Men's Soccer Announces 2016 Schedule

CINCINNATI – Xavier men's soccer announced its complete 2016 schedule on Thursday, featuring its typical grueling BIG EAST slate combined with matchups against some of college soccer's premier programs.

The Musketeers will face five NCAA Tournament sides from 2015, including regular season foes Creighton, Georgetown, Virginia and Dartmouth.

Xavier will also face NCAA quarterfinalist Maryland and the NAIA National Champion, Rio Grande, in preseason action.

The Musketeers will play 11 home matches at Xavier Soccer Complex, beginning with an exhibition against Rio Grande (OH) on Thursday, August 11 at 6 p.m.

XU's home opener will then follow on Friday, Aug. 26 at 7 p.m. against Evansville.

The Musketeers will also host Dartmouth, Cincinnati, Belmont and SIU-Edwardsville in the non-conference portion of the season. Home BIG EAST Conference matches include meetings between XU and DePaul, St. John's, Villanova, Creighton and Butler.

QUOTABLE

"I'd like to say that this schedule is par for the course with our usual blend of challenging BIG EAST and national-level games. However, I can honestly say that this is the most demanding, exciting and daunting slate we've had here. Some of that comes on the heels of being a bubble team for last year's NCAA tournament and taking care of any RPI doubts, and the other aspect is that we have a savvy, veteran group – one that is capable, hungry and looking to compete with the nation's best programs.

I think away games at Maryland, Virginia and Louisville stand out, as does Dartmouth, an NCAA team from last year. Many feel that this will be the tightest race that the BIG EAST has seen, and if you add in traditionally-strong UAB, emerging SIU-Edwardsville, and the local darby with UC, I think this has a little bit of everything – even preseason opponent Rio Grande were NAIA National Champions. It's a tall order for sure, but one that we are capable of handling – especially with six of our final eight matches at home."

– Head Coach Andy Fleming

THE OPPONENTS

Exhibition #1
vs. RIO GRANDE RED STORM
Match Info: Thursday, August 11 – 6 p.m. – XU Soccer Complex
2015 Record: 23-1, 6-0 KIAC
Postseason: 2015 NAIA National Champions

Notable:
· XU opens its preseason schedule against Rio Grande, an NAIA school located near the West Virginia-Ohio border in Rio Grande, Ohio.
· The Red Storm have won their last 12 matches, had three players receive all-american honors and were ranked No. 1 in the final 2016 NAIA coaches poll.
· Head coach Scott Morrissey, who has spent 27 years at Rio Grande, was named the 2015 NAIA Men's Soccer National Coach of the Year. The 2015 national title was his second, as Morrissey also led the Red Storm to a title in 2003.

Exhibition #2
at MARYLAND TERRAPINS
Match Info: Saturday, Aug. 20 – 7 p.m. – Ludwig Field
2015 Record: 12-5-6, 3-2-3 B1G
Postseason: Big Ten Tournament Champions, NCAA Tournament Quarterfinals (Elite Eight)

Notable:
· XU plays its second friendly in College Park, Md. against one of college soccer's top programs.
· Maryland has won four straight league tournament titles and been to 15 straight NCAA Tournaments going back to 2001.
· The Terrapins have won two national championships in the last 11 years (2005, 2008).

Regular Season Home Opener
vs. EVANSVILLE PURPLE ACES
Match Info: Friday, Aug. 26 – 7 p.m. – XU Soccer Complex
2015 Record: 3-13, 0-6 MVC
Postseason: N/A

Notable:
· The match will be the first between XU and Evansville since 2010.
· XU and Evansville were once frequent opponents, as the Purple Aces hold a 20-2-3 edge in the all-time series.
· The two programs have met just three times since 2000 and battled to a 0-0 tie on Sept. 17, 2010 in the lone meeting under current XU head coach Andy Fleming.
· Evansville head coach Marshall Ray enters his second season at the helm of the traditionally-strong Evansville program. Ray spent nine seasons as a top assistant with the Purple Aces before ascending to the head job in 2015.
· Evansville has made 11 all-time appearances in the NCAA Tournament, but none since 1996.
· The Purple Aces lost 10 straight matches from Sept. 23 to Oct. 31 last season, but rebounded to win a 4-0 decision against Northern Kentucky in their season finale.
· Evansville's 2015 wins came against NKU, Marshall and Belmont.

at UAB BLAZERS
Match Info: Sunday, Aug. 28 – 7 p.m. – BBVA Compass Field
2015 Record: 5-11, 2-6 C-USA
Postseason: N/A

Notable:
· The lone previous meeting between Xavier and UAB came on Sept. 28, 1986 at the Western Kentucky Invitational and was a 3-0 win for the Musketeers.
· Longtime UAB head coach Mike Getman enters his 24th season in 2016 and has led the Blazers to seven NCAA Tournaments, including an Elite Eight appearance in 1999 and a Sweet 16 in 2001.
· In 2013, UAB was ranked as high as No. 8 in the nation by the NSCAA and led the country in scoring with 2.39 goals per game.
· The Blazers won at least 10 matches for six straight years (2009-14) before last season's five-win campaign.

at VIRGINIA CAVALIERS
Match Info: Friday, Sept. 2 – 7:30 p.m. – Klöckner Stadium
2015 Record: 10-5-3, 4-2-2 ACC
Postseason: NCAA Tournament Second Round

Notable:
· The Musketeers will be making their second-ever trip to Charlottesville, Va. after battling Virginia to a 1-1 tie on Sept. 14, 2012 – the lone matchup in the all-time series.
· Virginia has advanced to 35 straight NCAA Tournaments – which is the longest active streak in the nation – and has made 37 all-time appearances.
· Head coach Georget Gelnovatch boasts the longest active streak of NCAA appearances (20 years) by any Division I coach.
· The Cavaliers also have an active streak of 35 straight winning seasons, which is the longest in Division I men's soccer. During that span, the program has won seven national titles.

vs. DARTMOUTH BIG GREEN
Match Info: Monday, Sept. 5 – 7 p.m. – XU Soccer Complex
2015 Record: 12-6-1, 6-1 Ivy
Postseason: Ivy League Champions, NCAA Tournament Second Round

Notable:
· This year's meeting will be the first-ever between the two programs.
· Head coach Chad Riley is entering his fourth season at the helm of the Dartmouth program in 2016. Last year, he led the Big Green to a second straight Ivy League Championship and NCAA Tournament appearance.
· Dartmouth relied on a sturdy defense last season, allowing just 13 goals in 19 matches – the fewest of any Ancient Eight team in 2015.

The Crosstown Derby
vs. CINCINNATI BEARCATS
Match Info: Friday, Sept. 9 – 7:30 p.m. – XU Soccer Complex
2015 Record: 7-9-3, 1-4-3 AAC
Postseason: AAC Tournament Quarterfinals

Notable:
· Xavier set an all-time attendance record the last time UC visited XU Soccer Complex, defeating the Bearcats 3-0 in front of a record crowd of 2,178 on Sept. 13, 2014.
· Xavier is unbeaten against UC under head coach Andy Fleming, who has led the program to a 4-0-2 mark and a 7-3 goal differential against the Bearcats since 2010.
· The match will be the 43rd all-time between the programs. UC leads the series 25-12-5, but haven't won against the Musketeers since Sept. 30, 2009.

at LOUISVILLE CARDINALS
Match Info: Tuesday, Sept. 13 – 7:30 p.m. – Lynn Stadium
2015 Record: 7-9-3, 1-4-3 ACC
Postseason: ACC Tournament Quarterfinals

Notable:
· Louisville leads the all-time series against Xavier 8-5-3, but the two programs have not met since Sept. 7, 2003.
· Head coach Ken Lolla begins his 11th season at the helm of the Louisville program in 2016 and has built the Cardinals into a perennial powerhouse. Prior to Lolla's arrival, Louisville had just seven winning seasons (and zero NCAA appearances) in 27 years of varsity competition.
· The Cardinals have won at least 11 matches in eight of the last nine years, taking eight trips to the NCAA Tournament. Louisville has advanced to the NCAA Tournament Sweet 16 in four of the last six seasons, including a College Cup appearance in 2010.
· Former Xavier coach John Michael Hayden, who spent the 2015 season with the Musketeers, is now on staff with the Cardinals.
· Louisville struggled on the road last season (1-6-1), but was tough at home (6-3-2).
· Despite its losing record, UofL was 24th in the nation in the 2015 NCAA Men's Soccer RPI.

BIG EAST Opener
vs. DEPAUL BLUE DEMONS
Match Info: Saturday, Sept. 17 – 7 p.m. – XU Soccer Complex
2015 Record: 5-13-1, 4-4-1 BIG EAST
Postseason: BIG EAST Tournament Quarterfinals

Notable:
· After a 1-10 start, DePaul became one of the BIG EAST's best stories in 2015 – clinching the No. 5 seed in the league tournament after a 4-2-1 run to close the regular season. The Blue Demons' season came to a close in Cincinnati, however, as Xavier pulled out a 2-1 win in the BIG EAST Tournament Quarterfinals on Nov. 8.
· Xavier leads the series against DePaul 12-1-1 and have out-scored the Blue Demons 34-10 in 14 matches, including a pair of victories in 2015.
· DePaul head coach Craig Blazer is a Xavier alum ('91), who played goalkeeper and earned a degree in political science and communication. While playing at XU, he served as an assistant coach at local LaSalle High School and coached at Fairfield High School in 1992. He is in his 16th year at DePaul.

at GEORGETOWN HOYAS
Match Info: Saturday, Sept. 24 – 1 p.m. – Shaw Field
2015 Record: 16-2-3, 9-0 BIG EAST
Postseason: BIG EAST Regular Season/Tournament Champions, NCAA Tournament Third Round (Sweet 16)

Notable:
· The Hoyas are coming off one of the best seasons in program history and, despite losing its winningest senior class, will enter the season with an 18-match unbeaten streak.
· Head coach Brian Wiese enters his 12th season in 2016 with a 118-61-25 record at Georgetown. The Hoyas have made four straight NCAA Tournament appearances under Wiese (2012-15).
· Both programs have knocked each other out of the BIG EAST Championships during the last two years. In 2015, Georgetown ended Xavier's season in the semifinals, winning 1-0 on Nov. 12 at Shaw Field.
· The Hoyas lead the all-time series 3-2 after taking both meetings in 2015.

at PROVIDENCE FRIARS
2015 Record: 8-7-3, 4-4-1 BIG EAST
Match Info: Saturday, Oct. 1 – 7 p.m. – Chapey Field at Anderson Stadium
Postseason: BIG EAST Tournament Semifinals

Notable:
· Providence leads the series 2-1-1 with all four meetings coming since the two schools joined the BIG EAST in 2013.
· The Friars and Musketeers met in the 2014 BIG EAST Championship match during memorable seasons for both sides. Providence won the match 2-1 en route to its first-ever appearance in the College Cup. XU was awarded an at-large bid in 2014 and advanced to its first-ever Sweet 16.

at CLEVELAND STATE VIKINGS
Match Info: Tuesday, Oct. 4 – 7 p.m. – Krenzler Field
2015 Record: 9-8-2, 4-3-2 Horizon
Postseason: Horizon League Tournament Semifinals

Notable:
· Cleveland State leads the all-time series 9-0, but the two teams have met just twice (2003, 2004) since 1994.
· Head coach Ali Kazemaini is in his 11th season and has won at least eight games on six occasions at CSU.
· The Vikings outshot their opposition 181-87 in 2015 and closed the year with wins in three of their final four matches.

vs. ST. JOHN'S RED STORM
Match Info: Saturday, Oct. 8 – 7 p.m. – XU Soccer Complex
2015 Record: 4-11-3, 2-5-2 BIG EAST
Postseason: N/A

Notable:
· Xavier leads the all-time series 2-1-1, including a scoreless draw last fall in Queens, N.Y.
· St. John's will make the trip to Cincinnati for just the second time in the series.
· Prior to 2013, the two programs met just once – a 1-0 win for St. John's on Oct. 15, 1989.

vs. BELMONT BRUINS
Match Info: Tuesday, Oct. 11 – 7 p.m. – XU Soccer Complex
2015 Record: 4-13-2, 1-7-1 Horizon
Postseason: N/A

Notable:
· The match will be the first regular season meeting between the two programs.
· Head coach Bryan Green enters his third season and continues to build the Belmont program as it has transitioned from independent status to a member of the Horizon League.
· Despite a losing record, Belmont picked up wins against Lipscomb, Georgia State, Milwaukee and Virginia Tech last season.

vs. VILLANOVA WILDCATS
Match Info: Saturday, Oct. 15 – 7 p.m. – XU Soccer Complex
2015 Record: 9-8, 4-5 BIG EAST
Postseason: N/A

Notable:
· Xavier leads the all-time series 3-0, including a remarkable comeback win last season at Higgins Field. XU trailed 1-0 with under five minutes to play, but Todd Pratzner (95') and Majed Osman (97') found the net to stun the Wildcats at home.
· Villanova finished with its first winning record since 2012 last season, but just missed a bid to the BIG EAST Championships.
· The Wildcats have brought in a Top 20 recruiting class, according to Top Drawer Soccer.

vs. SIUE COUGARS
Match Info: Tuesday, Oct. 18 – 7 p.m. – XU Soccer Complex
2015 Record: 12-4-2, 5-1 MVC
Postseason: MVC Tournament Finals

Notable:
· The match will be the first regular season meeting between the two programs.
· SIUE has made 22 appearances all-time in the NCAA Tournament, including a 1979 national championship run. The Cougars last made the field in 2014.
· Head coach Mario Sanchez is in his second season overall after leading the Cougars to a 12-win season in 2015.
· XU and SIUE met in exhibition action on Aug. 14, 2015 at Korte Stadium. Ian Vicars scored in the 36th minute, helping the Musketeers to an eventual 1-0 win.

at MARQUETTE GOLDEN EAGLES
Match Info: Saturday, Oct. 22 – 7:05 p.m. – Valley Fields
2015 Record: 5-10-2, 1-7-1 BIG EAST
Postseason: N/A

Notable:
· The Golden Eagles lead the all-time series 4-2, but Xavier has won two of the past three meetings.
· MU won all three meetings (1987, 1990, 2007) prior to the two programs joining the BIG EAST in 2013.
· An uncharacteristic down year in 2015 saw Marquette miss the BIG EAST Championships for the first time in seven years.
· Matt Vasquenza scored a golden goal in the 95th minute to send Xavier to a 1-0 home win in the last matchup on Oct. 24, 2015.

vs. CREIGHTON BLUEJAYS
Match Info: Wednesday, Oct. 26 – 7 p.m. – XU Soccer Complex
2015 Record: 19-4, 7-2 BIG EAST
Postseason: BIG EAST Tournament Finals, NCAA Tournament Quarterfinalist (Elite Eight)

Notable:
· Creighton leads the all-time series 2-1-1. All five meetings between the two programs have come since both joined the BIG EAST in 2013.
· Matt Vasquenza buried the game-winner with 1:13 to go in the last meeting, helping Xavier to the highest-ranked victory in program history with a 2-1 decision against then-No. 1 Creighton on October 28, 2015. CU was the nation's last unbeaten and untied team in the nation at the time.
· The Bluejays have appeared in 23 of the last 24 NCAA Tournaments, including 17 straight from 1992-2008. CU has made five appearances in the College Cup (1996, 2000, 2002, 2011, 2012) overall and has gone to four Elite Eight's in the last five years.
· Head coach Elmar Bolowich enters his sixth season in 2016 and has amassed an 82-22-9 record at Creighton.

at SETON HALL PIRATES
Match Info: Saturday, Oct. 29 – 7 p.m. – Owen T. Carroll Field
2015 Record: 0-15-1, 0-7 BIG EAST
Postseason: N/A

Notable:
· Xavier leads the all-time series against Seton Hall 3-0 and has out-scored SHU 9-1 in those matchups, including a 3-0 home win in the last meeting on October 31, 2015.
· Seton Hall will enter the season looking for its first win since Nov. 6, 2014 after a winless season a year ago.

vs. BUTLER BULLDOGS
Match Info: Thursday, Nov. 3 – 7 p.m. – XU Soccer Complex
2015 Record: 10-4-4, 6-3 BIG EAST
Postseason: BIG EAST Tournament Quarterfinals

Notable:
· Xavier trails the all-time series 11-5, but Butler holds just a 3-2 edge since both programs joined the BIG EAST in 2013.
· The two sides will meet to end the regular season for the fourth straight year.
· Butler coach Paul Snape enters his sixth season with a 39-35-18 record (10-13-2 BIG EAST).

AMONG THE NATION'S BEST

· Xavier men's soccer has reached the NCAA Tournament in four of the last six seasons and is poised for another strong run in 2016.
· The Musketeers finished 2015 at 12-6-1 overall, marking a sixth straight season with at least 10 wins – one of just 12 programs that can claim the feat.
· Last fall also marked Xavier's third straight finish in the top-four of the BIG EAST.
· XU was ranked in the nation's top-10 by the NSCAA for the third time in four years, while knocking of the national No. 1 (Creighton) and No. 2 (Notre Dame) on the road last season. The Musketeers are widely believed to be the first program to ever knock off both a No. 1 and a No. 2 on the road in the same season.

Schedule

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Players Mentioned

Majed Osman

Todd Pratzner

Matt Vasquenza

Ian Vicars

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