Thursday, August 22
Evanston, Ill.
7 p.m. CT
Northwestern
vs
Green Bay
Photo by: Ryan Kuttler/Northwestern Athletics
‘Cats Host Green Bay, DePaul To Open 2024 Season
8/21/2024 4:00:00 PM | Men's Soccer
Northwestern looks to build off 10-4-3 finish in 2023
EVANSTON, Ill. (August 21, 2024) – Coming off a successful 2023 campaign that saw it reach the 10-win mark for the first time since 2013, the Northwestern University men's soccer team will raise the curtain on the 2024 season this week with a pair of matchups at the newly renovated Northwestern Medicine Field at Martin Stadium.
The 'Cats open the new slate on Thursday evening, entertaining Green Bay in a 7 p.m. kickoff. A visit from local rival DePaul closes out the week on Sunday afternoon at 4 p.m. Admission to all Northwestern men's soccer games at Northwestern Medicine Field at Martin Stadium is free throughout the regular season.
Piloted by fourth-year head coach Russell Payne, Northwestern returns an impressive core from last season's squad, a group that includes returning All-Big Ten Conference selections Collin McCamy, Nigel Prince, and Fritz Volmar. All three members of the trio were recognized on the conference's Players to Watch List, which was released on Wednesday by the league office.
SCOUTING GREEN BAY
Green Bay is fresh off an impressive 2023 campaign in which it finished 10-4-5 overall and 5-2-2 in Horizon League action. The Phoenix knocked off top-seeded Oakland, 1-0, in the final of the Horizon League Championship to earn the program's third trip to the NCAA Tournament.
After spending the past nine years on the Green Bay coaching staff, head coach John O'Reilly begins his first season leading the Phoenix in 2024. O'Reilly returns a pair of All-Horizon League picks from a season ago in Chris Album and Tommy Coughlin. Album, a First Team selection, finished with team-high marks in both goals (9) and overall points (20) en route to being named a First Team All-North Region honoree by the United Soccer Coaches. Coughlin took home Second Team accolades after starting in 16 of 18 appearances last season, one of which saw him tally the game-winning goal in a 2-1 triumph over IUPUI on October 21.
SCOUTING DePAUL
DePaul, which opens the 2024 season on the road at UIC on Thursday night, finished 3-7-5 last season, a mark that included a 1-4-3 ledger in BIG EAST Conference play.
Under the guidance of seventh-year head coach Mark Plotkin, the Blue Demons return 19 letterwinners from 2023, a group highlighted by BIG EAST Co-Freshman of the Year Noeh Hernandez. Hernandez was the focal point of the DePaul attack last season, firing home a team-best five goals, in addition to dishing out a pair of assists. The midfielder also led the Blue Demons in both shots (29) and shots on goal (14).
SERIES STUFF
Northwestern and Green Bay will meet for the 19th time in Thursday's regular season opener, a series in which the Wildcats own an 8-6-4 edge in. Northwestern extended its unbeaten run over Green Bay to seven last season, battling the Phoenix to a scoreless stalemate on October 3.
Sunday's weekend finale marks the 34th installment of the rivalry between Northwestern and DePaul in men's soccer. The 'Cats lead the all-time series by a 19-10-4 margin, having gone unbeaten (2-0-2) across their last four meetings against their rival to the south. Bryant Mayer secured Northwestern a road result in last season's matchup at Wish Field on September 4, finding the back of the net in the 84th minute in a 1-1 draw.
UP NEXT
Northwestern is back in action on Friday, August 30 when it welcomes Drake to Northwestern Medicine Field at Martin Stadium at 7 p.m. to close a season-opening three-match homestand. The 'Cats will then turn their attention towards Chicago's West Side, trekking to UIC for a Labor Day matchup at 7 p.m. on Monday, September 2.
The 'Cats open the new slate on Thursday evening, entertaining Green Bay in a 7 p.m. kickoff. A visit from local rival DePaul closes out the week on Sunday afternoon at 4 p.m. Admission to all Northwestern men's soccer games at Northwestern Medicine Field at Martin Stadium is free throughout the regular season.
Piloted by fourth-year head coach Russell Payne, Northwestern returns an impressive core from last season's squad, a group that includes returning All-Big Ten Conference selections Collin McCamy, Nigel Prince, and Fritz Volmar. All three members of the trio were recognized on the conference's Players to Watch List, which was released on Wednesday by the league office.
SCOUTING GREEN BAY
Green Bay is fresh off an impressive 2023 campaign in which it finished 10-4-5 overall and 5-2-2 in Horizon League action. The Phoenix knocked off top-seeded Oakland, 1-0, in the final of the Horizon League Championship to earn the program's third trip to the NCAA Tournament.
After spending the past nine years on the Green Bay coaching staff, head coach John O'Reilly begins his first season leading the Phoenix in 2024. O'Reilly returns a pair of All-Horizon League picks from a season ago in Chris Album and Tommy Coughlin. Album, a First Team selection, finished with team-high marks in both goals (9) and overall points (20) en route to being named a First Team All-North Region honoree by the United Soccer Coaches. Coughlin took home Second Team accolades after starting in 16 of 18 appearances last season, one of which saw him tally the game-winning goal in a 2-1 triumph over IUPUI on October 21.
SCOUTING DePAUL
DePaul, which opens the 2024 season on the road at UIC on Thursday night, finished 3-7-5 last season, a mark that included a 1-4-3 ledger in BIG EAST Conference play.
Under the guidance of seventh-year head coach Mark Plotkin, the Blue Demons return 19 letterwinners from 2023, a group highlighted by BIG EAST Co-Freshman of the Year Noeh Hernandez. Hernandez was the focal point of the DePaul attack last season, firing home a team-best five goals, in addition to dishing out a pair of assists. The midfielder also led the Blue Demons in both shots (29) and shots on goal (14).
SERIES STUFF
Northwestern and Green Bay will meet for the 19th time in Thursday's regular season opener, a series in which the Wildcats own an 8-6-4 edge in. Northwestern extended its unbeaten run over Green Bay to seven last season, battling the Phoenix to a scoreless stalemate on October 3.
Sunday's weekend finale marks the 34th installment of the rivalry between Northwestern and DePaul in men's soccer. The 'Cats lead the all-time series by a 19-10-4 margin, having gone unbeaten (2-0-2) across their last four meetings against their rival to the south. Bryant Mayer secured Northwestern a road result in last season's matchup at Wish Field on September 4, finding the back of the net in the 84th minute in a 1-1 draw.
UP NEXT
Northwestern is back in action on Friday, August 30 when it welcomes Drake to Northwestern Medicine Field at Martin Stadium at 7 p.m. to close a season-opening three-match homestand. The 'Cats will then turn their attention towards Chicago's West Side, trekking to UIC for a Labor Day matchup at 7 p.m. on Monday, September 2.
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