Huskers Host SDSU, OU to Open 2022 Season

Nebraska (0-0) vs. San Diego State (0-0)
Thursday, Aug. 18 • 7:05 p.m. (CT)
Barbara Hibner Stadium
Lincoln, Neb.

» Regular Season Opener/Schedule Poster Giveaway

» Twitter Updates: @NebraskaSoccer

 

Nebraska (0-0) vs. Oklahoma (0-0)

Sunday, Aug. 21 • 1:05 p.m. (CT)

Barbara Hibner Stadium

Lincoln, Neb.

» Family Fun Day/Teddy Bear Giveaway

» Twitter Updates: @NebraskaSoccer

After playing a pair of exhibition matches, the Nebraska soccer team begins its regular season this week at home against San Diego State and Oklahoma.

 

Both games are set for 7:05 p.m. (CT) with a schedule poster giveaway on Thursday night and Sunday’s game featuring a Family Fun Day with a teddy bear giveaway. 

 

Fans can purchase tickets to each game by calling 1-800-8 BIG RED or by visiting Huskers.com/tickets. Both matches this weekend will be streamed on B1G+ (subscription required). Fans can also track the action by following @NebraskaSoccer on Twitter and viewing the live stats on huskers.com.

Last Time Out

The Huskers defeated the Golden Hurricane in last week’s exhibition match, 2-0, with Florence Belzile and Eleanor Dale each recording goals.

Next Up

NU continues its five-game home stand as it faces Arizona on Thursday, Aug. 25 and Weber State on Sunday, Aug. 28. Both matches will be aired on B1G+.

Kicking Off

• Juniors Dale and Reagan Raabe and sophomore Sarah Weber received Big Ten Preseason Honors recognition, announced by the conference on Monday.

• The Big Ten also released its preseason poll on Monday, as voted on by the conference coaches. Nebraska is picked to finish 12th in the conference.

• During last week’s tune-up games, the Huskers scored a combined two goals with Dale and sophomore Belzile finding the net.

• Nebraska continues its tradition of playing a strong schedule in 2022. This year’s slate features eight NCAA Tournament qualifiers from last season, including two that advanced to the Sweet 16 and one that reached the Elite Eight. 

• This season, the Huskers will have two nationally televised games as both their home game against USC on Sept. 11 and their away game at Purdue on Sept. 29 will be on BTN. 

• During Big Ten play, five of Nebraska’s 10 conference opponents qualified for the NCAA Tournament last season.

• Three of Nebraska’s 2022 opponents earned spots on the preseason United Soccer Coaches poll, released on Aug. 2. The teams are Michigan (9), Penn State (14) and USC (15). Purdue and Wisconsin also received votes.

• The Huskers have 12 regular-season home games scheduled for their eighth season at Barbara Hibner Stadium in 2022. Additionally, NU will host one exhibition, seven non-conference and five conference matches. 

• Nebraska went 2-2-1 during the spring season with wins over Missouri Western (3-0) and Kansas State (2-1).

• Nebraska returns two All-Big Ten performers from last season, Raabe and Weber. Raabe, a third-team all-conference selection, tied for the team high in goals (7) last season and produced the most points on the team (17). Weber, an all-freshman team honoree in 2021, led the team in shots (62) and shots on goal (31) last season.

• Freshman Abbey Schwarz, a recipient of last year’s Big Ten Freshman of the Week accolade, led the Huskers in assists last season, as she compiled eight to place her fifth on the Big Ten charts.

• Head Coach John Walker enters his 29th season, alongside assistant coaches Ian Bridge (seventh season), Marty Everding (25th season) and Samantha Areman (second season).

Scouting the SDSU Aztecs

• In its first and only exhibition match of the season, SDSU defeated Arizona, 2-1, on Thursday, Aug. 11 in Tucson, Ariz.

• Last season, the Aztecs went 7-11-2 and finished third in the Mountain West.

• The all-time series between the two teams is tied, 1-1-1. The first matchup between the teams occurred in 2005 with the Huskers winning 3-2.

• After facing Nebraska, SDSU returns home to face Idaho on Sunday.

• Head Coach Mike Friesen is 165-105-35 in his 16th season and is the winningest head coach in program history. He is assisted by Chassion Griggs, Ariana Robles and Madison Valenzuela.

• Players to Watch

• #11 Denise Castro (Sophomore MF): Team-high eight goals last season
• #5 Emma Gaines-Ramos (Junior F): Tallied two goals and two assists in 2021
• #1 Alexa Madueno (Sophomore GK): Started 15 games last season, recording 80 saves and 25 goals allowed

Scouting the Oklahoma Sooners
• OU defeated Texas State, 9-0, in its lone exhibition match of the year. 
• The Sooners were 8-11-1 last season and finished tied for sixth in the Big 12. OU lost to Texas, 5-2, in the opening round of the conference tournament. 
• Nebraska leads the all-time series against Oklahoma, 13-5-2. The Huskers won the first four matchups between the two teams, starting in 1996. 
• Head Coach Mark Carr is in his third year at Oklahoma with a 9-23-3 record. Prior to OU, Carr was an assistant at UCLA and a head coach at San Francisco. Carr is assisted by David Gough, Maryse Bard-Martel and Alexis Vizarelis.
• Players to Watch

• #13 Bri Amos (Redshirt Senior F): Team-high 17 points in 2021 (six goals and five assists)
• #31 Leonie Weber (Sophomore F): Tallied three goals and two assists last season
• #00 Makinzie Short (Senior GK): Transferred from Nebraska after three seasons, collected 30 saves and allowed 11 goals in 2021