Michigan
Detroit Mercy
U-M to Kick Off 2021 with Pride Day Match vs. Detroit Mercy, Road Match at Oakland
8/25/2021 2:25:00 PM | Men's Soccer
» Michigan opens its 22nd varsity season this Thursday against Detroit Mercy.
» The Wolverines are 11-9-1 in season-openers.
» U-M returns 26 letterwinners and adds four freshmen and one transfer to its 31-man roster.
THIS WEEK
Thursday, Aug. 26 -- Detroit Mercy (U-M Soccer Stadium), 4 p.m.
Live Stats | Live Video
Sunday, Aug. 29 -- at Oakland (Rochester, Mich.), 2 p.m.
Live Stats | Live Video
PROMOTIONS
• Aug. 26: Pride Day
• Full Promotions Schedule
• Social Media: Facebook | Twitter | Instagram
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The University of Michigan men's soccer team (0-0) opens the 2021 campaign Thursday (Aug. 26) with a 4 p.m. contest against Detroit Mercy (0-0) at U-M Soccer Stadium before making a short trip to Oakland University (0-0) on Sunday (Aug. 29) for a 2 p.m. match with the Golden Grizzlies.
For the first time since the 2019 campaign, the Wolverines will welcome fans inside U-M Soccer Stadium for the 2021 season. Thursday's match is Pride Day and will celebrate lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer social and self-acceptance. Ticket packs are available, featuring admission to the match and a Michigan Pride Scarf for $12. Face tattoos also will be available.
Wolverine Bites
• Michigan is coming off a 6-4-1 Big Ten Conference-only 2020-21 spring schedule in which it made it to the B1G Tournament semifinal contest. The Wolverines were 5-3-1 in regular-season play and earned three home victories in the unprecedented season.
• The Wolverines open their 22nd season of varsity competition with a 200-162-50 overall record. U-M is 11-9-1 in season openers and 14-7-0 in its home openers.
• Head coach Chaka Daley enters his 10th season at the helm of the Michigan program and carries a 78-63-28 overall record, having led the Wolverines to four NCAA postseason appearances.
• The Big Ten released its preseason poll of conference coaches, and Michigan was picked to finish third in a very competitive league. The Wolverines trailed just Indiana and Penn State.
• U-M returns 26 letterwinners from the 2020-21 season and adds four freshmen (Laith Alhiyafi, Jason Bucknor, Hayden Evans and Michael Leon) and Columbia transfer Uriel Zeitz to its 31-man roster for the 2020-21 campaign.
• Michigan returns 10 players who started at least seven of 11 matches in the 2020-21 season, including reigning Big Ten Midfielder of the Year Marc Ybarra as well as Kevin Buca and Bryce Blevins¸ who had three goals each a season ago.
Opponent Preview
Detroit Mercy
All-time series against Detroit Mercy: Michigan leads 13-1-3
Detroit Mercy went 2-5 in a conference-only slate last season after coming off a 7-11-1 record in the 2019 campaign. The Titans scored nine goals in seven games, with eight different players finding the back of the net. Reggie Spencer is the only returning keeper who has seen time between the pipes after playing just 18 minutes a season ago and not facing a shot.
The Wolverines and Titans last met in 2019 with Michigan earning a 1-0 victory behind a Derick Broche game-winner with assists from Austin Swiech and Harry Pithers.
Oakland
All-time series against Oakland: Michigan leads 13-2-4
Oakland was picked to finish first in the Horizon League in the 2021 preseason poll after going 6-1-2 in the 2020-21 conference-only campaign. The Golden Grizzlies outscored opponents 26-13 in 2020-21, averaging 12.9 shots per game and putting 53 percent of their shots on goal. Point leader Noah Jenson returns for a fifth season after scoring four goals and adding 14 assists for 22 points, while leading goal scorer Dylan Borczak also will return for a fifth year after netting seven goals last season. Finn Jurak earned seven starts in goal in the spring with 21 saves and is the only returning keeper who earned minutes in the 2020-21 campaign.
Oakland is scheduled to play at Butler on Thursday before hosting the Wolverines on Sunday. Michigan earned a 2-0 victory in the 2019 meeting between the two squads, with the Wolverines outshooting the Golden Grizzlies 15-5.
Up Next
Thursday, Sept 2 -- vs. Duke (U-M Soccer Stadium), 7 p.m.
