(16) South Florida
Sept. 4, 7:00 at Hermann Stadium

SLU’s first home game of the year features the No. 16 ranked Bulls of South Florida, a soccer powerhouse from the Big East. South Florida is all about defense. Goalkeeper Jeff Attinella was recently named the preseason Goalkeeper of the Year for the Big East, and the senior has a number of top-notch defenders in front of him. Last season, the Bulls allowed just 18 goals in their 21 games.

(7) Tulsa
Sept. 17, 7:05 in Tulsa, Okla.

The Billikens visit Tulsa in mid-September to face the Golden Hurricanes, the highest ranked team on SLU’s schedule. Tulsa earned a preseason ranking of No. 7 after last year’s trip to the Regional Finals. The Golden Hurricanes were just one step away from the College Cup last year and returned most of their key starters. SLU faced Tulsa twice last year, including a 5-4 overtime loss at home in September, and a 4-3 overtime loss in Tulsa during the second round of the NCAA Tournament.

(14) Drake
Sept. 25, 7:30 at Hermann Stadium

This year’s Homecoming game features another nationally-ranked program in the Drake Bulldogs. Drake is a young team this year, looking to make noise in the Missouri Valley Conference. Despite their No. 14 ranking nationally, Drake is a largely unproven squad that is heavy on sophomores. The young guns will depend heavily on a handful of senior leaders, including Matt Kahn and Keenan Malicevic.

Charlotte
Oct. 22, 6:00 in Charlotte, N.C.

While not the strongest soccer conference in the nation, the Atlantic 10 provides for a number of challenges for the Billikens. Charlotte is expected to be the frontrunner in contending for the crown, and SLU will have to take care of business against the 49ers to ensure their spot as the dominant team in the Atlantic 10. While the two teams meet in Charlotte in late October, don’t be surprised to see them meet again in the conference tournament in November.