Titans' Formidable Soccer Schedule Begins In Texas
Another challenging schedule awaits the UW-Oshkosh women's soccer team as the 2019 edition of the Titans play four NCAA Division III postseason participants from a year ago.
UW-Oshkosh's 18-match itinerary also features nine matches against teams that produced winning records last year, including three who reign as their defending conference champion.
The Titans will face all four of their 2018 NCAA postseason opponents within a seven-match period, beginning with their contest at Loras College (Iowa) on Sept. 8 and ending with their game at UW-La Crosse in the WIAC opener on Oct. 5.
UW-Oshkosh's remaining battles with participants from last year's NCAA postseason field are home contests at J. J. Keller Field at Titan Stadium against Dominican University (Ill.) on Sept. 14 and Illinois Wesleyan University on Sept. 22.
Loras College (17-4 record in 2018) captured the American Rivers Conference (ARC) title last season and advanced to the second round of the NCAA Championship. The Duhawks have won four of their six all-time meetings with UW-Oshkosh.
Dominican University (18-3) claimed the Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference (NACC) championship last fall and lost its opening round match of the NCAA postseason to snap a 17-game winning streak. UW-Oshkosh, which hasn't played Dominican University since the 2002 season, is unbeaten in two contests with the Stars.
Illinois Wesleyan University (14-5-2) finished third in the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin (CCIW) last year and advanced to the second round of the NCAA Championship. UW-Oshkosh and Illinois Wesleyan University will be meeting for the fourth time and the first since Illinois Wesleyan University snapped a two-game losing streak to UW-Oshkosh with a victory in 2009.
UW-La Crosse (18-3-3), which enters the 2019 season ranked 17th in the country by United Soccer Coaches, lost 3-0 to the University of St. Thomas (Minn.) in the third round of last year's NCAA Championship. The Eagles, who own an 18-10-3 record against UW-Oshkosh, captured their second straight WIAC title a year ago.
UW-Oshkosh opens its 27th season with this weekend's trip to Dallas, Texas. The Titans' first-ever appearance in the Lone Star State involves contests against University of Texas at Dallas on Friday (Aug. 30) and DePauw University (Ind.) on Saturday (Aug. 31).
The University of Texas at Dallas (16-2-1), a first-time opponent of UW-Oshkosh, finished second in the American Southwest Conference a year ago while DePauw University (4-11-1) placed seventh in the North Coast Athletic Conference. The Titans haven't played DePauw University since the Tigers eliminated UW-Oshkosh on an overtime shootout during the first round of the 2015 NCAA Championship. DePauw University owns a 1-0-1 record against the Titans.
UW-Oshkosh's other matches against opponents who compiled a winning record in 2018 are Sept. 7 at University of Dubuque (Iowa), Oct. 15 at Concordia University Wisconsin, Oct. 19 at home against UW-Eau Claire and Oct. 23 at UW-Stevens Point.
The University of Dubuque (14-4-1) finished fourth in the ARC last season while Concordia University Wisconsin (11-10) placed third in the NACC and UW-Stevens Point (12-2-4) second and UW-Eau Claire (9-8-2) third in the WIAC. The Titans are 4-1 against the University of Dubuque, 13-4-1 against Concordia University Wisconsin, 7-20-2 against UW-Stevens Point and 11-24-3 against UW-Eau Claire.
UW-Oshkosh's remaining non-conference contests are Sept. 18 at Ripon College, Sept. 21 at home against Carthage College, Sept. 25 at home against St. Norbert College and Oct. 30 at home against first-time opponent North Central College (Ill.).
St. Norbert College (8-11-1) placed third and Ripon College (7-10-2) fourth in the Midwest Conference (MWC) last season while North Central College (7-9-1) finished sixth and Carthage College (7-8-3) eighth in the CCIW. UW-Oshkosh owns records of 16-5-2 against St. Norbert College, 5-3 against Ripon College and 1-4-1 against Carthage College. The Titans' match with Ripon College will be the first between the teams since 2001.
UW-Oshkosh concludes its WIAC agenda with matches Oct. 9 at home against UW-Whitewater (10-10-1), Oct. 12 at UW-Stout (2-13-1), Oct. 26 at UW-River Falls (9-9-1) and Nov. 2 at home against UW-Platteville (9-10) in the league finale. The Titans own records of 16-16-3 against UW-Whitewater, 20-4-7 against UW-Stout. 14-13-3 against UW-River Falls and 21-4-1 against UW-Platteville.
The WIAC Championship begins with a pair of opening-round games on Nov. 5 and concludes with semifinal round games on Nov. 7 and the final on Nov. 9.
Last season UW-Oshkosh compiled a 4-8 record against opponents on this year's schedule. The Titans notched victories over St. Norbert College, UW-River Falls, UW-Stout and UW-Whitewater while losing twice to UW-Eau Claire and once each to Carthage College, Concordia University Wisconsin, Loras College, UW-La Crosse, UW-Platteville and UW-Stevens Point.
UW-La Crosse secured last year's WIAC title with a 6-0-1 record. The Eagles were followed in the league standings by second-place UW-Stevens Point at 5-0-2; third-place UW-Eau Claire at 4-2-1; fourth-place UW-Oshkosh, UW-Platteville and UW-Whitewater at 3-4; seventh-place UW-River Falls at 2-5; and eighth-place UW-Stout at 0-7.
UW-Oshkosh returns 20 of its 32 letter winners from last year's team, including All-WIAC performers Mallory Knight and Tory Schumann. Knight, a junior forward, led the Titans with seven goals and 16 points last season while Schumann, a junior midfielder, tallied one goal and one assist.
Junior midfielder Addie Schmitz also returns after counting one assist a year ago. She earned All-WIAC honors in 2017 after totaling two goals and a team-leading four assists.
UW-Oshkosh's five other returning starters from last season are sophomore midfielder Mackenzie Bennett, junior midfielder Delaney Karl, senior defender Maddie Morris, senior defender Madison Smith and junior goalkeeper Erin Toomey. Karl scored two goals last season while Toomey posted a 1.76 goals against average in 1,125 minutes played.
Erin Coppernoll enters her 16th season (159-112-31 record) as UW-Oshkosh's head coach. Coppernoll, who owns a 19-year collegiate coaching record of 183-157-34, ranks fourth in the WIAC with her 159 coaching victories.
UW-Oshkosh, the 2015 WIAC co-champion, made NCAA Division III Championship appearances in 2006, 2011, 2014 and 2015.