WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – The Purdue soccer team begins its 25th season on Thursday, August 18, at 7 p.m. ET, against No. 15 USC at Folk Field in a nationally-televised game on the Big Ten Network.
Coming off one of its best seasons in program history, the Boilermakers return to the pitch a year after a record-setting 2021 campaign that saw them win 15 games, finish second in the Big Ten and advance to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2009.
Admission is free for all fans for the Boiler Gold Rush kick-off game. At last year's BGR season-opener, a program-record 2,125 fans packed Folk Field, and another large crowd is expected again on Thursday night. The first 2,000 students in attendance will receive a free Purdue Soccer stadium horn.
The match will be broadcast live on the Big Ten Network and on the Fox Sports app, and live stats are available at Purdue.Statbroadcast.com. Updates also can be found by following @PurdueSoccer on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook, while direct links to follow along are available on the schedule page at PurdueSports.com/Soccer.
Dean Linke and Jackie Manny will have the national-television call live on the Big Ten Network.
Thursday night's season-opener at Folk Field is a matchup between two NCAA Tournament, top-25 and conference runners-up from a year ago, as both Purdue and USC advanced to the NCAA Second Round, finished the year nationally ranked and placed second in the Big Ten and Pac-12, respectively.
Twenty-one Boilermakers return to the field in 2022, including three of the team's top five leading scorers. Six veterans started at least 16 games in 2021. Eleven newcomers will don the Old Gold and Black for the first time, with a freshman signing class that was ranked in the top-20 nationally.
NATIONALLY-RANKED BOILERMAKERS
Purdue is receiving votes in the United Soccer Coaches Preseason Poll for the first time since 2010. It is the sixth season in program history the Boilermakers are ranked or receiving votes in the preseason, along with 2003 (No. 25), 2006 (No. 21), 2007 (No. 15), 2008 (No. 24) and 2010 (RV).
The preseason votes come after Purdue concluded the 2021 season ranked No. 24 nationally, the third time ever the Boilermakers were ranked in the final poll and the first since 2007. The 2021 squad appeared in the national rankings for the first time since 2009, and peaked at No. 18.
BIG TEN PLAYERS TO WATCH
Fifth-year midfielder Sydney Duarte, junior midfielder Emily Mathews and sophomore forward Gracie Dunaway were recognized on the 2022 Big Ten Players to Watch List. All three are honored in the preseason for the first times in their careers, while Mathews' recognition comes after she was named to the All-Big Ten First Team at the conclusion of the 2021 season.
Additionally, the Big Ten Preseason Poll was unveiled. In a vote amongst the leagues' 14 head coaches, the Boilermakers were voted to finish seventh. Last season, Purdue was picked 11th in the preseason but finished as the Big Ten runner-up with an 8-2-0 conference record.
A LOOK BACK AT A RECORD-SETTING 2021
Last season, the Boilermakers went 15-4-3, their second-best record and second-most wins in program history, behind only a 20-2-3 season in 2007. Purdue qualified for the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2009 and seventh time in program history, and advanced to the second round for the fourth time and first since 2007. The squad went 8-2-0 in the Big Ten and notched a runner-up finish, both tied for their best-ever marks along with 2007.
Individual honors included forward Sarah Griffith earning All-America Second Team accolades, the fifth All-American in program history. Griffith and current junior midfielder Emily Mathews were selected to the All-Region Team, and they were two of five Boilermakers selected to the All-Big Ten Team.
PRO BOILERS
Six Purdue Soccer alumnae are playing professionally in 2022, including four of the eight graduating seniors from the 2021 team.
Forward Sarah Griffith (Chicago Red Stars, 35th overall) and goalkeeper Marisa Bova (North Carolina Courage, 45th overall) were selected in the 2022 NWSL Draft, the first two NWSL draft picks in Purdue history and the third and fourth professional draft picks. The Boilermakers were one of nine schools to have multiple players selected in the 2022 draft, while they were the only Big Ten program and the only team not on the east or west coast with two or more draftees.
Along with Griffith and Bova, fellow 2021 seniors Maya Lambert and Grace Walsh are playing in Kazakhstan and Asturias, respectively. They are joined by Ena Sabanagic (Purdue 2016-19), who is playing in Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Maddy Williams (2013-17), who played in Indianapolis for Indy Eleven's USL-W squad.
RECORD-BREAKING CROWDS
As the Boilermakers were breaking records on the field in 2021, fans were helping set records in the stands, as the single-game, season total and season average attendance numbers all were broken last season. A total of 9,578 fans packed Folk Field in 2021 for an average of 737, both shattering the previous marks. It began with a school-record crowd of 2,125 fans at the season-opening game against Kentucky, the first home crowd of more than 2,000. Purdue had two home games in a season with at least 1,000 fans for the first time in program history in 2021.
SERIES HISTORY VS. USC
Purdue is 0-2-0 all-time against USC, including 0-1-0 at home. The two previous matchups took place in early September in back-to-back years, 2010 and 2011. The Trojans earned a 1-0 win in 2010 in Fullerton, California, and followed it up with a 2-1 triumph in overtime in West Lafayette the following year.
That 2011 matchup was the last time Purdue played a Pac-12 team before 2022, and that season also included two other matchups vs. Pac-12 opponents, Oregon State and Colorado, all at home. The Boilermakers are 5-6-0 all-time against teams in the Pac-10/Pac-12.
SCOUTING THE TROJANS
USC was the Pac-12 runner-up a year ago and advanced to the NCAA Tournament's second round. The Trojans posted a 14-3-3 record with an 8-1-2 mark in Pac 12 action. In the preseason polls, the Trojans are No. 15 by the United Soccer Coaches and No. 18 by Top Drawer Soccer.
UP NEXT: BOILERMAKERS AND COMMODORES
The opening weekend concludes when Purdue hosts Vanderbilt on Sunday, August 21, at 1 p.m. ET. Admission at Folk Field is free for all fans during the regular season in 2022.
For more on the Purdue soccer team, visit PurdueSports.com/Soccer and follow and connect with the Boilermakers at @PurdueSoccer on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
Coming off one of its best seasons in program history, the Boilermakers return to the pitch a year after a record-setting 2021 campaign that saw them win 15 games, finish second in the Big Ten and advance to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2009.
Admission is free for all fans for the Boiler Gold Rush kick-off game. At last year's BGR season-opener, a program-record 2,125 fans packed Folk Field, and another large crowd is expected again on Thursday night. The first 2,000 students in attendance will receive a free Purdue Soccer stadium horn.
The match will be broadcast live on the Big Ten Network and on the Fox Sports app, and live stats are available at Purdue.Statbroadcast.com. Updates also can be found by following @PurdueSoccer on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook, while direct links to follow along are available on the schedule page at PurdueSports.com/Soccer.
Dean Linke and Jackie Manny will have the national-television call live on the Big Ten Network.
Thursday night's season-opener at Folk Field is a matchup between two NCAA Tournament, top-25 and conference runners-up from a year ago, as both Purdue and USC advanced to the NCAA Second Round, finished the year nationally ranked and placed second in the Big Ten and Pac-12, respectively.
Twenty-one Boilermakers return to the field in 2022, including three of the team's top five leading scorers. Six veterans started at least 16 games in 2021. Eleven newcomers will don the Old Gold and Black for the first time, with a freshman signing class that was ranked in the top-20 nationally.
NATIONALLY-RANKED BOILERMAKERS
Purdue is receiving votes in the United Soccer Coaches Preseason Poll for the first time since 2010. It is the sixth season in program history the Boilermakers are ranked or receiving votes in the preseason, along with 2003 (No. 25), 2006 (No. 21), 2007 (No. 15), 2008 (No. 24) and 2010 (RV).
The preseason votes come after Purdue concluded the 2021 season ranked No. 24 nationally, the third time ever the Boilermakers were ranked in the final poll and the first since 2007. The 2021 squad appeared in the national rankings for the first time since 2009, and peaked at No. 18.
BIG TEN PLAYERS TO WATCH
Fifth-year midfielder Sydney Duarte, junior midfielder Emily Mathews and sophomore forward Gracie Dunaway were recognized on the 2022 Big Ten Players to Watch List. All three are honored in the preseason for the first times in their careers, while Mathews' recognition comes after she was named to the All-Big Ten First Team at the conclusion of the 2021 season.
Additionally, the Big Ten Preseason Poll was unveiled. In a vote amongst the leagues' 14 head coaches, the Boilermakers were voted to finish seventh. Last season, Purdue was picked 11th in the preseason but finished as the Big Ten runner-up with an 8-2-0 conference record.
A LOOK BACK AT A RECORD-SETTING 2021
Last season, the Boilermakers went 15-4-3, their second-best record and second-most wins in program history, behind only a 20-2-3 season in 2007. Purdue qualified for the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2009 and seventh time in program history, and advanced to the second round for the fourth time and first since 2007. The squad went 8-2-0 in the Big Ten and notched a runner-up finish, both tied for their best-ever marks along with 2007.
Individual honors included forward Sarah Griffith earning All-America Second Team accolades, the fifth All-American in program history. Griffith and current junior midfielder Emily Mathews were selected to the All-Region Team, and they were two of five Boilermakers selected to the All-Big Ten Team.
PRO BOILERS
Six Purdue Soccer alumnae are playing professionally in 2022, including four of the eight graduating seniors from the 2021 team.
Forward Sarah Griffith (Chicago Red Stars, 35th overall) and goalkeeper Marisa Bova (North Carolina Courage, 45th overall) were selected in the 2022 NWSL Draft, the first two NWSL draft picks in Purdue history and the third and fourth professional draft picks. The Boilermakers were one of nine schools to have multiple players selected in the 2022 draft, while they were the only Big Ten program and the only team not on the east or west coast with two or more draftees.
Along with Griffith and Bova, fellow 2021 seniors Maya Lambert and Grace Walsh are playing in Kazakhstan and Asturias, respectively. They are joined by Ena Sabanagic (Purdue 2016-19), who is playing in Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Maddy Williams (2013-17), who played in Indianapolis for Indy Eleven's USL-W squad.
RECORD-BREAKING CROWDS
As the Boilermakers were breaking records on the field in 2021, fans were helping set records in the stands, as the single-game, season total and season average attendance numbers all were broken last season. A total of 9,578 fans packed Folk Field in 2021 for an average of 737, both shattering the previous marks. It began with a school-record crowd of 2,125 fans at the season-opening game against Kentucky, the first home crowd of more than 2,000. Purdue had two home games in a season with at least 1,000 fans for the first time in program history in 2021.
SERIES HISTORY VS. USC
Purdue is 0-2-0 all-time against USC, including 0-1-0 at home. The two previous matchups took place in early September in back-to-back years, 2010 and 2011. The Trojans earned a 1-0 win in 2010 in Fullerton, California, and followed it up with a 2-1 triumph in overtime in West Lafayette the following year.
That 2011 matchup was the last time Purdue played a Pac-12 team before 2022, and that season also included two other matchups vs. Pac-12 opponents, Oregon State and Colorado, all at home. The Boilermakers are 5-6-0 all-time against teams in the Pac-10/Pac-12.
SCOUTING THE TROJANS
USC was the Pac-12 runner-up a year ago and advanced to the NCAA Tournament's second round. The Trojans posted a 14-3-3 record with an 8-1-2 mark in Pac 12 action. In the preseason polls, the Trojans are No. 15 by the United Soccer Coaches and No. 18 by Top Drawer Soccer.
UP NEXT: BOILERMAKERS AND COMMODORES
The opening weekend concludes when Purdue hosts Vanderbilt on Sunday, August 21, at 1 p.m. ET. Admission at Folk Field is free for all fans during the regular season in 2022.
For more on the Purdue soccer team, visit PurdueSports.com/Soccer and follow and connect with the Boilermakers at @PurdueSoccer on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.