BELLINGHAM, Wash. – The Western Washington University men's soccer is receiving some early-season frequent flier miles taking back to the road this week for a pair of non-conference matches in Southern California.

 

After opening the 2023 season last week with a 0-1-1 record at Sonoma State (1-1 tie) and Chico State (2-0 loss), the Vikings return to the Golden State with a two-game trip to Southern California to face Concordia University in Irvine on Thursday (6:30 pm) and Point Loma on Saturday in San Diego (1 pm).

 

With the first four games of the season on the road, the Vikings will have to wait until next week to make its Harrington Field debut with home games scheduled against Colorado School of Mines (Thursday, Sept. 14) and Regis (Saturday, Sept. 16).

 

WWU went 2-1-0 during the preseason, defeating UPS (3-0) and Victoria (3-1) in exhibition matches, and falling by a narrow 1-0 margin against Division I Oregon State.

 

The Vikings are picked atop the GNAC standings tying with Simon Fraser for the No. 1 spot in the conference preseason coaches poll. Coming off a strong 12-4-3 season and returning several key contributors, the Vikings are poised to make another strong run at a postseason berth. The 12-match conference slate opens September 28 hosting Saint Martin's in Bellingham.

 

The complete 2023 season schedule – complete with links to follow all the matches, statistics and player bios – can be viewed online at wwuvikings.com/23_MSOC.

 

 

WWU opened the season with a 1-1 draw at Sonoma State in the first game and battled Chico State in a 2-0 loss to begin the year 0-1-1. Sophomore forward Albin Jonsson scored the Vikings goal against the Seawolves and led the team with five shots in the two games. Senior goalkeeper Brandon Locke combined to make five saves.

 

For the second consecutive week the Vikings are on the road traveling to play non-conference games in California. After a two-game trip to Northern California, Western flies even farther south to play at Concordia in Irvine and Point Loma in San Diego. WWU will receive more frequent flier miles flying to play at Northwest Nazarene in Nampa, Idaho (Sept. 30) and Montana State Billings in the regular season finale (Nov. 11).

 

After opening the season with four consecutive road contests, WWU returns home to make its Harrington Field debut in 2023 on Thursday, September 14 hosting Colorado School of Mines. The game vs. Mines begins a stretch of four out of five games in Bellingham. The Vikings were 7-1-3 on the home turf at Harrington Field last season.

 

Sophomore forward Albin Jonsson scored the Vikings lone goal last weekend in the season-opening trip, tallying his 10th career goal in the 1-1 tie at Sonoma State. Jonsson has scored his 10 goals in just 20 career games after a nine-goal, five-assist freshman season that earned him GNAC Freshman of the Year honors and All-West Region accolades.

 

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

 

• CUI: Second meeting between the two programs with the all-time series debuting last season with the Vikings defeating the Golden Eagles 2-0 at Harrington Field on September 15 in Bellingham…WWU received second-half goals from Albin Jonsson (49') and Kyota Hiate (82') and senior Patrick Restum made four saves in the shutout performance as goalkeeper.
• Point Loma: Saturday marks the fifth meeting in the series with the Vikings undefeated at 3-0-1 all-time against the Sea Lions…WWU and PLNU played to a 0-0 tie on Sept. 17 in Bellingham…Vikings defeated PLNU in back-to-back seasons in 2018 and 2019 by identical 2-1 scorelines.

 

Here is a look at Western's record breakdown for the 2023 season:

 

 

The complete 2023 WWU Men's Soccer schedule can be viewed online at wwuvikings.com/23_MSOC and single-game tickets can also be purchased online via wwuvikings.com/Tickets. New for the 2023-24 season for all intercollegiate sports will be FREE STUDENT TICKETS at all regular-season home events!

 

Here is a look at the complete Great Northwest Athletic Conference Preseason Coaches Poll for the 2023 season with the Vikings listed on top of the table tied with Simon Fraser:

 

 

Here is a look at the Vikings 2023 regular-season schedule and results:

 

 

The Vikings went 12-4-3 last season, marking the 17th time to record double-digits in wins in a season in 42 full seasons in program history, and the fifth in the last nine seasons. The 12 wins tied for 7th-most in program history.

 

The 2023 roster features a pair of brothers in junior forward Andrew Rotter and sophomore midfielder Ryan Rotter. The Rotter brothers join their older brother, Christian, who starred for the Vikings from 2016-19 appearing in 72 games while totaling 42 points with 13 goals and 16 assists.

 

The Vikings are led by three co-captains in 2023 with seniors Brandon Locke, Theo Steinmetz and Mitchell Hutter all taking reigns of team leadership.

 

The WWU men's soccer team continued its academic success with 11 student-athletes earning a spot on the 2022 Great Northwest Athletic Conference All-Academic Team. Western has now placed at least 10 players on the GNAC All-Academic team in each of the last six years, combining for 71 academic all-conference honors during this stretch beginning in 2017.

 

Since moving home games to Harrington Field on the south edge of campus in 2014, the Vikings have combined to go 42-21-12 for a .640 winning percentage (7-1-3 in 2022). WWU is 25-9-5 at Harrington Field over the last five seasons (since 2018). Combining with the WWU women's team, both programs have combined to go 121-26-17 (.790) playing at Harrington Field.

 

In his 11th season as head coach and 23rd associated with WWU soccer, head coach Greg Brisbon returns 15 letterwinners, including seven starters, from the 2022 squad that went 12-4-3 overall and were in contention for the GNAC title until the final game of the season with an 8-4-0 mark in conference play. The Vikings are just two full seasons removed from playing in the 2019 NCAA Championships and are in the midst of a strong eight-season stretch (since 2016) combining to go 62-36-18 (.612) with a 41-19-10 (.657) record in GNAC play. Brisbon owns an all-time head coaching record of 87-58-25 (.585). He is assisted in 2023 by Chuck Pitts, 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).

 

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 is in its 43rd season in 2022 and has recorded an overall record at or above the .500 mark in nine of the last 10 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 63 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 71 GNAC All-Academic selections over the last six years.