Soccer announces impressive 2017 slate

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PROVO, Utah – BYU women's soccer announced its schedule for the 2017 fall season on Monday.

The slate features games with nine teams from Power 5 conferences, including five against the Pac-12, two against the Big 12 and two against the Big Ten. The Cougars will face four former national champions and five teams that were ranked in the top 25 of the final National Soccer Coaches Association of America poll of 2016. Four additional 2017 opponents received votes in that poll.

BYU will have two exhibitions to start the fall. The first will be the annual Blue/White game, which will be played on Aug. 5. The following weekend, Oklahoma will host the Cougars for an exhibition. BYU beat the Sooners 2-1 in the second round of the NCAA tournament last season.

The first regular season game will be on Aug. 18 at Penn State. The Cougars made the trip to State College in 2016 and knocked off the defending defending-champ Nittany Lions, 3-2. Three days later, another Big Ten opponent follows BYU to Provo as Ohio State visits South Field. The Cougars beat the Buckeyes 3-0 in Columbus last season.

Cal State Fullerton and UCLA will be guests on Aug. 25 and Sept. 1, respectively. The Bruins are BYU's highest-ranked opponent (No. 13) from last season's final poll. They lost on penalty kicks in the third round of the 2016 NCAA tournament to eventual runner-up West Virginia. The Cougars tied UCLA in an exhibition last fall and lost when the two teams matched up this spring.

After UCLA, BYU will play four more games in a row against Pac-12 sides. Through the middle of September, the Cougars will take on Colorado, Utah, Oregon State and Arizona in order. Of the four, BYU played only Utah last season and won 2-0 in Salt Lake City. The Utes are also the only one of the four who will play at South Field. The Buffaloes (No. 23) and Utes (No. 16) both ended the 2016 season ranked and won NCAA tournament games.

The Cougars then have a five-game home stand beginning on Sept. 18 against Kansas. Utah Valley rounds out BYU's nonconference schedule before the Cougars begin West Coast Conference play against San Diego, Saint Mary's and Pacific.

BYU plays at San Francisco on Oct. 14 before returning home to host Pepperdine and Loyola Marymount. The Waves won their first round NCAA tournament game last season and finished with a No. 22 ranking.

WCC play wraps up with three road games beginning on Oct. 26 at Gonzaga. The Cougars then take on Portland and Santa Clara. The Broncos advanced to the quarterfinal of the 2016 NCAA tournament and wound up 17th in the final poll.

Ticket Information

Tickets are available at byutickets.com. Priority for season tickets and Upper 90 Club memberships will be given first to Cougar Club members. 

The Upper 90 Club offers the best seats at South Field, catered meals and snacks on home game days and an opportunity to meet the team before the season. Members will also get a Nike swag bag.