Men's Soccer | 8/25/2015 3:36:00 PM

COMING UP:
USF (0-0-0) at No. 23 Penn State (0-0-0)
Friday, Aug. 28, 2:30 p.m. | Jeffrey Field, State College, Pa. 
Last Meeting: USF won, 2-0; Sept. 21, 2008 at USF
Live Stats: Gametracker
Live Video: Penn State Sports Gameday Live

USF (0-0-0) at West Virginia (0-0-0)
Sunday, Aug. 30, 9 a.m. | Dick Dlesk Stadium, Morgantown, W.V.
Last Meeting: This will be the first meeting
Live Stats: Statbroadcast
Live Video: WVUSports.com


SAN FRANCISCO - The Dons will travel cross country to open the 2015 season with non-conference contests at preseason-No. 23 Penn State and West Virginia this weekend. USF looks to build on strong exhibition play over the past week and will try not to let the attention of being picked as the favorite to win the  WCC get in the way of a strong start to 2015.

The Dons battled to a 2-2 exhibition draw with San Francisco State on Aug. 19 before putting together an intensely competitive showing in a 2-1 loss at preseason-No. 1 UCLA on Aug. 22.   

Second-year head coach Eddie Soto welcomes back 14 letterwinners, while adding a crop of 12 newcomers that make up a recruiting class ranked No. 41 in the nation by College Soccer News. 

Live stats and a live video stream will be available for both matches this weekend via links on the men's soccer schedule page at www.usfdons.com. 

OFF ON THE RIGHT FOOT
The Dons are 3-2-0 in season openers over the past five seasons. Last year USF posted a 2-1 win at No. 21 Wisconsin on Opening Day. Davi Ramos notched a goal for the Dons, while Danny Kirkland scored the game winner in the 46th minute.   

BACK IN THE MIX
After having a total of 10 All-WCC honorees last year, the Dons bring back six All-WCC performers in honorable mention selections Davi Ramos, Joshua Smith, Christian De Luna, Manny Padilla, Aaron Lombardi, and all-freshman selection Bryce Kaminski.    

TARGET ON THEIR BACKS
The Dons had the dubious honor of being picked to win the WCC title this season, as voted in the WCC Preseason Poll. USF captured two first-place votes, but was one of five teams to receive first-place votes, along with Saint Mary's (1), San Diego (2), LMU (2) and Santa Clara (1). The Dons finished in a tie with Saint Mary's for second place in the 2014 final standings.  

BLAZING THE TRAIL
Second-year head coach Eddie Soto has no qualms with taking his team on the road en route to building a strong non-conference schedule in 2015. USF will only enjoy six contests at Negoesco Stadium this year, but will face five NCAA Tournament teams from 2014 (Penn State, Stanford, Cal State Fullerton, San Diego, Cal). The Dons will also travel to face five teams ranked in the NSCAA Preseason Top-25: No. 23 Penn State (Aug. 28), No. 8 Stanford (Sept. 18), No. 16 Cal (Sept. 20), and Cal State Fullerton (Sept. 13) and New Mexico (Sept. 30), who are both receiving votes. 

BLUE CHIPS
Second-year head coach Eddie Soto and his staff made strides in building on last year's second-place WCC finish by going out and piecing together one of the nation's best recruiting classes. The Dons' 2015 class, made up of 12 newcomers (3 transfers/9 freshmen), was ranked No. 41 in the country by College Soccer News over the summer. Highlighting the well-rounded class is F Sean Bowman (Bothell, Wash. / Seattle Sounders Academy), who could grow into a prime offensive threat, and D Hunter Ashworth (Laguna Beach, Calif. / Pateadores Academy), a 6-foot-3 defender who was a member of the New Zealand Youth National Team and can provide a presence in the backfield. The Dons also brought in a pair of strong goalkeepers in junior transfer Ryan Buckingham (Westlake Village, Calif. / UMass-Amherst) and freshman Andre Glasnovic (Zagreb, Croatia / NK Zagreb) who will compete for the open keeper spot this season.  

ABOUT PENN STATE
2015 Record: 0-0-0
Key Notes: The Nittany Lions went 13-6-1 in 2014...advanced to 2nd round of NCAA Tournament last year...picked to finish 3rd in Big Ten Preseason Poll this year...Sr. GK Matt Bersano, Sr. M Brian James and Jr. F Connor Maloney were preseason All-Big Ten selections...ranked No. 23 in NSCAA Preseason Poll.
Top Returning Scorers (2014 Stats): Connor Maloney (10 G/3 A);  Brian James (1 G/7 A); Drew Klingenberg (2 G/4 A)
In Goal: Evan Finney (2014 stats: 2 GP/1 GS/0.61 GAA/ 6 SV)
Head Coach: Bob Warming (6th season)

ABOUT WEST VIRGINIA
2015 Record: 0-0-0
Key Notes: The Mountaineers went 11-7-1 in 2014...finished 2nd in the Mid-American Conference...this will be the first-ever meeting between USF and WVU...last reached NCAA Tournament in 2011.
Top Returning Scorers (2014 Stats): Jamie Merriam (9 G/5 A); Ryan Cain (4 G/3 A); Jad Arsian (5 G)
In Goal: Brent Arnold (2014 stats: 8 GP/1.36 GAA/24 SV/2 SHO)
Head Coach: Marlon LeBlanc (9th season)

VS. THE BIG-TEN
USF is 2-0 against Big-Ten opponents since 2010, beating then-No. 21 Wisconsin 2-1 on Aug. 29, 2014 and Northwestern 1-0 on Sept. 3, 2010.