SIOUX FALLS, S.D. -- There is no easing into the opening weekend of the 2024 men's college soccer season for the five squads that call the Summit League home. St. Thomas is the only team opening its slate at home with a match against Northern Illinois, while (RV/15) Denver, Kasnas City, Omaha and Oral Roberts all open on the road.
The Pioneers, who are coming off a second consecutive regular season title, will venture to the Golden State for a pair of matches against two of the newest members of the Atlantic Coast Conference. DU will face Cal in Thursday's opener before taking o n (4/5) Stanford Sunday. Kansas City also finds itself on the Pacific coast, specifically the Bay Area, as the Roos play St. Mary's Thursday and San Francisco Saturday.
Omaha, the reigning Summit League Tournament champions, gets to play at home on the opening weekend but will first have to get through a test at Oakland Thursday before hosting Florida Atlantic Sunday.
Oral Roberts might have the toughest challenge on opening weekend as the Golden Eagles are set for pair of top-25 road matches. ORU will open its campaign at (RV/22) Kentucky before traveling to (10/10) SMU for a Sunday tilt. The Tommies will end their opening weekend in the Pacific Northwest with a road match at Gonzaga.
This Week In The Summit League (All Times Local To Site)
Thursday, Aug. 22 | TV/Stream
Northern Illinois at St. Thomas | SLN | 4 p.m.
(RV/15) Denver at California | ACCX | 4:30 p.m.
Kansas City at St. Mary’s (Calif.) | ESPN+ | 5 p.m.
Omaha at Oakland | GGV | 7 p.m.
Oral Roberts at (RV/22) Kentucky | ESPN+ | 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, Aug. 24 | TV/Stream
Kansas City at San Francisco | ESPN+ | 7 p.m.
Sunday, Aug. 25 | TV/Stream
(RV/15) Denver at (5/4) Stanford | ACCX | 4 p.m
St. Thomas at Gonzaga | ESPN+ | 5 p.m.
Oral Roberts at (10/10) SMU | ACCX | 6 p.m.
Florida Atlantic at Omaha | SLN | 6 p.m.
National Rankings: (United Soccer Coaches/Top Drawer)
Key: ACCX (ACC Network Xtra), ESPN+ (ESPN Plus), FLO (Flosports), GGV (Golden Grizzly Video), SLN (Summit League Network)
Around The League
• The 2024 season will see all four individual player award honorees return to their respective teams.
• Oral Roberts’ Luis Flores earned the Offensive Player of the Year and Newcomer of the Year awards in 2023 after leading all Summit League players with 15 goals, six game-winning goals and 32 points.
• Denver returns Midfielder of the Year Sam Bassett, Defensive Player of the Year Jason Belloli and Goalkeeper of the Year Issac Nehme. The Pioneers also get 2022 Defensive Player of the Year Ronan Wynne back from injury.
• There were a total of four Summit League players named to a United Soccer Coaches’ “players to watch” list released earlier in August. Flores was among 21 recognized on the forwards’ list and joined by Denver’s Oje Ofunrein within that group. Bassett was one of 18 named to the midfielders’ list and Belloli was one of 16 named to the defenders’ list.
• Six Summit League players found their names on the Top Drawer Soccer Men’s National Top 100 Players To Watch, including five from Denver. The Pioneers were one of three Division I teams with five players named to the watch list, joining Indiana and opening-weekend opponent Stanford.
• DU goalkeeper Issac Nehme was the highest ranked among Summit players at No. 3. Bassett was ranked No. 12, Ofunrein came in at No. 52, Belloli registered at No. 68 and defender Trevor Wright round out the quintet at No. 98. ORU’s Flores was ranked No. 16.
• Nehme was also on the TDS Presason All-America First Team, which they refer to as the “Best XI Team”. Bassett and Flores were both named to the TDS Preseason AA Second Team.
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