Photo by: Reagan Garner
Mountaineers Open 2022 Campaign Thursday
August 17, 2022 01:34 PM | Women's Soccer
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – The West Virginia University women's soccer team opens its 27th season of competition on Thursday, August 18, playing host to Indiana at 7 p.m. ET, at Dick Dlesk Soccer Stadium in Morgantown.
The contest between the Mountaineers and Hoosiers is a Gold Rush in celebration of the start of the 2022-23 WVU Athletics season. All fans are invited to wear gold, and the first 500 fans in attendance will receive a gold foam finger.
Fans are encouraged to purchase tickets in advance by visiting WVUGAME.com or calling 1-800-WVU GAME. When purchasing online, tickets are $5 each. Any remaining tickets are $7 for adults and $5 for youth and seniors at the stadium ticket window on match day.
WVU student tickets also will be made available at the Mountaineer Ticket Office, located at Dick Dlesk Soccer Stadium. The office, as well as the stadium gates, opens at 6 p.m., on game day. WVU students are admitted for free with a valid WVU Student I.D.
Andrew Caridi and Adam Zundell have the call of Thursday's contest on Big 12 Now on ESPN+. For more information, or to sign up for the digital platform, visit WVUsports.com/Big12Now. The game also can be heard on 91.7 FM (WWVU) in Morgantown, and live stats are available at WVUsports.com.
Entering her 27th season as the program's only head coach, Nikki Izzo-Brown has led the Mountaineers to a 372-127-61 overall record. WVU returns 18 letterwinners off the 2021 squad, as well as eight starters. Nine newcomers are set to join the team this fall, including seven freshmen and a pair of transfers.
Fifth-year senior defender Jordan Brewster was named to the 2022 Preseason All-Big 12 Team, her fourth consecutive honor. WVU returns three of four players who earned All-Big 12 accolades last fall, including Brewster, who was recognized on the first team. Additionally, senior goalkeeper Kayza Massey was selected to the second team, and sophomore Dilary Heredia-Beltran earned a spot on the all-freshman team.
West Virginia was picked to finish third in the 2022 Big 12 Preseason Poll, as selected by the league's 10 head coaches.
Thursday's match marks the first-ever meeting between West Virginia and Indiana, as the Hoosiers are set to become the Mountaineers' 117th different opponent all time. WVU is 30-20-10 against current members of the Big Ten Conference. The squad last met a B1G foe last season when it fell, 2-0, to then-No. 7 Penn State in Morgantown on Sept. 2, 2021.
Erwin van Bennekom enters his fourth season at the helm of the Indiana women's soccer program, leading the Hoosiers to an overall mark of 23-19-7 since his hiring in 2018. Indiana is set to open its 30th season of competition against the Mountaineers on Thursday, following an 8-9-2 showing in 2021, including a 3-4-3 mark in Big Ten play.
The Hoosiers had three players named to the 2022 Big Ten Women's Soccer Players to Watch List, including sophomore keeper Jamie Gerstenberg, sophomore forward Jordyn Levy and freshman defender Arianna Rose. Gerstenberg returns for her sophomore campaign in goal after tying the program record with nine shutouts as a freshman.
For more information on the Mountaineers, follow @WVUWomensSoccer on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
The contest between the Mountaineers and Hoosiers is a Gold Rush in celebration of the start of the 2022-23 WVU Athletics season. All fans are invited to wear gold, and the first 500 fans in attendance will receive a gold foam finger.
Fans are encouraged to purchase tickets in advance by visiting WVUGAME.com or calling 1-800-WVU GAME. When purchasing online, tickets are $5 each. Any remaining tickets are $7 for adults and $5 for youth and seniors at the stadium ticket window on match day.
WVU student tickets also will be made available at the Mountaineer Ticket Office, located at Dick Dlesk Soccer Stadium. The office, as well as the stadium gates, opens at 6 p.m., on game day. WVU students are admitted for free with a valid WVU Student I.D.
Andrew Caridi and Adam Zundell have the call of Thursday's contest on Big 12 Now on ESPN+. For more information, or to sign up for the digital platform, visit WVUsports.com/Big12Now. The game also can be heard on 91.7 FM (WWVU) in Morgantown, and live stats are available at WVUsports.com.
Entering her 27th season as the program's only head coach, Nikki Izzo-Brown has led the Mountaineers to a 372-127-61 overall record. WVU returns 18 letterwinners off the 2021 squad, as well as eight starters. Nine newcomers are set to join the team this fall, including seven freshmen and a pair of transfers.
Fifth-year senior defender Jordan Brewster was named to the 2022 Preseason All-Big 12 Team, her fourth consecutive honor. WVU returns three of four players who earned All-Big 12 accolades last fall, including Brewster, who was recognized on the first team. Additionally, senior goalkeeper Kayza Massey was selected to the second team, and sophomore Dilary Heredia-Beltran earned a spot on the all-freshman team.
West Virginia was picked to finish third in the 2022 Big 12 Preseason Poll, as selected by the league's 10 head coaches.
Thursday's match marks the first-ever meeting between West Virginia and Indiana, as the Hoosiers are set to become the Mountaineers' 117th different opponent all time. WVU is 30-20-10 against current members of the Big Ten Conference. The squad last met a B1G foe last season when it fell, 2-0, to then-No. 7 Penn State in Morgantown on Sept. 2, 2021.
Erwin van Bennekom enters his fourth season at the helm of the Indiana women's soccer program, leading the Hoosiers to an overall mark of 23-19-7 since his hiring in 2018. Indiana is set to open its 30th season of competition against the Mountaineers on Thursday, following an 8-9-2 showing in 2021, including a 3-4-3 mark in Big Ten play.
The Hoosiers had three players named to the 2022 Big Ten Women's Soccer Players to Watch List, including sophomore keeper Jamie Gerstenberg, sophomore forward Jordyn Levy and freshman defender Arianna Rose. Gerstenberg returns for her sophomore campaign in goal after tying the program record with nine shutouts as a freshman.
For more information on the Mountaineers, follow @WVUWomensSoccer on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
Players Mentioned
Nikki Izzo-Brown & Alicia Riggins | Wagner Postgame | Nov. 14
Saturday, November 15
Nikki Izzo-Brown | Nov. 10
Monday, November 10
WSOC | Cincinnati Cinematic Recap
Friday, October 31
Ajanae Respass | Cincinnati Postgame | Oct. 30
Thursday, October 30













