NORMAL, Ill. – The Illinois State soccer team has released its 2016 schedule as announced by head coach Eric Golz Thursday. Golz is entering his second season at the helm of the ISU soccer program and the Redbirds finished 6-10-2 last season, while qualifying for the Missouri Valley Conference Tournament.
"We are incredibly excited about our 2016 schedule," said head coach Eric Golz. "It is a balanced schedule that will provide us with the opportunity to compete against some of the best teams both regionally and nationally, while preparing us for Missouri Valley Conference play. We gained some invaluable experience last fall, now are looking forward to applying what we have learned as we embark on a very challenging schedule again this fall."
Strength of schedule has been a focal point in recent years, and the Redbirds will once again be battle-tested in the nonconference portion of the schedule. ISU opens the season with two Big Ten opponents in Wisconsin and Illinois. The Redbirds will host the Badgers in the season opener Aug. 19 at 7 p.m. ISU defeated Wisconsin, 1-0, last season in Madison. The Badgers went on to win the Big Ten regular season title. Two days later, Illinois State will travel to Champaign to take on Illinois. The Illini won a 1-0 match in Normal last season.
The Redbirds will finish August with two home games against Marquette on Aug. 25 and Eastern Illinois on Aug. 28. A trip to Notre Dame opens the month of September as the Redbirds will kick off against the Irish at 6 p.m. Sept. 2. The Irish advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament a season ago.
Illinois State will host four games during the month of September, playing Green Bay, North Dakota, Indiana State and IUPUI in Normal. Sandwiched in the middle of that stretch are road matches at Northwestern, which advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament last season, on Sept. 8, Eastern Michigan Sept. 16 and Northern Illinois Sept. 18. The Sept. 23 match against Indiana State will open Missouri Valley Conference play for the Redbirds.
ISU finishes the regular season with seven matches in October, beginning with an Oct. 1 road match at Chicago State. The Redbirds then host Missouri State Oct. 9 before playing road matches at Loyola and Drake. ISU's final nonconference game will be Oct. 20 when the Redbirds host Kansas State. It will then finish the season with a road match at Evansville Oct. 23 and a home match against Northern Iowa Oct. 27.
For a complete schedule, click here.
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