Maryland (0-0-0) vs. No. 18 Charlotte (0-0-0)
August 26, 2021
Ludwig Field
7:30 pm EDT
COLLEGE PARK, Md. - The Maryland men's soccer team kicks off its 2021 season Thursday night against No. 18 Charlotte at Ludwig Field. Kickoff is scheduled for 7:30 p.m., and fans can watch the action live on
B1G Plus. Fans can purchase tickets
here or buy at Ludwig Field box office. The match will be a part of men's soccer "Move-In Madness." All students living in dorm rooms on campus that have moved in will be invited to attend the game with their families, who will receive free admission to the game with a voucher distributed during move-in.
THIS WEEK'S STORYLINES
JOIN THE CREW/Fan information
- Thursday's match will mark the return of Maryland's famous student-section "The Crew" after an absence of 644 days. The notorious student fan group has established itself as the most well known college soccer fan section in the nation.
- Members of The Crew receive access to scarf and shirt giveaways along with special access to road match trips. To sign up for The Crew, click here.
- Maryland plays in front of the most raucous atmosphere in college soccer at storied Ludwig Field. The Terps have ranked in the top eight in the nation in attendance in 18 straight seasons, including first in 2019. The Terps are 8-0-1 in their last nine home openers.
- Fully vaccinated guests are not required to wear a mask at outdoor athletic events. However, all attendees will be required to wear a mask or face-covering in any indoor space, including suites and restrooms, regardless of vaccination status, unless actively consuming food or beverage. In compliance and coordination with public health guidance, COVID-19 data, and our county mandates, the University of Maryland requires unvaccinated individuals to wear a mask while outdoors in crowded spaces. Full updated COVID-19 protocols for Fall 2021
tuned up and ready
- Maryland went 2-0-1 in a three match exhibition slate. The Terps finished their dress rehearsal in style with a 2-1 victory over ACC favorite No. 3 Pittsburgh on Saturday night. Goals from junior Hunter George and Joe Suchecki propelled the Terps to the victory.
- The weekend prior, the Terps drew Temple, led by former assistant coach Brian Rowland, 2-2 at Ludwig Field before defeating Lehigh, 3-1, in Philadelphia.
- In the preseason polls, Maryland is just outside of the top-25 according to the United Soccer Coaches poll, getting the highest amount of votes of any team not included in the ranking. The Terps were picked to finish fourth in the Big Ten by the conference's head coaches.
SERIES HISTORY/Scouting Charlotte
- Maryland is 2-0-0 all-time against Charlotte. The two squads faced off in a top-15 matchup in 2011 when the No. 3 Terps topped No. 12 Charlotte, 3-1, at Ludwig behind goals from John Stertzer and Casey Townsend. An own goal was the Terps' third tally and the win made Maryland 9-0-1 to begin the season.
- The other matchup came in 2008. Maryland won on a Townsend game winner in overtime off a Jeremy Hall assist. Hall had scored the Terps' goal in regulation. Maryland would go on to capture the national title.
- Charlotte enters the season as the 18th-ranked team in the nation according to both the United Soccer Coaches and Top Drawer Soccer. The 49ers are picked to finish second in the C-USA Preseason Poll behind defending national champion Marshall.
- Charlotte finished last season in the top-25 after falling to North Carolina on penalty kicks in the second round of the NCAA Tournament. The 49ers striker duo of Preston Popp and Alex Willis, along with fifth-year senior midfielder Joe Brito are on the C-USA preseason All-Conference team.
B1G PLAYERS TO WATCH
- Brett St. Martin, Malcolm Johnston and Ben Bender were named Big Ten Players to Watch, the conference announced this week.
- St. Martin, a team captain for the second consecutive season, has been a rock at the right-center back spot for the Terps since the beginning of his sophomore season. St. Martin has started 31 matches over the last two seasons and played every minute of his junior campaign. He was a second-team All-Big Ten selection last season.
- Johnston, a Big Ten All-Freshman Team selection in 2019, has tallied six goals and four assists over the course of his first two seasons in College Park. He will play a key role as a box-to-box midfield player for the Terps this in 2021.
- Bender burst onto the scene as a freshman last season, starting all 11 matches and scoring two goals en route to Big Ten All-Freshman Team honors. Bender dazzled with his creative flair as an attacking midfielder and looked primed to breakout into the national conversation in 2021.
SCHEDULE NOTES
- After a truncated Big Ten only slate for last season, Maryland returns to its normal schedule for the 2021 campaign. Home matchups with Charlotte (8/26), UMBC (8/29), Michigan (9/17), Rutgers (9/28), Northwestern (10/8) and Indiana (10/31) highlight the Ludwig slate.
- The Terps also will contest two notable road matches locally. The Terps will face Virginia at Audi Field in Washington, D.C., on Monday, Sept. 6 and travel to face Georgetown on Saturday Sept. 11 at 1 p.m.
