HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. – The Northern Kentucky men's soccer team kicks off the 2022 season on the road as the Norse travel to Bradley University to begin a new year.
 
MATCH INFORMATION
Northern Kentucky University Norse (0-0-0 Overall, 0-0-0 Horizon League)
Bradley Braves (0-0-0 Overall, 0-0-0 Missouri Valley)
Thursday, August 25 – 8:00 p.m. (ET) / 7:00 PM (CT)
Peoria, IL | Shea Stadium (1,000)
Broadcast: ESPN+  |   Stats: Live Stats

OPENING NOTES
• Northern Kentucky Men's Soccer sees veteran coach Tom Poitras at the helm for the 2022 season.
• Poitras is the fifth men's soccer coach in Norse History, joining the program from the University of Hartford.
• Coach Poitras has complied a 269-186-71 (.579) overall record throughout his 28-year head coaching career.
• Joining Poitras on the NKU staff this season will be J.C. Banks. He spent nearly a decade on the pitch as a professional, playing in various leagues such as the USL, NASL and MASL. Banks spent time with multiple clubs including the Rochester Rhinos (2012-14), the Milwaukee Wave (2013-15), Minnesota United (2015-16), Jacksonville Armada (2017-18) and finally with Forward Madison FC (2019-2021).
• A year ago Northern Kentucky finished eighth overall in the Horizon League with a conference record of 4-6 and an overall record at 6-11.
• The Norse return a wealth of experience from last season which includes roughly nine starters and 13 letter-winners from 2021.
• NKU won the 2020 (played in the Spring of 2021) Horizon League regular-season title, 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. NKU was also the Horizon League Championship Tournament runner-up during this season.
• 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, 2020 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 high-water mark for ranking.

NORSE VS BRAVES
The all-time series between Northern Kentucky and Bradley contains a short history with these programs locked up at a 1-1 overall record. These two squads first met back in 2012 as the Braves downed the Norse 1-0 in Peoria, while NKU dominated meeting number two against Bradley. The Norse evened the all-time series with a with in Highland Heights in 2019 with a 5-0 victory. cc

SEASON OPENER
During the last 10 season openers, the Norse are 2-6-2 overall. The last opening day victory for NKU came during the 2018 season with a 3-2 win at Bowling Green.

FOLLOW NORSE MEN'S SOCCER
Get in the game and follow Northern Kentucky's women's college soccer team through @NKUNorseMSOC on Twitter, @NKUNorseMSOC on Instagram, nkunorsemsoc on Facebook and subscribe to the NKU Norse Youtube channel.