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UVA Opens Season Friday vs. Coastal Carolina
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Aug. 25, 2016
| No. 21 Coastal Carolina at No. 17 Virginia | |
| Date/Time | Fri., Aug. 26, 2016 | 7 p.m. |
| Location | Charlottesville, Va. | Klöckner Stadium |
| Multimedia | |
| More Info | Tickets | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram |
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. — The No. 17 Virginia men’s soccer team opens the 2016 regular season with a 7 p.m. Friday (Aug. 26) match against No. 21 Coastal Carolina at Klöckner Stadium.
Live Statistics
A link to live statistics (GameTracker) can be located at VirginiaSports.com. In-game updates also will be provided on the UVA Men’s Soccer Twitter account, @UVAMenSoccer.
Promotions
• Cavalier Men’s Soccer rally sticks for the first 1,000 students
• Hoo Crew T-shirts, food and Pepsi products for the first 500 students
• Post-game autographs – Immediately following the match, the team will sign autographs for approximately 10 minutes by the south end of Klöckner Stadium
Virginia-Coastal Carolina Series
Virginia and Coastal Carolina have met just once previously, with UVA scoring a 3-2 win on Sept. 2, 1987, in Charlottesville. UVA is ranked No. 17 and Coastal Carolina is No. 21 in the preseason NSCAA poll.
UVA Opens 25th Season at Klöckner Stadium
Now in its 73rd year of men’s soccer, Virginia begins its 25th season of soccer at Klöckner Stadium Friday. UVA has a 257-52-20 record at the venerable facility. Winners of seven national championships, Virginia owns a 738-339-113 all-time record.
New-Look Lineup
Virginia features a much different look this season. The Cavaliers have 13 newcomers to the program, including 11 freshmen and transfers Bay Kurtz (Liberty) and Sergi Nus (Fresno Pacific). Kurtz and Nus each are slated to be among the Cavaliers’ Starting XI, which could feature as many as seven new starters from 2015.
17 Letterwinners Return
While UVA has many newcomers to the program, the Cavaliers also boast plenty of returning experience. Seventeen letterwinners are back, including seven starters. 2015 All-ACC honorees Jeff Caldwell (goalkeeper) and Edward Opoku (forward) and midfielders Nicko Corriveau and Paddy Foss highlight the returnees.
Preseason Wrapup
Virginia went 3-0 in its preseason exhibition schedule while scoring nine goals in the process. UVA downed Longwood (3-0), Liberty (4-2) and No. 10 Georgetown (2-0), all at Klöckner Stadium.
Gelnovatch Moves into 21st Season as Head Coach
UVA head coach George Gelnovatch is starting his 21st season as the Cavaliers’ head coach as well as his 28th year on the coaching staff. He owns a 284-177-44 career record as head coach and needs 11 wins to match Bruce Arena as the winningest coach in program history. His 21-year tenure is tied for the sixth longest in ACC men’s soccer history.
Make Some Noise!
The NCAA has approved a new noisemaker policy for 2016. Artificial noisemakers, excluding air horns, whistles and those that amplify electric sound, will be permitted at all home men’s soccer matches, including postseason events. The use of artificial noisemakers will be limited to Sections 4 and 5 in Klöckner Stadium only.
Noting Coastal Carolina
New members of the Sun Belt Conference, Coastal Carolina is the preseason favorite to win the league. Junior forward Frantzdy Pierrot was voted Preseason Co-Offensive Player of the Year. Elis Bjornsson, Louis Dargent and Einar Einarsson joined Pierrot as preseason all-conference selections. Coastal posted a 13-3-4 overall mark in 2015 and made an appearance in the NCAA Tournament’s second round.