Nationwide schedule puts Lopes on the map

The Grand Canyon women's soccer team unveiled their 2023 schedule on Friday.

The Lopes boast a challenging nationwide schedule that features four nonconference matches against Pac-12 and SEC schools including anticipated home matches at GCU Stadium against Mississippi State, Oregon and UTSA.

"We are extremely excited about the fun, challenging schedule, that we have put together for our awesome soccer family," head coach Chris Cissell said. "We feel like we have a very good soccer family that is ready to handle these opportunities. We are excited to be competing against some really good teams and champions from other conferences as well as several teams that made last year's national tournament."

Preseason training will take place at the Silver Lakes Complex in Norco, Calif. where the Lopes will conclude their stay with an exhibition match against UC San Diego on Aug. 7. GCU will open the season hosting Mississippi State at GCU Stadium on Aug. 17, the first of four 2022 NCAA Tournament teams on the schedule.

After facing Wright State on Aug. 20 to wrap up the opening weekend the Lopes will head down to Tucson to face Arizona on Aug. 24. The Lopes defeated the Wildcats 1-0 at GCU Stadium last season in front of a record-setting 3,241 fans. The Lopes will return home for a three-match homestand that features former conference opponent CSU Bakersfield, NCAA Tournament team UTSA and Oregon from Aug. 27-Sept. 3.

A Midwest trip will take the Lopes to South Dakota State and North Dakota on Sept. 7 and 10 before the Lopes return home to take on Loyola Marymount on Sept. 14. Nonconference play will conclude with GCU traveling to Fayetteville to face Arkansas on Sept. 17. The Lopes and Razorbacks faced each other in Phoenix last season before Arkansas earned a No. 3 national seed in the NCAA Tournament.

Western Athletic Conference play will be trimmed down from 11 to nine matches in 2023 but the Lopes will still face a challenging field after the conference finished as the 13th strongest in RPI rankings last season. GCU takes on Seattle U and reigning regular season champs Utah Valley on Sept. 21 and 24 before heading north for matches at Southern Utah and Utah Tech.

The final homestand of the season features California Baptist, the host of the 2023 WAC Tournament and a pair of Texas schools, UT Rio Grande Valley and Stephen F. Austin from Oct. 7-15. The regular season will conclude at Abilene Christian and Tarleton on Oct. 19 and 22.

The WAC Tournament will be hosted by CBU for the first time as the annual conference tournament will take place from Oct. 29-Nov. 4 in Riverside, Calif.

To view the full schedule click here.

Grand Canyon University Athletics

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