NORMAL, Ill. – The Illinois State soccer program revealed its 18-match 2022 schedule on Wednesday, which features matchups with the 10 other Missouri Valley Conference programs, in addition to eight non-conference matches.
The Redbirds will also play SIUE (Aug. 8) and Purdue (Aug. 13) in exhibition matches to tune up for the regular season.
Illinois State will open the season at Illinois (Aug. 18) before playing host to Eastern Michigan (Aug. 21). The Redbirds then make their first trip to Utah in program history, taking on Utah State (Aug. 25) and Utah (Aug. 28).
ISU will play its next three matches at home, facing Eastern Illinois (Sept. 1), Milwaukee (Sept. 4), and recently Division I Lindenwood (Sept. 8). The 'Birds conclude their non-conference schedule at Western Illinois (Sept. 11).
Illinois State's final 10 matches are against MVC schools, highlighted by matches against new MVC members UIC (Sept. 18), Belmont (Oct. 2), and Murray State (Oct. 9).
The Redbirds will close the regular season with a home match against Missouri State (Oct. 23)
The MVC Tournament will be single elimination with potential for matches on Oct. 27, Oct. 30, Nov. 3, and Nov. 6.
NOTES
- 10 MVC regular season matches will be the most ISU has ever played due to the additions of UIC, Belmont, and Murray State. The previous high was eight.
- Utah is the furthest west the program will have traveled since the 'Birds went to Las Vegas in 2009.
- The Redbirds, which have beat every other team they have played on the schedule at least once in program history, will go for the program's first win over Utah. The teams most recently met in 2021, but also met at a neutral site in 1997 and in Normal in 1996 with Utah winning all three matches.
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