NEW YORK – All 10 BIG EAST Men’s Soccer teams kick off the season on Friday, Aug. 30, lifting the lid on the 2019 season. Six of the games will be against teams who made the 2018 NCAA Tournament field, three are against teams in the current United Soccer Coaches Preseason Top 10.
On Sunday, four teams will be in action, followed by a five-game Labor Day Monday.
The official start to the season will be at 4 p.m. ET on Friday as Syracuse, a NCAA Second Round opponent travels to No. 13 Georgetown, the BIG EAST preseason favorite. The Hoyas finished the 2018 season in the Third Round of the NCAA Championship. Villanova also kicks off at 4 p.m., hosting Delaware.
Facing Top Competition
Two BIG EAST teams will face opponents from the United Soccer Coaches Preseason Poll Top 10. Creighton, with newly-minted head coach Johnny Torres at the helm, will start on the road in North Carolina facing No. 6 UNC in the season-opener on Friday at 7:30 p.m. ET on the ACC Network Extra then closing the weekend down I-40 at No. 4 Wake Forest on Sunday at 7 p.m. The match against the Demon Deacons will air on the ACC Network.
Creighton was the 2018 BIG EAST regular-season champions. North Carolina lost in the second round of the NCAA Tournament last year, 2-1, to James Madison. UNC was the preseason favorite in the ACC coaches’ poll. Creighton and UNC last met in the 2015 NCAA Tournament Third Round. The Bluejays won the meeting, 1-0 to advance to the Quarterfinals. The game against Wake Forest on Sunday is the first for Creighton. The two teams, despite being consistent national competitors, have never met previously.
Xavier will open at home against No. 3 Akron, the 2018 NCAA Championship runner-up. Akron lost 1-0 to the Champions – Maryland. The Zips return seven starters from last season’s team.
Creighton and Xavier’s Friday matches were noted on NCAA.com as games to watch this weekend.
Top 25 Matches Scheduled:
No. 3 Akron at Xavier (Friday, Aug. 30 at 7 p.m. ET)
RV Creighton at No. 6 North Carolina (Friday, Aug. 30 at 7:30 p.m. ET)
RV Creighton at No. 4 Wake Forest (Sunday, Sept. 1 at 7 p.m. ET)
Like Creighton, St. John’s also opens the season in the Tar Heel State, taking on Appalachian State on Friday before traveling to Raleigh to face N.C. State for a 7 p.m. Sunday match. The Wolfpack made it to the Second Round of the 2018 NCAA Tournament before losing to Maryland, the eventual champions.
On Monday at 7 p.m., Providence will host New Hampshire, a team receiving votes in the United Soccer Coaches preseason poll and a 2018 NCAA Tournament team. New Hampshire was selected first in the America East preseason poll, receiving five first place votes. The Friars host another team from the America East, UMass-Lowell, in the season-opener on Friday.
Around the League
DePaul plays a pair of opponents, Northern Illinois and Vermont, as part of the Chicago Classic hosted by Loyola-Chicago. Seton Hall will host Central Connecticut State and Army West Point, playing at the Red Bulls Training Facility in Whippany, N.J., while Owen T. Carroll Field continues to undergo renovations. Butler hosts Western Michigan and Evansville at the Bud and Jackie Sellick Bowl with both games under the lights at 7 p.m. Marquette plays the last match of opening Friday, hosting Alabama Birmingham at 8:05 p.m. ET.
In addition to Seton Hall, Providence and Butler, Georgetown and Xavier will also play Monday matches. Georgetown will host Temple at 1 p.m. and Xavier will host Eastern Illinois.
Preseason Summary
Back-to-back BIG EAST men’s soccer tournament champions, the Georgetown Hoyas, were picked as the preseason favorite in the coaches’ poll. Georgetown junior forward Derek Dodson was voted Preseason Offensive Player of the Year with teammate Dylan Nealis, a senior back, named Preseason Defensive Player of the Year. Creighton sophomore Paul Kruse was the preseason pick for Goalkeeper of the Year. The Hoyas received all nine potential first-place votes and a total of 81 points. Creighton, under the tutelage of first year head coach and longtime Bluejay assistant Johnny Torres was picked second with 68 points. The Bluejays won the regular season title in 2018. Providence was a close third place pick with 65 points. Marquette was selected to finish fourth with 59 points and the remaining first place vote. Xavier rounds out the top five with 44 points. For the full preseason poll and all-conference release click
here.
#BEfútbol Weekend Schedule
Friday, Aug. 30
RV Syracuse at No. 13 GEORGETOWN, 4 p.m.
Delaware at VILLANOVA, 4 p.m.
Northern Illinois vs. DEPAUL, 5 p.m.
Central Connecticut State at SETON HALL, 6 p.m.*
UMass-Lowell at PROVIDENCE, 7 p.m.
Western Michigan at BUTLER, 7 p.m.
No. 3 Akron at XAVIER, 7 p.m.
ST. JOHN’S at Appalachian State, 7 p.m.
RV CREIGHTON at No. 6 North Carolina, 7:30 p.m.
University of Alabama at Birmingham at MARQUETTE, 8:05 p.m.
Sunday, Sept. 1
U.C. Davis at MARQUETTE, 1 p.m.
Vermont vs. DEPAUL, 1 p.m.
RV CREIGHTON at No. 4 Wake Forest, 7 p.m.
ST. JOHN’S at RV N.C. State, 7 p.m.
Monday, Sept. 2
Temple at No. 13 GEORGETOWN, 1 p.m.
Army West Point at SETON HALL, 6:30 p.m.*
RV University of New Hampshire at PROVIDENCE, 7 p.m.
Evansville at BUTLER, 7 p.m.
Eastern Illinois at XAVIER, 7 p.m.
Tuesday, Sept. 3
VILLANOVA at William & Mary, 7 p.m.
All times listed are Eastern.
BIG EAST teams are noted in ALL CAPS.
*Played at the Red Bulls Training Facility in Whippany, N.J.