DENVER – The University of Denver men's soccer team will open its 2021 season on Friday night when the Pioneers head to Oregon State for an 8 p.m. MT kickoff at Lorenz Field.

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For the 2021 season, the University of Denver announced the creation of a new DU soccer fan club called "Denver FC". Fans that purchase the Denver FC package will get season tickets to all Denver men's and women's soccer home games, a Denver FC scarf and a season parking pass for all Denver Soccer home events. PURCHASE DENVER FC PACKAGE HERE

Looking Back to the Spring:
Denver is coming off of a 6-2 regular season with all eight matches being played in the Summit League. The Pioneers won the Summit League regular season title, the program's seventh regular season crown in their eighth seasons in the league.

The Pioneers had seven different goal scorers in their eight matches last season, and return seven of them to the squad this fall. Denver enters the campaign with a top-10 recruiting class in the country.

Jack and Sheila Weinberg Head Men's Soccer Coach Jamie Franks:
Jamie Franks enters his seventh season as the bench boss for the Pioneers and his 10^th on the Denver campus overall. The head coach of the 2016 National Coaching Staff of the Year has put together a 73-26-13 record and has led Denver to all but two of the trophies available (2019 regular season and 2017 postseason) since Denver joined the Summit League in 2013.

Series History: Denver vs. Oregon State:
Denver is 2-1 all-time against Oregon State but will visit the Pacific Northwest home of the Beavers for the first time since a 1-0 loss in the first round of the 2014 NCAA Tournament First Round. Franks was an assistant for the 2014 Pioneers, and the match marked the last game of Bobby Muuss tenure at Denver. The Pioneers won the previous two meetings, a 1999 match in Denver and a 2006 September neutral site game in Las Vegas.

Summit League Preseason Poll:
Denver was picked second in the 2021 Summit League Men's Soccer Preseason Coaches' Poll, the first time the Pioneers haven't been voted the preseason favorite since joining the league in 2013. Outside of a fourth place finish in 2019, Denver has won at least a share of the Summit League regular season title in the other seven seasons. In addition to the coaches' poll, Stefan DeLeone and Liam Johnson were named to the Summit League Men's Soccer Players to Watch List.

Preseason Matches:
August 14 at Air Force – T, 1-1
August 19 at Colorado Mines – W, 3-2
August 21 vs. Colorado Mesa – W, 5-0 

In Denver's 1-1 draw with Air Force 11 days ago, Griffin Meyer scored from the penalty spot to level the match in the 42^nd minute. Denver controlled the play in the second half, but couldn't find the go-ahead goal.

Several days later, Ronan Wynne capped off a corner kick service with a header from 12-yards out to open the scoring in the 34^th minute. DeLeone added two goals in the second half in the 75^th (penalty) and the 77^th to lead Denver to a 3-2 victory.

On Saturday, Denver overcame a slow opening 10 minutes but controlled the last 35 minutes to take a 2-0 lead into the locker room. Freshman Oje Ofunrein scored his first goal of the preseason off a cross from the right flank to double Denver's lead in the 38^th. DeLeone capped a five-goal preseason with a hat trick for the Pioneers, scoring twice in a 7:21 span late in the second half. Kengo Ohira also got his first goal of the preseason in the win.

Tickets:
Season tickets and single game tickets are on sale now and can be purchased online by clicking here.

Coronavirus Updates
For the latest University of Denver updates on the coronavirus, click here.
 
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