ROCHESTER, Mich – The 2022 Oakland University Men's Soccer team is set to kick off their regular season August 25 in Omaha, Nebraska against the Creighton Bluejays at 7:30 E.T. 

The defending Horizon League regular season and tournament champions are slated to return 15 players from last season's NCAA tournament qualifying team, three of which (Mikey Ketteman, Reid Sproat, and Ville Ahola) garnered All-League credentials last season (Ketteman elected to First Team, Sproat and Ahola elected to Second Team). Kai Garvey was placed on the All-Freshman Team.

The Golden Grizzlies will also bring back the reigning Horizon League Coach of the Year, Eric Pogue for his 14th year as Golden Grizzly Head Coach and 21st overall as a staff member. 

Oakland ended last season ranked 81st in the NCAA Division I RPI out of 208 programs, the highest in all of the Horizon League. 

OU's non-conference schedule consists of two matches in the state of Nebraska, versus Creighton and Omaha. Two home games against Depaul and Butler prior to heading out west to face Grand Canyon, who is receiving votes in the latest United Soccer Coaches poll. 

Oakland will wrap up their non-conference schedule by matching up with in-state foe Michigan and at Bowling Green September 23.


SCOUTING REPORT

Creighton went 3-0 in their exhibition matches this season, with victories against Drake, Bradley, and Denver.

Goalkeeper, Paul Kruse and midfielder, Charles Auguste are predicted to be selected to the All-Big East team in the latest Big East Coaches Poll for the Bluejays.   

As a team, the Bluejays have scored a total of 11 goals during exhibition play and were predicted to finish fourth in the Big East Conference Pre-Season Coaches Poll. 


 

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TOURNAMENT TEAM RETURNS
Oakland is coming off a historic entry into the NCAA Tournament after winning both the regular season and tournament Horizon League titles, falling in the first round to Northern Illinois.

NO. 1 IN THE LEAGUE
Oakland was picked to finish first in the Horizon League in the annual #HLMSOC Preseason Coaches Poll.

COACH OF THE YEAR
Head Coach Eric Pogue was named Horizon League Coach of the Year in 2021 following a 10-6-2 overall record, 8-1-1 in conference play.

ALL-LEAGUE RETURNERS
The Golden Grizzlies reload in 2022 with four of the seven All-Horizon League honorees last season in Mikey Ketteman, Reid Sproat, Ville Ahola, and Kai Garvey.

NEWCOMER IMPACT
With plenty of new faces to go around, Oakland was introduced to fire power in the exhibition games in Charlie Retzler, Ahmad Hamad, Jace Foster, and Addrian Knights-Browne to name a few.