Arkansas soccer releases schedule for 2023

The Arkansas soccer team released its schedule for the 2023 season Thursday.

Arkansas will ramp up for the regular season with a pair of exhibition matches at Razorback Field against Kansas State (Aug. 7) and Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville (Aug. 12). The Razorbacks will kick off the competitive slate with an in-state rivalry matchup against Arkansas State on Aug. 17.

The non-conference schedule includes high-profile trips to Notre Dame (Aug. 27), North Carolina (Sept. 3) and Clemson (Sept. 7). The Fighting Irish finished 17-3-3 in 2022 before being eliminated by the Tar Heels in the NCAA Tournament.

UNC lost to UCLA in the national championship game last season.

Arkansas will host Oregon (Aug. 24), Milwaukee (Aug. 31) and Grand Canyon (Sept. 17) before ending its season against a string of Southeastern Conference opponents.

The Razorbacks will travel to Knoxville, Tenn., for their SEC opener against the Volunteers on Sept. 15. Arkansas will conclude the final month of the regular season with four home games against Georgia (Oct. 5), Florida (Oct. 12), Ole Miss (Oct. 22) and Mississippi State (Oct. 26).

The SEC slate also includes trips to Texas A&M (Sept. 24), Missouri (Sept. 28), Auburn (Oct. 8) and LSU (Oct. 19).

“The schedule meets all of our objectives,” Arkansas coach Colby Hale said in a release. “It prepares us for SEC play, and we get outside of our comfort zone, which gives us an opportunity to grow, and it sets us up for the postseason per the parameters they lay out.

“If you want to be a championship program, you have to play a top schedule, and this certainly seems to fit that.”

Arkansas’ 2023 soccer schedule

Aug. 7 – Kansas State (exhibition), 1 p.m.

Aug. 12 – SIUE (exhibition), 6 p.m.

Aug. 17 – Arkansas State, 6 p.m.

Aug. 24 – Oregon, 6:30 p.m.

Aug. 27 – at Notre Dame, 7 p.m.

Aug. 31 – Milwaukee, 6:30 p.m.

Sept. 3 – at North Carolina, 1 p.m.

Sept. 7 – at Clemson, 6 p.m.

Sept. 15 – at Tennessee, 6:30 p.m.

Sept. 17 – Grand Canyon 1 p.m.

Sept. 21 – Alabama 6 p.m.

Sept. 24 – at Texas A&M, 2 p.m.

Sept. 28 – at Missouri, 6 p.m.

Oct. 5 – Georgia, 6 p.m.

Oct. 8 – at Auburn 6 p.m.

Oct. 12 – Florida, 6 p.m.

Oct. 19 – at LSU, 6:30 p.m.

Oct. 22 – Ole Miss, 1 p.m.

Oct. 26 – Mississippi State, 6:30 p.m.