COMING UP: at George Fox, Saturday, 1 p.m.
 
GAME DAY INFORMATION: Game time for Saturday's match-up at the Austin Sports Complex in Newberg has been moved up an hour to 1 p.m. to accommodate the OIT-GFU women's match-up later that afternoon. The game will be streamed live on the Northwest Conference Network, with Live Stats available through GFU's SIDEARM Stats Portal.
 
MULTIMEDIA: All photos from the 2024 season will be posted online via the OIT Men's Soccer Flickr Page, while highlight clips will be posted online via the OIT Men's Soccer YouTube Channel.
 
OPPONENT PREVIEW – GEORGE FOX: The Owls open the 2024 season in Yamhill County, traveling up I-5 to meet Division III George Fox. The Bruins, who will be using the match as an exhibition contest, are coming off a 5-11-4 season in 2023 – a season in which the club struggled to score goals (15 goals in 20 matches), but the Fox defense surrendered 53. The squad returns their top three scoring threats, as two-time honorable mention All-Northwest Conference junior forward Eugene Peltier (6 goals, 1 assist) is joined by fellow juniors Kellin Aguiar (3 goals) and Santiago Munevar (2 goals, 1 assist), with junior keeper Keoni Gavino (2.59 GAA, .571 save %) anchoring the defense.
 
HISTORY BETWEEN TECH AND FOX: Saturday's match-up is the sixth all-time meeting between the Oregon schools, with the Hustlin' Owls holding a 3-1-1 series edge – including a 2-0-1 mark in Newberg. The two sides last met in 2019, with Tech's Daniel Blessinger scoring an unassisted goal early in the second half in an Owls 1-0 victory.
 
OLD CONFERENCE FOE: George Fox is no stranger to OIT – with the bulk of the history occurring prior to the start of both Owls soccer programs. GFU and Tech were both original members of the Oregon Collegiate Conference from 1950-69, with both teams also competing in the NAIA District 2 throughout the 1980s and early 1990s and were founding members of the Cascade Conference in 1993. Fox was the first CCC team to leave the league, joining the Northwest Conference and the NCAA Division III in 1995.
 
AGAINST THE NCAA / NORTHWEST CONFERENCE: The Saturday contest is the 21st time the Owls have played an NCAA opponent, with OIT posting a 7-10-3 mark against the rival division. Of those matches, 18 were against Northwest Conference teams (all former NAIA institutions) – with Tech 7-8-3 against the clubs (3-1-1 against George Fox, 2-4-1 against Linfield, 1-3-1 against Pacific and 1-0 vs. Willamette).
 
SEASON OPENING STREAK ON THE LINE: The Owls will take a five-match unbeaten streak in season openers into Saturday's contest. OIT picked up wins to start the 2019-21 seasons, while playing Simpson to a draw in 2022 and Menlo to a draw in 2023. Tech's last season opening loss was in 2018 – a 2-0 decision at The Master's. OIT is 7-6-3 in season openers, dating back to the start of the program in 2008, including a 2-4-3 mark on the road.
 
AUGUST GAMES: Tech will play an August game for the 14th time in 17 seasons (the 2009 and 2021 seasons opened in September, while the 2020 season was played in the spring of 2021). The Owls are 4-9-3 all-time in August games – including a current 5-game unbeaten streak.
 
OWLS PICKED FIFTH IN CCC POLL: Coming off their third-straight trip to the Cascade Conference Tournament semifinals, Oregon Tech was picked fifth out of 14 teams in the 2024 CCC Preseason Coaches' Poll, released Aug. 7 by the league office. Tech received 128 voter points from the 14 league coaches following an 11-5-3 season, with the club returning a pair of All-CCC performers. Defending CCC regular-season champ, Southern Oregon, earned eight first-place votes and took the top spot with 216 voter points, while CCC Tournament champ, College of Idaho grabbed five first-place nods, placing second with 182 points. Warner Pacific (163) and Carroll College (149) placed third and fourth in the tabulation, with the Owls well ahead of sixth-place Evergreen State (109).
 
SEASON PREVIEW – FORWARDS AND MIDFIELDERS: Click Here For Preview
 
SEASON PREVIEW – DEFENDERS AND KEEPERS: Click Here For Preview
 
QUOTES FROM THE COACH: "Our goal is to blend together – 16 and 16," head coach Sean McManamon said. "We have 16 returners and 16 new players – we have to get the 16 new players on the same page as the returners. It's not about identity or style of play, but it's the level of play that is expected, the work ethic and knowing how our program operates – relying on the servant leadership of our returners to get the new guys up to speed. If we do not achieve our goals this year, it won't be because of technical skill, tactical ability or athleticism, but the fact that we have to be able to pick up where we left off last year as a program. You can't replace the seniors, but our goal in recruiting was to find players that fit the bill with who we have returning. Finding guys who will be fluid and having the ability to play in multiple spots as we continue to build our brand of football. In the end, the goal is – can we determine who our identity is, as a team, within the conference, within the NAIA? It can be daunting if you let it, but if you are excited about it, it can be great – we need to be effective in what we do."
 
AROUND THE CONFERENCE: Five teams opened their 2024 schedule last weekend, including Southern Oregon and College of Idaho traveling to Arizona – SOU sweeping Embry-Riddle and Benedictine Mesa, with C of I topping BenU and playing ERAU to a draw. Both Corban and Bushnell hosted Stanton, Corban picking up a win, with BU playing them to a draw, while Evergreen dropping a match to the University of Victoria. This week, six teams are in action, including the season debut of OIT, Warner Pacific, Providence and Northwest.
 
RECORD BOOK: Three players head into 2024 ranked among the Top-20 the OIT all-time career record book. Andrew Pasang is No. 2 all-time in goals scored (24), assists (18), total points (66) and game-winning goals (8), ranking No. 7 in total shot attempts (106); Ryan Solis is No. 4 in shutouts (7), No. 6 in goalie wins (8) and No. 9 in saves (64); with Kevin Rodriguez No. 12 in assists (9).
 
LOOKING AHEAD: The Owls open their home schedule next Wednesday, playing host to Simpson – the start of a home-and-home series with the Redhawks.