Hokie ClubBLACKSBURG - A minimum of eight Virginia Tech men’s soccer matches will be available either on broadcast television or online this fall, as announced Tuesday by the Atlantic Coast Conference as part of its fall 2015 Olympic sport broadcast schedule.
Tech fans will be able to catch five matches online through ESPN3, as well as two on HokiesXtra, the department’s in-house online broadcast, and one on the Regional Sports Network (RSN), a group of channels across the country that carry ACC broadcasts throughout the year.
These eight contests do not include any potential broadcasts from non-conference opponents on the road that have yet to be announced.
“We are always pleased when we get an opportunity to showcase our program through any of the ACC’s broadcast partners, be it on television or online,” head coach Mike Brizendine said. “The games chosen are high level and the broadcast quality is always top of the line, making it an exciting environment for our fans and players.”
The five ESPN3 games are as follows: Sept. 18 at Louisville; Sept. 25 against Boston College (Thompson Field); Oct. 2 at Clemson; Oct. 6 against West Virginia (Thompson Field); and Oct. 23 against defending national champion Virginia (Thompson Field).
The Hokies’ home match against Notre Dame on Oct. 16 will be broadcast on RSN, as well as simulcast on ESPN3. All Olympic sport contests (on any ESPN platforms or on the RSNs) are also available live digitally via WatchESPN (not subject to blackout).
HokiesXtra will have the broadcast for the Sept. 22 match against Delaware and the Oct. 27 match against Belmont.
The team reports to camp on Aug. 11 and begins practice the following day. Tech will play a trio of scrimmages, including two at home, before opening the season on Aug. 28 at home against UNCG at 8:30 p.m. The Hokies return players who scored 16 of their 19 goals last season and will play a challenging schedule that features seven teams that made it to the 2014 NCAA Soccer Championship.
Nine of the 17 squads on the slate finished in the top 55 of the 2014 NCAA RPI, including six in the top 15 (Virginia: 2; Notre Dame: 6; North Carolina: 7; Charlotte: 9; Clemson: 11; Xavier: 13). Recent national champions Virginia (2014), Notre Dame (2013) and North Carolina (2011) will all play in Blacksburg this fall.
Admission to Thompson Field for all matches is free of charge. You can view the entire 2015 schedule here.