Women’s Soccer Publishes Schedule for 2024
LEXINGTON, Ky. – Kentucky women’s soccer released its 2024 schedule on Monday, announcing an 18-match regular season that begins when the Wildcats host Central Michigan at the Bell Soccer Complex, Aug. 15. UK will face eight NCAA Tournament teams from a season ago, including a marquee non-conference date with the 2022 NCAA Champions, UCLA, in Lexington.
Prior to opening the regular season, the Wildcats will host exhibition matches against both Lexington Sporting (Aug. 3) and Xavier (Aug. 10).
Opening night for the Wildcats will officially be Aug. 15 against Central Michigan. Kentucky will remain at home to face Morehead State, the 2023 Ohio Valley Tournament Champions, on Aug. 18.
From there, the Wildcats will venture to take on some more unfamiliar opponents, squaring off against Detroit Mercy for the time since 1997 at the Bell on Aug. 22, before facing Jacksonville State for the first time in program history on Aug. 25.
Kentucky will make its first road trip of the year to battle Illinois on Sept. 1 in what is the return trip of a home-and-home series with the Illini that saw UK earn a 1-0 win in Lexington last year.
The Cats meet Murray State for the second-consecutive season when the teams hit the pitch on Sept. 5, after Kentucky went on the road and defeated the Racers, 2-1, last season. That contest will be followed by a highly anticipated challenge against 2023 Pac 12 Champion, and NCAA Tournament No. 1 seed, UCLA, scheduled for Sept. 8 in Lexington. It will mark the first meeting between the two schools since they went head-to-head in the second round of the NCAA Tournament in 2013.
UK will close out its non-conference slate by hosting Kent State, another first-time opponent, Sept. 13.
Action in the new look Southeastern Conference begins for Kentucky with a home test on Sept. 19 against the Florida Gators, one of five home matches in league play for the Wildcats. Other SEC opponents who will be making the trip to the Bell Soccer Complex include defending SEC Tournament Champion, Georgia (Sept. 26), LSU (Oct. 10), Auburn (Oct. 18) and Tennessee (Oct. 27).
The Cats will visit South Carolina (Sept. 22), SEC newcomer Oklahoma (Sept. 29), Alabama (Oct. 4), Vanderbilt (Oct. 13) and Mississippi State (Oct. 24).
The 2024 SEC Soccer Tournament, featuring the top 12 teams from the league’s regular season standings, will take place in Pensacola, Florida in November.
Times for all matches, along with television assignments, will be announced at a later date.
Head coach Troy Fabiano enters his third year at the helm and looks to build off a successful 2023 campaign which saw Kentucky earn its most points in Southeastern Conference play since 2014, while also qualifying for the conference tournament for the first time since 2015 under the 10-team format.
For the latest on UK Women’s Soccer, follow the Wildcats on X and Instagram at @UKWomensSoccer, on Facebook and on the web at UKathletics.com.
