2019 Soccer Schedule: All About The Valley

Bradley Soccer's 2019 schedule includes MVC double round-robin format, plus six more games with Valley connections

Bobby Parker, Associate AD for Communications Soccer 7/3/2019 4:39:00 PM

PEORIA, IL – The 2019 Bradley Soccer schedule will have a super-sized Missouri Valley Conference feel, according to the 20-game slate revealed by head coach Jim DeRose today.

In addition to the league's new double, round-robin schedule format that will bring each of The Valley's other five squads to Shea Stadium in 2019, Bradley also will host former Valley rivals Creighton (Aug. 17), Belmont (Aug. 30) and Eastern Illinois (Sept. 13) as part of the 10-game home schedule. Adding to the MVC theme, Bradley will face former Braves assistant coaches Brad Ruzzo (Mercer Aug. 24) and Brian Barnett (IUPUI Sept. 6), as well as former Creighton head coach Bob Warming (Omaha Oct. 15).

About the Braves
The Braves return 14 lettermen, including eight starters, from last year's squad that finished 8-5-4 overall and extended its non-conference unbeaten streak to 13 games (7-0-6), dating to Oct. 17, 2017. Bradley's leading scorer from each of the last two seasons headline the returning group: junior forward Gerit Wintermeyer (20 points on eight goals and four assists) led the 2018 Braves in scoring, while senior forward Roman Schindler (19 points on seven goals and five assists) paced the 2017 scoring attack. Together, the duo has combined for 60 points on 24 goals and 12 assists the last two years. Bradley also will welcome a group of 13 newcomers for the 2019 campaign.

Two Preseason Exhibitions with Connections
Bradley will prepare for the 2019 season with two significant exhibition games, beginning with a clash against former MVC power Creighton Aug. 17 (7 p.m.) at Shea Stadium. The former league rivals dominated The Valley together for the decade before the Bluejays departed for the Big East, combining to win 15 of the league's 20 regular-season and tournament championships from 2003-12. Following the home exhibition game versus Creighton, Bradley will travel to Nashville Aug. 24 for a neutral-site exhibition against Mercer, coached by former Braves associate head coach Brad Ruzzo and featuring DeRose's son, J.R., as the No. 1 goalkeeper. Creighton won the 2018 Big East Conference regular-season title, while Mercer captured the Southern Conference crown last season.

Season-Opening 4-Game Home Stand Includes Danny Dahlquist Memorial Game
The Braves officially will kick off their 33rd NCAA Division I season with a four-game home stand, starting Aug. 30 against Belmont. The Bruins competed as a Missouri Valley Conference men's soccer affiliate member during the 2000 season.

The season-opening home stand will continue Sept. 6 when Bradley hosts Barnett's IUPUI squad for the 11th Danny Dahlquist Memorial Game. A Peoria native, Barnett was a member of DeRose's coaching staff from 2009-15. Barnett is beginning his fourth year as the IUPUI head coach and he is assisted by another former Bradley assistant, Ronnie Bouemboue. The annual memorial game is a tribute to former Brave Danny Dahlquist, who died weeks before the start of the 2007 season, with event proceeds benefitting the Danny Dahlquist Memorial Fund at Bradley University. Previous opponents for the tribute game have included Creighton (twice), Kentucky, Louisville, Michigan State, Northwestern (twice), Notre Dame (twice) and Princeton.

After hosting Oakland Sept. 8, Bradley will close the season-opening home stand with its final non-conference game at Shea Stadium Sept. 13 versus former Valley rival Eastern Illinois. The Panthers competed as a MVC men's soccer affiliate from 1996-2010 and this year's meeting will be the 29th in the all-time series.

Final Four Non-Conference Games
Bradley's four remaining non-conference games will be played on the road: Sept. 15 at Northern Illinois, Oct. 15 at Omaha, Nov. 1 at Northern Kentucky and Nov. 4 at Western Illinois. The Braves are unbeaten (3-0-3) in their last six non-conference road games since dropping a 2-1 decision at then-No. 17 Omaha Sept. 10, 2017.

Valley Double Round Robin
With the Missouri Valley Conference no longer utilizing affiliate members, the 6-team men's soccer league has introduced a 10-game, double round-robin schedule for the 2019 season. Bradley's league schedule will kick off Sept. 21 at Drake with the Bulldogs visiting Shea Stadium Oct. 5 for the featured event during Bradley University's annual Homecoming festivities.

The two games against each of the other four MVC opponents are: Evansville (Oct. 13 A, Nov. 9 H); Loyola Chicago (Sept. 26 A, Oct. 23 H); Missouri State (Oct. 9 A, Oct. 19 H); and Valparaiso (Sept. 29 H, Oct. 27 A). The Nov. 9 game versus Evansville will close out the 2019 regular season and serve as Senior Day

2019 MVC Men's Soccer Championship at Loyola
Loyola Chicago will host the 2019 Missouri Valley Conference Championship for the first time Nov. 13, 15 and 17 at Loyola Soccer Park in Chicago.

Bradley Soccer Tickets Information
Bradley Soccer season tickets are on sale via the Bradley Athletics Ticket Office at Renaissance Coliseum. Pricing for 2019 season tickets is $40 for adults or $20 for children in eighth grade and younger. A season tailgating parking pass is available for $50. Single-game tickets are $6 for adults, $4 for children, $14 for a family pass (max 2 adults and 3 children) and free for Bradley University students, faculty and staff, as well as active military members and immediate family, all with valid identification. Several single-game group packages also are available by contacting the Bradley Athletics Ticket Office at (309) 677-2625 or via email at BradleyTicketOffice@bradley.edu.

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