RICHMOND, Ky. – The Eastern Kentucky University soccer team released the non-conference part of the schedule, head coach Matt Cosinuke announced on Tuesday.  
 
"We are excited about our non-conference slate. It's a challenging schedule that will push us to grow early and often" Cosinuke said. "We look forward to building off last season's growth and pursuing our goals for the fall."
 
The squad will open with two exhibition contests in early August. Eastern travels to take on Dayton on Aug. 10 and welcomes in Marshall to Richmond on Aug. 14.  
 
The Colonels open the regular season against IUPUI in Richmond on Aug. 19. The Jaguars return two players with goals off last year's squad and their top goalkeeper. Eastern hits the road that weekend to take on in-state rival Northern Kentucky on Aug. 22.
 
NKU finished last year 8-1-2 and won the regular season Horizon League title. The Norse return seven goal scorers from a year ago and their top goalkeeper.
 
Eastern continues its three-game road trip on Aug. 27 when the Colonels travel to take on Milwaukee at Engelmann Stadium. The Panthers finished last year 9-2-1 and return its top seven scorers from a year ago on a team that won an NCAA tournament game.
 
EKU wraps up its road swing with a trip to Northern Illinois on Aug. 29.
 
The Colonels come back to Richmond when Eastern welcomes in Ohio University on Sept. 5.
 
With the goal of filling the soccer complex with 1,500 Colonel fans, Eastern Kentucky welcomes in-state rival Kentucky to Richmond on Sept. 9 at 4 p.m.
 
Eastern wraps up the non-conference portion of the schedule with a road trip to Wright State on Sept. 12 before welcoming in Miami (OH) on Sept. 17.
 
The squad takes on three teams that finished in the top 45 of the RPI last year.
 
The Colonels return seven players that scored goals last year.