The Maryland men’s soccer team announced its 2018 fall schedule Tuesday, which includes a matchup at Audi Field, the future home of D.C. United, against Virginia.
In addition to playing the former ACC rival in the first college game at Audi Field, which is set to open in July, the Terps will have home matches against Stanford, UCLA and Wisconsin. Maryland has faced the Bruins each of the past three years and needed overtime in every contest.
The Terps’ 2018 schedule features 10 NCAA tournament teams from last season, including the defending national champions (Stanford) and runner-up (Indiana).
“The opportunity to host three-time national champion Stanford and renew our rivalry with Virginia at DC United’s new home, Audi Field, are eye catching, but so is the rest of the schedule,” coach Sasho Cirovski said in a release. “Every team on our schedule is a potential NCAA tournament team.”
The Terps begin their season on the road, traveling to Washington on Aug. 24 before hosting Stanford on Aug. 31. After the Sept. 3 contest at Audi Field, Maryland faces UCLA and West Virginia at home.
Big Ten plays starts Sept. 14 at Northwestern and follows with a matchup with reigning Big Ten tournament champions Wisconsin on Sept. 21, with a contest against William & Mary in between. The Terps then travel to face Rutgers and Coastal Carolina before a home game against Michigan State precedes away matches with Georgetown and Indiana, who finished second in the United Soccer Coaches poll last season and lost to Stanford in the College Cup final.
Maryland wraps up its home slate with Denver, Ohio State and Penn State before facing Michigan on Oct. 28 for its final regular-season match.
Last campaign, Maryland held the No. 3 slot in the United Soccer Coaches poll for much of the season until a stunning collapse dropped the Terps out of the rankings. A first-round loss to Albany concluded the six-game skid, in which Maryland scored two goals and conceded 10.
The Terps return seven starters from their final contest last year, but are without striker Gordon Wild and midfield playmakers Jake Rozhansky and Eryk Williamson, a trio that combined for half of the team’s goals and 16 of its 26 assists last year.
