MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – West Virginia University Director of Athletics Shane Lyons has announced the 2017 men’s soccer schedule, highlighted by 10 home matches and the return of the Backyard Brawl.
The 2017 slate features 17 regular-season contests, with 10 coming at the friendly confines of Dick Dlesk Soccer Stadium. WVU also has a pair of home exhibition matches on the schedule.
“Every year we look to challenge our team with a regular-season schedule that pushes us,” WVU coach Marlon LeBlanc said. “We’ve got a great schedule in 2017 that accomplishes that task. With nine returning starters from last year’s team, we believe this group is ready for the challenge ahead.”
Three of WVU’s four Mid-American Conference contests will be played at home, including perennial national championship contender Akron, the 12-time defending league champion. The home slate is also highlighted by a matchup against Big Ten foe Michigan State, one of three teams on this year’s schedule that made the NCAA Tournament in 2016.
On the road, the Backyard Brawl resumes in Pittsburgh, when WVU will face rival Pitt for the first time since 2011. The Mountaineers open the year with a trip to California, and also travel to Baltimore and Washington, D.C.
The 2017 season opens with a pair of exhibition matches. The Gold-Blue Intrasquad is set for Tuesday, Aug. 15, at 7 p.m. ET, at Dick Dlesk Soccer Stadium. The preseason slate continues against Charleston on Aug. 19, at 3 p.m.
The Mountaineers open the regular season in California. The season-opener is set for Friday, Aug. 25, at Cal, while WVU will also play at Santa Clara on Sunday, Aug. 27.
West Virginia returns home for its next three contests, beginning on Sept. 1, against Wright State, at 7 p.m. ET. Sept. 4, Labor Day, sees WVU host Monmouth at 3:30 p.m. The homestand concludes on Sept. 9, against UCF.
The Mountaineers go back on the road for their next three matches, at UMBC on Sept. 13, at George Mason on Sept. 16, and at American on Sept. 19.
WVU is back home on Sept. 23, at 7 p.m., to host Dayton, before making the short trip north to face Pitt on Tuesday, Sept. 26, at 7 p.m.
Three home games follow for West Virginia, beginning with Pacific on Oct. 1, another NCAA Tournament team from a season ago. MAC play begins the following weekend, when Northern Illinois comes to Morgantown, on Oct. 7, at 7 p.m. The homestand concludes against Michigan State on Oct. 11, at 7 p.m.
MAC action continues at Bowling Green on Saturday, Oct. 14, before the Mountaineers come home for the final three games of the regular season. It begins against Western Michigan on Oct. 20, and continues vs. Penn on Oct. 24, both at 7 p.m.
Senior Night is set for Friday, Oct. 27, against Akron. The 7 p.m. match will close out the regular season.
The complete 2017 WVU men’ soccer schedule, with match times, can be found
here. All dates and times are subject to change, and fans are encouraged to stay tuned to WVUSports.com for additional updates.
