LIVINGSTON, Ala. - The season is here and the UWA men's soccer team is back in Tiger Stadium this Friday at 7:30 p.m. The Tigers host Eckerd College for the 2021 season opener.
"We are all excited to finally get our season underway and what better place to get the ball rolling than at Tiger Stadium," UWA head coach Ross Nelson said. "Since the spring the lads have been eager to get back to work and they have really shown that through their application in preseason."
Eckerd College is a NCAA Division Two member and a part of the Sunshine State Conference.
"We open up to a tough test in Eckerd College and it is extremely important that we are at the top of our game," Nelson said. "If we perform like I know we can and do so on a consistent bases then I have absolutely no doubt we will have a successful season. As always, we will take it one game at a time, and it all starts tomorrow."
UWA has 18 student-athletes returning and added 13 new members to the Tiger family this fall.
Top returners for the Tigers are forward Vince Stans and midfielder Richard Lopez, along with Preseason All-GSC member Kyle McLeod.
Stans led the 2021 spring team in goals, scoring four with two being game winners. Richard Lopez tied with Peter Oyetunji in leading the Tigers with two assists in the spring. McLeod led the team in assists and scored two goals during the 2019 season.
Returning between the posts are goalies Jules Dechert and Harold Leighton. Between the two of them, Duchert and Leighton recorded a total of 17 saves during the 2021 spring season.
Both live stream and live stats will be available for the match.
There are no tickets required or admission charged for men's soccer.
Regardless of vaccination status, all guests and staff are required to wear a mask while visiting any of the indoor areas of UWA'S campus. Masks are not required at outdoor venues including Tiger Stadium, but fans are encouraged to wear masks while not actively eating or drinking.
The Tigers will then head to Harrogate, Tenn. to battle Lincoln Memorial Sunday at noon.
To stay connected with the UWA men's soccer team, follow @UWAmenssoccer on Instagram. General athletic news, along with game recaps and box scores, can be found at uwaathletics.com. Additional updates and information are available @UWAAthletics on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
