*** Since this story was originally posted, Thursday's match at UNC Asheville has been moved to a noon start due to potential afternoon storms in the Asheville, N.C., area. ***

HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. – The 2021 season opens for the Northern Kentucky men's soccer team with a trip to Asheville, North Carolina, and a matchup against UNC Asheville on Thursday, Aug. 26. NKU then returns to Highland Heights for its regular-season home opener against Centre College on Saturday, Aug. 28.
 
Match Information
Northern Kentucky University Norse (0-0 Overall, 0-0 Horizon League)
UNC Asheville Bulldogs (0-0 Overall, 0-0 BIG SOUTH)
Thursday, Aug. 26 – Noon (ET)
Asheville, N.C. | Greenwood Field (1,000)
TV: ESPN+ with Matt Stradley (PxP)
Stats: Live Stats
 
Northern Kentucky University Norse (0-0 Overall, 0-0 Horizon League)
Centre College Colonels (0-0 Overall, 0-0 Southern Athletic Association)
Saturday, Aug. 28 – 7:00 p.m. (ET)
Highland Heights, N.C. | NKU Soccer Stadium (1,000)
Stats: Live Stats
 
 
Scoring Points
• NKU went 1-2 in its three exhibition matches, defeating Georgetown College (2-1) before falling to Bellarmine (1-0) and No. 14 Kentucky (2-0).
• NKU opens the season Thursday at UNC Asheville, marking the first time ever the teams have met on the pitch.
• NKU then hosts Centre College on Saturday. The Norse are 3-0 all-time against the Colonels, winning twice (6-1 and 1-0) in the 1981 season and once in 1986 (5-0). While the matchup is a regular-season meeting for the Norse, it will be considered an exhibition for Centre.
• NKU is the reigning Horizon League regular-season champion, winning the league with a 7-1 record versus conference opposition and going 7-2 overall. The title marked the first DI-era championship for the Norse.
• The Norse were picked to finish fourth in this year's #HLMSOC Preseason Poll.
• NKU was also the Horizon League Championship runner-up.
• NKU sported one of the stingiest defenses in the country last year, ranking 13th in save percent (.837) and 23rd in goals against average (.748).
• The Norse received their first ever national ranking as a DI program 2020, checking in at No. 24 in Top Drawer Soccer's April 6 ranking. They moved up to No. 23 on April 13 in the TDS poll, but jumped into the United Soccer Coaches rankings at No. 22 that same week, setting the new DI highwater mark for ranking.
• GK Daniel Bermingham is the reigning #HLMSOC Goalkeeper of the Year.
• Bermingham ranked 16th in the country in save percent (.837) and 33rd in goals against average (0.748).
• F Dylan Bufton, an all-Horizon League First Team honoree, ranked in the top-50 nationally in four categories: shots per game (14th, 3.56), shots on goal per game (33rd, 1.56), points per game (40th, 1.44) and game-winning goals (50th, 2).
• Bufton led the Norse with five goals and 13 points, while also contributing three assists.
• Top Drawer Soccer named Bufton No. 91 on its National Top-100 list. D/M Roberto Burlew checked in at No. 97 on the publication's Freshman Top 100.
• Burlew started all nine games and joined fellow newcomer F Deryn Armstrong on the Horizon League's All-Freshman Team. Armstrong's three goals were the second most on the team.
• In addition to Bermingham and Bufton's #HLMSOC first team honors, M Ryan Godding earned a spot on the second team after tallying one goal and three assists last season.
• F Sam Robinson was second on the team in scoring with eight points, ranking second on the team with two goals and distributing a team-high four assists.
• M Ben Hegge, F Brodie Sallows and M Tobias Karlsen scored goals for the Norse a season ago, while Hegge and Sallows added two assists and one assist, respectively.