ORLANDO, Fla. (UCFKnights.com) – UCF head coach Scott Calabrese revealed the 2017 men's soccer slate on Wednesday. The Knights' 16-game slate features seven home matches along with a pair of exhibition contests at the UCF Soccer Complex.
"The true test for any college soccer team comes in the fall competitive season and we are very excited to see how far we have progressed from the spring," coach Calabrese said. "We have put together a schedule that will challenge our team to perform in every single match, week in and week out, without exception."
The kick for the first home match of the Calabrese era is set on Sept. 1 against Charlotte, one of four teams on the slate that advanced to the 2016 NCAA Tournament. The winner of the past two American Athletic Conference Championships, Tulsa, also makes the trip to Orlando on Oct. 15, while UCF heads to FGCU on Sept. 19 and War on I-4 rival South Florida on Sep. 23.
Season tickets are now on sale for $30 and include a general admission seat to all home matches. Click here for more information.
Membership into Knights Watch, the official supporters group of UCF soccer, is also available. Packages include admission to all men's and women's soccer home games, a Knights Watch t-shirt, a UCF soccer scarf and a variety of free catered tailgates. Student membership is $15, while fan membership is $50. Become a Knights Watch member by cllcking here.
THE 2017 SLATE
Preparation for the campaign includes two exhibition matches against Tampa (8/15) and Georgia Southern (8/19). Admission is free to these contests at the UCF Soccer Complex.
The Knights open the season on the road at the John Rennie Nike Invitational in Durham, N.C. UCF faces host Duke on Aug. 25 and rounds out the trip against Elon on Aug. 27.
UCF begins its home slate on Sept. 1 against Charlotte, a perennial Top-25 foe. Fans have the opportunity to get their first glimpse of the reigning American Athletic Conference Player of the Year Matias Pyysalo, who finished the 2016 campaign with 10 goals and five assists.
The Knights then embark on a two-match road trip at Jacksonville (9/4) and West Virginia (9/9).
The home slate continues on Sep. 12 as the Knights welcome FIU. Coach Calabrese spent the past three seasons with the Golden Panthers, leading the program to their first NCAA Tournament appearance in 10 years.
The final tune up for UCF prior to play in The American is a road contest at Florida Gulf Coast on Sept. 19. A match with War on I-4 rival South Florida in Tampa opens league play for the Knights.
After traveling to SMU on Sept. 29, UCF plays five of its next six contests at home. Stetson (10/4), Memphis (10/7) and Tulsa (10/15) begin the stretch for the Knights. A trip to UConn (10/21) breaks up the span before UCF welcomes FAU (10/24) and Temple (10/28) to round out its home slate. Seniors Joel Vartiainen, Neico Regent, Matias Pyysalo and Walker Dawkins will be recognized prior to the match with the Owls.
The final contest of the regular season is set for Nov. 4 at Cincinnati.
The top four teams in the final conference standings head to the site of top seed for The American Championship. The two semifinal matches are set for Nov. 10, while the championship kicks off on Nov. 12 at noon on ESPNU.
In addition to Pyysalo, the Knights are bringing back 12 players from last year's squad.
