BELLINGHAM, Wash.  – The Western Washington University men's soccer team opens its 19-game regular-season schedule this week with a pair of home matches at Harrington Field.

 

Coming off a perfect 3-0 preseason, the Vikings host West Region rivals Sonoma State University (Thursday) and Chico State University (Saturday) in 7 pm games under the lights at Harrington Field.

 

WWU defeated Canadian universities Fraser Valley (3-1), Trinity Western (4-1) and British Columbia (1-0) in exhibition friendlies to prepare for the tough 2022 regular-season schedule.

 

This marks the sixth consecutive season opening with games against Sonoma State and Chico State, combining to go 4-5-1 in the series vs. the CCAA schools dating back to 2016 (2-3 vs. Chico State, 2-2-1 vs. Sonoma State).

 

Western will play five of its seven non-conference games at home, with a trip to Colorado to face No. 20 Colorado School of Mines (Sept. 8) and Regis (Sept. 11). The Vikings will host No. 17 West Texas A&M (9/1), Concordia (9/15) and Point Loma (9/17) to close out the non-conference slate.

 

The 12-match GNAC schedule begins September 22 with a road match at Saint Martin's.

 

The Vikings enter the season picked to finish No. 2 in the GNAC Preseason Coaches Poll, receiving 40 total votes and one of the seven first-place votes from the conference head coaches. 

 

In his 10th season as head coach and 22nd associated with WWU soccer, head coach Greg Brisbon returns 16 letterwinners, including seven starters, from the 2021 squad that went 7-8-2 overall and were in contention for the GNAC title until the final game of the season with a 5-3-2 mark in conference play. The Vikings are just one full season removed from playing in the 2019 NCAA Championships and are in the midst of a strong six-season stretch (since 2016) combining to go 50-31-14 (.600) with a 33-15-10 (.655) record in GNAC play.

 

WWU's 19-match regular-season schedule can be viewed online at wwuvikings.com/22_MSOC.

 

 

Here is a look at the series history between the Vikings and opponents this week:

 

• Sonoma State: WWU is 3-12-1 all-time against Sonoma State, but has gone 2-2-1 in the last five meetings against the Seawolves…defeated by SSU last season in Rohnert Park 2-0…WWU won last matchup in Bellingham with 2-0 blanking in 2019…SSU head coach Marcus Ziemer is the father of WWU women's soccer All-American Tera Ziemer.
• Chico State: Vikings are 9-12 all-time against Chico State and 2-3 dating back to the 2016 season…WWU is 2-5-0 in home games vs. the Wildcats and 5-6 when visiting Chico…Vikings have dropped last four home games vs. the Wildcats dating back to the 2009 season.

 

Here is a look at the complete Great Northwest Athletic Conference Preseason Coaches Poll for the 2022 season:

 

 

 

 

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).

 

The Western Washington University men's soccer program is led by head coach Greg Brisbon, who has spent over 20 seasons affiliated with WWU Soccer. The Vikings won the 2019 Great Northwest Athletic Conference championship, the third league trophy in program history, and advanced to the NCAA II Championships for the second time. The program completed 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 60 GNAC All-Academic selections over the last five years and the program has earned three consecutive United Soccer Coaches Team Academic Awards.