Aug. 23, 2012

Tickets/Parking Info | Live Audio | Gametracker | Game Notes (PDF)

MILWAUKEE - The Marquette University men's soccer team will host the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee in the 2012 regular season opener, Friday, Aug. 24, at Valley Fields. Kickoff against the Panthers is set for 6:30 p.m. It marks the 40th time these two teams will play for the right to hoist the Milwaukee Cup trophy.

Fans are encouraged to wear navy blue to create a "Navy Nightmare" for the visiting Panthers.

Tickets are $7 for adults and $3 for youth and are good for the MU women's soccer match versus the Panthers immediately following the men's game Friday. MU students get in free with their student ID. Call the MU ticket office at 414-288-GOMU to get your tickets in advance.

Gates open at 5:30 p.m. The first 500 fans receive a free t-shirt, courtey of Lowland Grand Cafe'

About the Marquette Golden Eagles (0-0)
Louis Bennett enters his seventh season as head coach at Marquette, following a 10-year coaching tenure across town at UWM. MU returns eight starters for the third consecutive season, including eight starters from the team that captured the 2011 BIG EAST Blue Division title.

MU will have its sights set on its fourth-straight postseason bid in 2012 after earning BIG EAST Men's Soccer Championship berths in 2009, 2010 and 2011.

Marquette opens the 2012 campaign ranked No. 33 in the country by TopDrawerSoccer.com and NO. 34 by College Sports Madness.

About the Milwaukee Panthers (0-0)
First-year head coach Kris Kelderman makes his UWM debut Friday night after one season at the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay. UWM returns 15 players, including eight starters, from last year's team that finished with a 6-10-2 overall record, but led the Horizon League in scoring (79 points). The Panthers also welcome back 2010 all-conference forward Andrew Wiedabach.

Milwaukee Cup History
Named one of the top-10 rivalries in collegiate soccer by College Soccer News, the Milwaukee Cup dates back to 1973. Friday marks the 40th time these two teams will battle for the traveling trophy, which has been in possession with the Panthers since 2010.

There were 2,089 fans in attendance the last time Marquette hosted Milwaukee on Sept. 1, 2010. It was the largest crowd on record to see a men's soccer match at Valley Fields.

Milwaukee is 27-9-3 all-time against Marquette, while Bennett is 7-7-2 all-time in Cup matches and 2-3-1 against the Panthers in his MU career.

WMUR Marquette Radio Live Audio Streaming
Once again WMUR Marquette Radio will broadcast live a majority of MU men's soccer matches this season with play-by-play voice Matt Trebby on the call. Listen live at http://bit.ly/MURadio.