BELLINGHAM, Wash. – The Western Washington University men's soccer team makes its 2021 Harrington Field debut hosting a pair of non-conference games.
 
The Vikings (0-2-0) host a pair of schools that are listed in the national rankings, with Colorado School of Mines (RV, 3-1-0) visiting Bellingham on Thursday (7 pm) and No. 22 Regis (3-0-0) on Saturday (4 pm).
 
WWU is coming off a season-opening road trip to Northern California where it dropped a pair of closely-contested games against West Region rivals, losing 1-0 at Chico State and 2-0 at Sonoma State.
 
The pair of home matches begin a seven-game home schedule on the turf at Harrington Field, which includes these two non-conference contests and five Great Northwest Athletic Conference tilts.
 
WWU's 17-match regular-season schedule can be viewed online at wwuvikings.com/21_MS.
 

THIS WEEK IN WWU MEN'S SOCCER
Thursday, September 16	Live Coverage
Colorado School of Mines »  7:00 pm  »  Bellingham, WA  »  Harrington Field	📊 LiveStats   🎥 Webcast
Saturday, September 18	Live Coverage
#22 Regis »  4:00 pm  »  Bellingham, WA  »  Harrington Field	📊 LiveStats   🎥 Webcast

WWU is looking for its first goal of the season, enduring consecutive road shutouts to open the season. The Vikings have been out-shot 31-18 in the two matches so far, and limited to five shots on goal. Marks the first time to open a season without scoring a goal in consecutive games for the first time since the 2005 season (1-0 loss at Cal State LA, 3-0 loss at Cal State Dominguez Hills).
  The Vikings will play at home in front of fans at Harrington Field for the first time in 672 days (Nov. 14, 2019) when WWU hosts Colorado School of Mines Thursday night. Due to state of Washington and WWU policy, face coverings/masks are required for all fans and social distancing in the stands is encouraged. Tickets will be on sale to the general public beginning one hour prior to kickoff at the Harrington Field Box Office (General - $8, Kids/Seniors - $5) and free parking is available in the C lots on the south edge of the WWU campus.
    We are helping welcome back students to the WWU campus by offering free admission for all students for soccer games Thursday, Saturday (doubleheader at 4 & 7 pm) and Monday (women vs. Point Loma).
  Fans can follow both matches this week live online, with a free HD webcast on Vikings TV via YouTube and live statistical updates. All home matches, and most road contests, will feature both a webcast and live stats for fans to follow. Direct links can be found online at WWUVikings.com/Live.
  Here is a look at the series history between the Vikings and the upcoming opponents:
 

• Colorado School of Mines: 1-1-0 all-time vs. Colorado School of Mines, defeating the Orediggers 4-3 on Sept. 16, 2019 in overtime on a 96th minute penalty kick goal by Georg Cholewa…only other meeting was a 4-3 overtime loss in Bellingham in 1998.
• Regis: 1-1-1 all-time vs. Regis, with the last meeting a 5-4 loss in 2008…two of three previous meetings have been in Bellingham, with the Vikings going 1-0-1 in those matches.

  WWU has recorded a record of .500 or better in eight of the last nine seasons, and boasts a 43-25-12 (.613) record over the last six seasons (2016-21). WWU has qualified for the NCAA Division II Championships in two of the last four seasons (2016 & 2019) and won the 2019 GNAC title with a 13-5-1 overall record and 10-1-1 mark in GNAC play.
  The Vikings were predicted to finish 2^nd in the 2021 GNAC Preseason Coaches Poll. Simon Fraser received a total of 34 points and four first-place votes, edging out WWU, which received 31 points and the remaining two first-place votes in the preseason coaches poll. Coming off a third-place finish in 2019, Seattle Pacific enters 2021 picked third with 21 points. The Falcons are followed by Montana State Billings with 18 points. Rounding out the poll is Northwest Nazarene and Saint Martin's with 11 points each. Here is a look at the complete 2021 GNAC Men's Soccer Preseason Coaches Poll:
 

2021 GNAC PRESEASON MEN'S SOCCER COACHES POLL
Rank	School (1st Place Votes)	2019 Record (Finish)	Points
1.	Simon Fraser (4)	11-4-1 (8-3-1, 2nd)	34
2.	Western Washington (2)	13-5-1 (10-1-1, 1st)	31
3.	Seattle Pacific	7-9-1 (6-6-0, 3rd)	21
4.	Montana State Billings	8-9-2 (5-6-1, 4th)	18
5.	Northwest Nazarene	7-11-0 (3-9-0, 7th)	11
	Saint Martin's	9-8-2 (4-7-1, 5th)	11
Votes awarded on 6-5-4-3-2-1 basis

  The Vikings are the defending Great Northwest Athletic Conference champions, taking home the last conference trophy from the 2019 season. WWU finished with a 13-5-1 overall record, tying for the 4th-most wins in program history and the 4th-best winning percentage (.711) in the 40-year history of varsity status of the program. The season marked the third GNAC title in program history, recording a 10-1-1 league record, setting a program record for most conference wins in a season. Advanced to the NCAA II Championships for the second time in program history earning the No. 6 seed in Super Region 4 and topped out at No. 19 in the United Soccer Coaches Top 25, marking the second season to appear in the national top 25 in program history (also 2018).
  Greg Brisbon is in his ninth season as the head coach of the men's soccer program and his 21st overall associated with WWU soccer. Brisbon has directed the Vikings to a 68-47-19 (.578) record, securing his spot as the program's all-time winningest coach by percentage. Prior to taking over as the head coach of the men's program, Brisbon spent the previous 12 seasons as an assistant coach with the Vikings, including eight as the associate head coach. He was the 2016 GNAC co-Coach of the Year and the outright 2019 GNAC Coach of the Year. He has guided the Vikings to the only two NCAA Tournament appearances in program history (2016, 2019) and his program has excelled in the classroom with 43 GNAC All-Academic selections over the last four seasons. He is assisted by fifth-year coach Kyle Segebart, as well as Matt Zigulis and Kyle Langowski.
  Fans can follow WWU men's soccer online at WWUVikings.com/MSOC, and via social media on Twitter (@SoccerWWU), Instagram (@wwu_msoccer) and Facebook (@WWUsoccermens). All home matches feature a live webcast, as well as most road matches, with links on how to follow the games available at WWUVikings.com/Live.
  The Western Washington University men's soccer program is led by ninth-year head coach Greg Brisbon, who has spent over 20 seasons affiliated with WWU Soccer. The Vikings are the defending Great Northwest Athletic Conference champions, winning the 2019 title for the third league trophy in program history, and advanced to the NCAA II Championships for the second time. The program enters its 42nd varsity season in 2021, and has recorded an overall record at or above the .500 mark in eight of the last nine seasons, including a 13-5-1 mark in 2019 and 11-6-1 in 2018. In 2016 the Vikings advanced to the NCAA Division II Championships for the first time in program history, using a late-season surge that saw the Vikings 5-0-1 over the last six matches to advance to the postseason. Overall the program has produced 58 GNAC Players of the Week selections, 30 First Team All-GNAC players and 4 GNAC Players of the Year since joining the conference in 2001. Off the field, WWU has built a strong academic reputation with 43 GNAC All-Academic selections over the last four years and the program has earned three consecutive United Soccer Coaches Team Academic Awards.