Thursday, August 20
Orlando, FL
7 PM
Boston University
at
UCF
Men’s Soccer to Open Season at UCF on Thursday
August 19, 2026 | Men's Soccer
Boston University (0-0) at UCF (0-0)
Date & Time: Thurs, Aug. 20 | 7 p.m.
Venue: UCF Soccer Complex | Orlando, Fla.
X: @BUGameDay | @TerrierMSOC
BOSTON – The Boston University men's soccer team will travel down to the Sunshine State on Thursday to open its 78th season against UCF, the 2025 Sun Belt Conference Tournament Champions. The match will be streamed on ESPN+ with a broadcast slated for 7 p.m.
TERRIER TIDBITS
Date & Time: Thurs, Aug. 20 | 7 p.m.
Venue: UCF Soccer Complex | Orlando, Fla.
X: @BUGameDay | @TerrierMSOC
BOSTON – The Boston University men's soccer team will travel down to the Sunshine State on Thursday to open its 78th season against UCF, the 2025 Sun Belt Conference Tournament Champions. The match will be streamed on ESPN+ with a broadcast slated for 7 p.m.
TERRIER TIDBITS
- The Terriers return 17 players from last year's squad and introduce 11 newcomers, including two transfers, senior Ben Bagshaw (College of Charleston) and junior Louis Crofts (George Washington University).
- BU brings back three of its five leading scorers, graduating top scorer Ethan Gill along with Alex Bonnington.
- Ben Alexander returns as a goalkeeper for the Terriers after an outstanding 2025 season where he recorded a team best 0.667 save percentage, 1.57 goals against average and earned a 1-0 shutout at New Hampshire.
- Andrea Di Blasio was named to the Academic All-Patriot League, All-Patriot League Second Team and United Soccer Coaches All-Atlantic Region Third Teams following an impressive junior season. He led the team in shots (35) and shots on goal (16) while finishing second in goals with five and third in points with 11.
- Di Blasio and junior Pharis Petrica each earned Preseason All-Patriot League honors for the first time in their careers. Additionally, Di Blasio was named to the United Soccer Coaches Players to Watch list.
- The Terriers are 3-1-2 in season openers under head coach Kevin Nylen, including 2-0-1 in season openers on the road.
- Last season, BU led the Patriot League in several categories, including points (93), goals (30) and assists (33).
- The Knights went 11-7-3 and 4-3-2 in conference play last season, earning their third consecutive appearance in the Sun Belt Conference Championships.
- Last season, UCF clinched its first Sun Belt Tournament title in program history and earned an automatic bid to the 2025 NCAA Tournament. The Knights defeated in-state rival FAU 3-2 before falling to No. 15 Georgetown in the second round.
- The Knights lose their leading scorers, Lilian Ricol, Clarence Awoudor, Claudel N'goubou and Malick Thiaw, heading into the upcoming season. Ricol signed with USL League One's Fort Wayne Football Club in February.
- UCF's former starting goalkeeper Juanvi Muñoz, who started all 21 games last season with 60 saves and five shutouts, signed with
- Spain's Club Deportivo Soneja in March.
- The Terriers are 1-0 in all-time matches against the Knights.
- This marks their first meeting since Sept. 17, 2007, when BU defeated UCF 3-2 at Nickerson Field.
- BU will continue its three-game road trip when returning to the Boston area to face Northeastern on Fri, Aug. 31 at 6 p.m.
- The Terriers are 3-4-3 in its last ten matchups against the Huskies.
- The Terriers earned their last road victory, a 2-1 win, against the in-town rivals on Sept. 16, 2014.
Players Mentioned
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