Winthrop men’s soccer to play nine home games during 2015 season

Winthrop head men’s soccer coach Rich Posipanko has announced a 19-game slate for the 2015 season that will include nine home contests and two exhibitions.

Following the 2014 season in which the Eagles posted their highest RPI in school history (39), Posipanko - coaching his final season at Winthrop - has once again put together a competitive schedule that features preseason matches on the road at North Carolina and South Carolina, as well as eight regular-season matches against teams that won 10 or more games in 2014.

“As always we try to put together the best schedule possible each season,” said Posipanko. “Since we play in the top region in the nation, our schedule has always reflected teams from around the South region. Included on this year’s schedule are eight teams that were ranked nationally at some point last season and five teams that played in the NCAA College Cup. We always hope a good non-conference schedule will help with our preparation for conference games and help us get back to the NCAA College Cup.”

With nine starters and 20 returning players, Winthrop is expecting a big men’s soccer season. After the exhibitions at UNC and USC, the Eagles’ regular season will include eight non-conference games beginning with the season-opener at home against UNC Wilmington. The Eagles pulled off a 2-1 victory over UNCW in 2014 on the road but the Seahawks enjoyed a good season finishing 13-5-2, qualifying for the College Cup, and earning national rankings as high as 27th in two polls.

After three home games, Winthrop will face a stretch of six out of seven games on the road, including the first two league games. The Eagles will head to Greenville, S.C. for the Diadora/Spinx Gray Griffin Memorial Tournament. Winthrop will face College of Charleston on Sept. 4 and then the host Paladins on Sept. 6. Furman finished 2014 with a 12-5-5 record and ranked 22nd in the final TopDrawerSoccer.com Top 25 Poll and eighth in the NSCAA South Region.

After a road games at Charlotte and USC Upstate, the Eagles will return home to wrap-up their non-conference schedule on Sept. 22 against Appalachian State.

Winthrop opens Big South action with back-to-back road games beginning with Liberty on Sept. 26 and then Gardner-Webb on Oct. 7. Then the Eagles will play five-of-six at home starting with Presbyterian College on Oct. 10 and including Radford (Oct. 13), UNC Asheville (Oct. 17), Coastal Carolina (Oct. 28) and Campbell (Oct. 31). The game versus Campbell will mark the final regular season game of Posipanko’s career as head coach of the Eagles. The remaining league games on the road will be High Point (Oct. 24) and the regular season finale at Longwood (Nov. 7).

In 2014 the league had five teams with 10 or more wins and three teams that finished in the Top 50 of RPI, including the Eagles school record mark of 39th. Coastal Carolina, Winthrop, Radford and Campbell found themselves ranked in the Top 25 at some point during the season and Coastal Carolina finished 22nd in one poll and 23rd in two others.

The Big South Conference Tournament format remains the same as the Top 4 seeds will host a quarterfinal game on Nov. 10 and then the semifinals and championship game will take place in Greensboro, N.C. at Bryan Park on Nov. 13 and 15.

2015 Winthrop men’s soccer schedule

Aug. 14 at UNC, 7 p.m.

Aug. 19 at South Carolina, 7 p.m.

Aug. 23 UNC Wilmington, 2 p.m.

Aug. 28 Brevard, 7 p.m.

Aug. 30 Wofford, 7 p.m.

Sept. 4 at College of Charleston, 5 p.m.

Sept. 6 at Furman, 2:30 p.m.

Sept. 11 at Charlotte, 7:30 p.m.

Sept. 16 at USC Upstate, 7 p.m.

Sept. 22 Appalachian State, 7 p.m.

Sept. 26 at Liberty, 12 p.m.

Oct. 7 at Gardner-Webb, 7 p.m.

Oct. 10 Presbyterian College, 2 p.m.

Oct. 13 Radford, 7 p.m.

Oct. 17 UNC Asheville, 5 p.m.

Oct. 24 at High Point, 7 p.m.

Oct. 28 Coastal Carolina, 7 p.m.

Oct. 31 Campbell, 7 p.m.

Nov. 7 Longwood, 12 p.m.

Nov. 10, 13, 15 Big South tournament, TBD

This story was originally published July 23, 2015 at 2:05 PM with the headline "Winthrop men’s soccer to play nine home games during 2015 season."