TicketsCINCINNATI— The University of Cincinnati soccer team will open the 2023 season on the road Thursday against No. 17 Michigan State and usher in the new era of Cincinnati soccer under head coach Erica Demers. The game will kickoff at 7:30 p.m. ET, inside DeMartin Stadium in East Lansing, Mich., marking the 800th match in program history.
The match will be streamed on B1G+, a subscription to the streaming service is required to watch the game. Fans can also follow along with live stats found here.
Thursday's game will be the first of two road games to begin the season for the Bearcats. The team will face Dayton on Sunday, Aug. 20 to close out the season-opening weekend.
// THE MATCH UP
This will be the 22nd meeting between the two programs and the 11th time it will be played in East Lansing. The series is currently tied 5-5-0 when played at Michigan State, while the Bearcats lead the overall series 12-8-1. The last matchup occurred last season in Gettler Stadium, ending in a 0-0 draw. The last time the match was hosted by MSU was back in 2006 where the Spartans won 2-0.
Fun Fact: UC and MSU were conference opponents for three seasons (1980-83) in the Midwest Inter-College Women's Soccer League before Cincinnati left to become independent.
// ENTERING THE DEMERS ERA
Head coach Erica Demers became the sixth coach of the Cincinnati women's soccer team in December. Her first year at UC will be her seventh career season as a head coach, after spending the last six leading the UAB women's team. Joining Demers in Cincinnati will be her assistant coaches from UAB: Rachael Collins and John Robertson. Robertson has been a part of her staff since 2018, while Collins joined her staff in 2019.
// A FIFTH YEAR FOR 22
Three-time American Athletic Conference Player of the Year and four-time AAC First Team All-Conference honoree Ashley Barron is back for her fifth season as a Bearcat. She is the first Bearcat in program history to earn first team all-conference honors four times in a career. The anchor on the Cincinnati back line started all 17 games last season. She recorded over 1400 minutes played for the third time in her career (1,486 minutes). She scored a career high two goals on 24 shots (7 on goal). She played more than 80 minutes in 15 out the 17 matches last season.
// CONFERENCE REALIGNMENT
Cincinnati officially joined the Big 12 Conference on July 1, 2023 after spending the last nine years in the AAC. The season opener will begin the Bearcats inaugural season in the Big 12 will be the first UC program to compete in a game or match as part of its new conference.
// A CONFERENCE CHANGE IS NOTHING NEW
With UC joining the Big 12, it will mark the fifth new conference the Bearcats have joined since the program's formation in 1980 (note: team was independent from 1984-93.) The Bearcats have reached double-digit wins in their previous conference inaugural seasons, including going 15-5-2 as part of the GMC in 1994.
Conference Alignment
1980-83 Midwest Intercollegiate Women's Soccer League
1984-93: Independent
1994: Great Midwest Conference
1995-2004: C-USA
2005-12: Big East
2013-22: American Athletic Conference
// THE BIG 800
The match up between Cincinnati and Michigan State will be the program's 800th match played since the formation of the team in 1980. The team holds a record of 413-309-77 over the last 43 years and has amassed a winning percentage of .565.
// LEADING SCORERS
Last season the Bearcats had three players tied for the most goals of the team with four. Two of the three players, junior Paige Miller and sophomore Megan Smith, will return for Cincinnati and lead the offensive efforts.
// RELIABILITY RETURNS
The Bearcats have three players returning that started all 17 games last season; the defensive leader Barron and running mate on the back line graduate student Kendall Battle, both returning for their fifth season and senior goalkeeper Anna Rexford. Both Battle and Rexford have started and played every game over the last two seasons.
// RECORD BOOK REXFORD
Not only did Rexford start all 17 matches for the Bearcats in 2022, but she had a dominant year doing so. She finished the year with seven shutouts, the 10th most in a single season in program history. The goalkeeper from Wilmore, Ky, also finished the year with a goals allowed average of 0.96, the eighth best in program history.
// CAREER HISTORY
Both Anna Rexford and Ashley Barron are chasing down Cincinnati program history. Rexford currently sits in seventh for most career wins with 19 and has the eighth most career shutouts in program history with 11. Barron is fast approaching the most career minutes played mark as she is just over 300 away from cracking the top 10. Barron has played over 1,400 minutes in three of her previous four seasons.
// HOLDING DOWN THE MIDDLE
The mid-fielding combo of Emma Schmelzer and Lauren Bastian will look to once again push the pace for the Bearcats. Bastian led the team in assists (3) last season only playing in 14 games. Schmelzer finished the year with the fourth most minutes played (1,235) and scored two goals.
// PROTECTING GETTLER STADIUM
In recent years, Gettler Stadium has proved to be a formidable place to play as the team has only lost on its home turf 18 times since 2013. Last season the Bearcats went 7-0-2, allowing only five goals and recording six shutouts of the nine games during the regular season.
// INTERNATIONAL APPEAL
This years' rosters contains five international athletes, as well as Demers (Welland, Ontario) across three different countries. All five are also new additions to the roster via the transfer portal. Highlighting the group are UAB transfers, junior Laura Zemberyova (Slovakia) and sophomore Claire Rea (Ontario). UC also added graduate transfer Teni Akindoju (Nova Scotia) who played the last four years at Texas.
// UP NEXT
The Bearcats will head up I-75 to face Dayton to wrap up the season-opening road trip. The game will kick off at 6:00 p.m. on Sunday, Aug. 20 at Baujan Field. The match will be streamed on ESPN +.
// ANTHEM BUDDIES AND GROUP EXPERIENCES.
Looking to experience Cincinnati soccer like never before? Click here to learn more about the Cincinnati Anthem Buddies and Group Experience programs.
// FOLLOW THE BEARCATS
For all the latest information on Cincinnati women's soccer, please visit GoBEARCATS.com and follow @GoBearcatsWSOC on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.
The match will be streamed on B1G+, a subscription to the streaming service is required to watch the game. Fans can also follow along with live stats found here.
Thursday's game will be the first of two road games to begin the season for the Bearcats. The team will face Dayton on Sunday, Aug. 20 to close out the season-opening weekend.
// THE MATCH UP
This will be the 22nd meeting between the two programs and the 11th time it will be played in East Lansing. The series is currently tied 5-5-0 when played at Michigan State, while the Bearcats lead the overall series 12-8-1. The last matchup occurred last season in Gettler Stadium, ending in a 0-0 draw. The last time the match was hosted by MSU was back in 2006 where the Spartans won 2-0.
Fun Fact: UC and MSU were conference opponents for three seasons (1980-83) in the Midwest Inter-College Women's Soccer League before Cincinnati left to become independent.
// ENTERING THE DEMERS ERA
Head coach Erica Demers became the sixth coach of the Cincinnati women's soccer team in December. Her first year at UC will be her seventh career season as a head coach, after spending the last six leading the UAB women's team. Joining Demers in Cincinnati will be her assistant coaches from UAB: Rachael Collins and John Robertson. Robertson has been a part of her staff since 2018, while Collins joined her staff in 2019.
// A FIFTH YEAR FOR 22
Three-time American Athletic Conference Player of the Year and four-time AAC First Team All-Conference honoree Ashley Barron is back for her fifth season as a Bearcat. She is the first Bearcat in program history to earn first team all-conference honors four times in a career. The anchor on the Cincinnati back line started all 17 games last season. She recorded over 1400 minutes played for the third time in her career (1,486 minutes). She scored a career high two goals on 24 shots (7 on goal). She played more than 80 minutes in 15 out the 17 matches last season.
// CONFERENCE REALIGNMENT
Cincinnati officially joined the Big 12 Conference on July 1, 2023 after spending the last nine years in the AAC. The season opener will begin the Bearcats inaugural season in the Big 12 will be the first UC program to compete in a game or match as part of its new conference.
// A CONFERENCE CHANGE IS NOTHING NEW
With UC joining the Big 12, it will mark the fifth new conference the Bearcats have joined since the program's formation in 1980 (note: team was independent from 1984-93.) The Bearcats have reached double-digit wins in their previous conference inaugural seasons, including going 15-5-2 as part of the GMC in 1994.
Conference Alignment
1980-83 Midwest Intercollegiate Women's Soccer League
1984-93: Independent
1994: Great Midwest Conference
1995-2004: C-USA
2005-12: Big East
2013-22: American Athletic Conference
// THE BIG 800
The match up between Cincinnati and Michigan State will be the program's 800th match played since the formation of the team in 1980. The team holds a record of 413-309-77 over the last 43 years and has amassed a winning percentage of .565.
// LEADING SCORERS
Last season the Bearcats had three players tied for the most goals of the team with four. Two of the three players, junior Paige Miller and sophomore Megan Smith, will return for Cincinnati and lead the offensive efforts.
// RELIABILITY RETURNS
The Bearcats have three players returning that started all 17 games last season; the defensive leader Barron and running mate on the back line graduate student Kendall Battle, both returning for their fifth season and senior goalkeeper Anna Rexford. Both Battle and Rexford have started and played every game over the last two seasons.
// RECORD BOOK REXFORD
Not only did Rexford start all 17 matches for the Bearcats in 2022, but she had a dominant year doing so. She finished the year with seven shutouts, the 10th most in a single season in program history. The goalkeeper from Wilmore, Ky, also finished the year with a goals allowed average of 0.96, the eighth best in program history.
// CAREER HISTORY
Both Anna Rexford and Ashley Barron are chasing down Cincinnati program history. Rexford currently sits in seventh for most career wins with 19 and has the eighth most career shutouts in program history with 11. Barron is fast approaching the most career minutes played mark as she is just over 300 away from cracking the top 10. Barron has played over 1,400 minutes in three of her previous four seasons.
// HOLDING DOWN THE MIDDLE
The mid-fielding combo of Emma Schmelzer and Lauren Bastian will look to once again push the pace for the Bearcats. Bastian led the team in assists (3) last season only playing in 14 games. Schmelzer finished the year with the fourth most minutes played (1,235) and scored two goals.
// PROTECTING GETTLER STADIUM
In recent years, Gettler Stadium has proved to be a formidable place to play as the team has only lost on its home turf 18 times since 2013. Last season the Bearcats went 7-0-2, allowing only five goals and recording six shutouts of the nine games during the regular season.
// INTERNATIONAL APPEAL
This years' rosters contains five international athletes, as well as Demers (Welland, Ontario) across three different countries. All five are also new additions to the roster via the transfer portal. Highlighting the group are UAB transfers, junior Laura Zemberyova (Slovakia) and sophomore Claire Rea (Ontario). UC also added graduate transfer Teni Akindoju (Nova Scotia) who played the last four years at Texas.
// UP NEXT
The Bearcats will head up I-75 to face Dayton to wrap up the season-opening road trip. The game will kick off at 6:00 p.m. on Sunday, Aug. 20 at Baujan Field. The match will be streamed on ESPN +.
// ANTHEM BUDDIES AND GROUP EXPERIENCES.
Looking to experience Cincinnati soccer like never before? Click here to learn more about the Cincinnati Anthem Buddies and Group Experience programs.
// FOLLOW THE BEARCATS
For all the latest information on Cincinnati women's soccer, please visit GoBEARCATS.com and follow @GoBearcatsWSOC on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.