	5	82%	40
11	Bowdoin	Maine	20.6	5	96%	29
12	Messiah	Pennsylvania	22.4	5	78%	26
13	Calvin	Michigan	22.6	5	77%	32
14	Mary Washington	Virginia	23.0	5	67%	32
15	Christopher Newport University	Virginia	26.0	5	75%	35
16	Lynchburg	Virginia	27.2	5	62%	34
17	Wesleyan University (Connecticut)	Connecticut	27.4	5	92%	38
18	Franklin & Marshall College	Pennsylvania	28.8	4	86%	29
19	University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire	Wisconsin	28.8	4	68%	33
20	Gustavus Adolphus College	Minnesota	29.5	4	76%	33
21	Kenyon	Ohio	29.8	5	87%	32
22	North Central College	Illinois	29.8	4	71%	35
23	Montclair State University	New Jersey	30.6	5	64%	33
24	Pacific Lutheran University	Washington	33.0	4	71%	35
25	Hamilton	New York	34.0	5	91%	32
26	Babson	Massachusetts	35.8	5	92%	37
27	Rowan	New Jersey	37.0	5	68%	35
28	Ohio Northern	Ohio	37.2	5	70%	43
29	Johns Hopkins	Maryland	37.8	5	95%	30
30	North Park	Illinois	38.2	5	56%	47
31	SUNY Oneonta	New York	39.2	5	70%	29
32	Denison	Ohio	39.6	5	80%	29
33	Colorado College	Colorado	40.8	5	86%	28
34	Emory	Georgia	45.6	5	92%	34
35	Otterbein	Ohio	45.6	5	69%	28
36	Ohio Wesleyan	Ohio	47.2	5	62%	34
37	Colby	Maine	49.0	5	90%	37
38	University of Wisconsin-Platteville	Wisconsin	49.0	4	62%	36
39	University of Rochester	New York	51.4	5	84%	32
40	Case Western	Ohio	53.3	4	87%	33
41	Redlands	California	54.8	5	71%	30
42	Catholic	Washington, DC	55.6	5	81%	34
43	Stevens	New Jersey	56.6	5	90%	31
44	John Carroll	Ohio	57.2	5	76%	47
45	Vassar	New York	57.6	5	89%	26
46	Washington College (Maryland)	Maryland	58.4	5	74%	31
47	Washington University in St. Louis	Missouri	59.0	4	94%	32
48	Carleton College	Minnesota	59.4	5	91%	31
49	Macalester	Minnesota	59.8	5	90%	28
50	Muhlenberg	Pennsylvania	59.8	5	80%	32

Which of them graduate the most students?

The same programs, sorted by the school’s six-year graduation rate instead. The order changes, which is the point.

The listed programs by graduation rate
School	Side	Grad rate	Avg rank
Williams	Men's	97%	15.0
Bowdoin	Men's	96%	20.6
Chicago	Men's	95%	16.5
Washington & Lee	Men's	95%	17.2
Johns Hopkins	Men's	95%	37.8
Washington University in St. Louis	Men's	94%	59.0
Amherst	Men's	93%	6.6
Middlebury	Men's	93%	8.2
Tufts	Men's	93%	9.6
Wesleyan University (Connecticut)	Men's	92%	27.4
Babson	Men's	92%	35.8
Emory	Men's	92%	45.6
Hamilton	Men's	91%	34.0
Carleton College	Men's	91%	59.4
Colby	Men's	90%	49.0

How this was counted

Avg rank is the mean of the program’s final national ranking in each season it was ranked, from 2021 to 2025; Seasons is how many that was. Grad rate is the school’s six-year graduation rate for all students (IPEDS DRVGR2023 · GBA6RTT). Roster is the 2026-27 squad as the school lists it, where we could confirm the season.

Rankings change every season. This page is recalculated when the data is refreshed, and the date below is the last time.

Last checked: October 6, 2026

Quick answers

Which D3 men's soccer programs have the best results?

By average final national ranking from 2021 to 2025: Amherst (6.6), St. Olaf College (6.8), Connecticut College (7.8), Middlebury (8.2), Tufts (9.6). A lower number is better.

How is “best” decided on this page?

By results only. Each program’s final national ranking is averaged across the seasons from 2021 to 2025, and a program is listed when it was ranked in at least 4 of them. It is not a rating of coaching, facilities or academics.

Is the highest-ranked program the best choice for my player?

Not usually. A top-ranked program recruits a small number of players a year from a national and international pool. The better question is which programs your player can make the squad at and get on the field for, at a school that suits them. The graduation-rate table is here to show that the two orders differ.

Why are there no “best” lists for Division II or the NAIA?

We hold one season of Division II rankings, and those rank a team inside its region, not the country. We hold no national ranking history for the NAIA. One season is not enough to call anything a result over time, so those pages are not published.

Where to go next

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