MEN’S SOCCER
The UNC Greensboro (UNCG) men’s soccer team and Head Coach Chris Rich has announced its 2023 slate.
After the Spartans concluded the 2022 season with a historic run to the Elite Eight round of the NCAA Tournament, won the 2022 Southern Conference (SoCon) Regular Season title, and the 2022 SoCon Tournament title, the team looks to build off the success this fall.
Following the team’s 10th NCAA Division I bid into the tournament and 19th in program history, the Spartans found themselves at No. 5 in the final United Soccer Coaches poll of the season. This was the highest ranking in program history with the previous ranking of No. 9 in 2004.
“After our success in recent years, our goal moving forward as a program is to achieve sustained success, both in conference and nationally,” said Coach Rich. “In my opinion, one of the ways to do that is to put together the best schedule possible.
“We believe we have done just that as this should be one of the best non-conference schedules in the country. Ten to 11 of these opponents are historically top-50 programs fighting to be in the NCAA Tournament every year.
“This schedule will bring a new level of challenges that requires an elite level of energy and focus from our players and staff, but we are excited for the challenge and can’t wait to get to work.
“We finished the 2022 season hosting top programs like Ohio State and Indiana, and the UNCG community and the city of Greensboro came out in a big way. We are excited to host more top programs here at UNCG Soccer Stadium and hope our fans will pack the stands!”
WOMEN’S SOCCER
The UNC Greensboro (UNCG) women’s soccer team and Head Coach Michael Coll have announced the 2023 schedule with a competitive lineup of non-conference opponents before taking on its Southern Conference (SoCon) slate in September.
The Spartans concluded the 2022 season with a thrilling finish after advancing to the SoCon Championship behind a double overtime 2-1 win against the top-seeded Chattanooga Mocs. UNCG then fell in a heartbreak to the second-seeded Samford Bulldogs in the final. The two teams tied 0-0 in regulation and then Samford took home the title after a 6-5 finish in penalty kicks.
UNCG finished in the top 100 in RPI for the fourth time in six seasons and was one of two SoCon teams in the top 100 with an RPI of 91.
“We look forward to the 2023 season as we aim to build on a strong 2022 season in the rapidly strengthening SoCon” said Coach Coll. “Last year’s penalty kick shootout loss in the SoCon Championship Final was a nailbiter but a strong 2023 spring season coupled with a very high-level non-conference slate of games in August and September are two things that we hope can springboard us to another level this fall. We have a strong incoming class, an experienced group of returners, and we are very excited to compete against high level opponents this fall.”
Story by Emma White, UNC Greensboro Athletics
Photography by Carlos Morales
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