MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – Following one of the most successful seasons in program history, the Mountaineer men's soccer team is back with major expectations in 2022.
 
No longer is West Virginia overlooked as it enters a new campaign. Instead, the target has been placed squarely on the back of the Gold and Blue. But with 14 lettermen returning off a squad that reached historic heights last fall, the Mountaineers are a veteran group that has experienced winning under pressure.
 
Every season begins with different elements and variables. That's especially true for WVU this season, as it embarks on its first trip inside the newly-formed Sun Belt Conference, which has been quickly assembled to become one of strongest leagues in college soccer.
 
The preseason hype and the exciting unknowns have blended together to create unmatched anticipation for the new year.
 
"They can't forget what got us there last year because it will be exactly the same again this season," third-year coach Dan Stratford said. "We out-worked a ton of teams last season. We wanted it more than a ton of teams. … We're going to have to deal with that a little bit this year as well."
 
"We're not a challenger anymore; we're getting challenged," redshirt junior defender Bjarne Thiesen said. "Everybody will be highly motivated against us, but I think the group can do it again."
 
Here's what you need to know about the Mountaineers heading into the 2022 campaign:
 

• West Virginia begins its 62nd season of men's soccer on Thursday, Aug. 25, at home against Robert Morris.
• Stratford enters his third year in Morgantown with a 18-6-7 mark with the Mountaineers and a 79-10-12 career record as a head coach.
• The Mountaineers, who finished 12-3-6 in 2021, have appeared in three of the last four NCAA Tournaments. That, of course, includes the squad's run to the NCAA Quarterfinals last fall.
• West Virginia saw a single-season record 14 different players score a goal last season. Of those, 10 return to the pitch for the Mountaineers in 2022.
• Thiesen, who earned All-America Third Team honors by United Soccer Coaches and TopDrawerSoccer last season, was named to the Preseason All-Sun Belt Team.
• Senior midfielder Luke McCormick is West Virginia's most veteran player. The two-time All-MAC First Team honoree has played in 50 career matches from 2019-21.
• Redshirt senior goalkeeper Jacob Castro, senior defender Aaron Denk Gracia and junior midfielder Ryan Baer will serve as captains this season.
• WVU's 28-man roster includes four freshmen, one redshirt freshman, three sophomores, two redshirt sophomores, five juniors, four redshirt juniors, three seniors, two redshirt seniors and four fifth-year seniors.
• West Virginia welcomes seven newcomers to the fold in 2022. That includes four freshmen and three transfers. Notably, junior goalkeeper Jackson Lee arrives from George Mason to compete for the starting job between the posts, while junior forward Yutaro Tsukada was an All-American at the junior-college level for Daytona State.
• In all, the Mountaineers are represented by 13 different countries.
• Five of WVU's 12 American-born players hail from the Mountain State – fifth-year seniors Elijah Borneo and Ike Swiger, senior Joseph Biafora, redshirt junior Sam Morgan and sophomore Max Trethewey.
• The Mountaineers will take on six opponents who qualified for the 2021 NCAA Tournament, including home matches against Kentucky (Oct. 15) and Georgia State (Oct. 23).
• WVU has defeated a top-25 opponent in 14 of the last 16 seasons, including three such wins in 2021. The program also has 17 top-15 wins since 2006, as well as 13 top-10 triumphs.
• Dick Dlesk Soccer Stadium is a fortress. WVU went unbeaten at home last season and holds a 113-42-22 mark at the facility since it opened in 2004.
• WVU was slotted at No. 6 in United Soccer Coaches' Preseason Top 25, good for the highest ranking by the poll to start a season in program history.
• West Virginia also was placed at No. 5 by College Soccer News and No. 7 by TopDrawerSoccer this preseason.
• The Mountaineers also are the favorite in the Sun Belt, earning the No. 1 spot in the league's preseason coaches' poll.

 
For more information on the Mountaineers, follow @WVUMensSoccer on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.