GAME NOTES | LIVE STATS | LIVE VIDEO

HIGH POINT, N.C. - The High Point University men's soccer team lifts the lid on its 2017 campaign by hosting Howard on Friday, Aug. 25 at 4 p.m. The game will be streamed live on the Big South Network. 

Match Information
When: Friday, August 25, 2017 | 4:00 p.m.
Where: High Point, N.C. | Vert Stadium
Who: High Point (0-0-0) | Howard (0-0-0)
All-Time Series: First Meeting
Follow: @HPUMSOCCER on Twitter
Season Prospectus: HighPointPanthers.com (LINK)
Live Video: Big South Network (LINK)
Live Stats: HighPointPanthers.com (LINK)
Game Notes: HighPointPanthers.com (LINK)
 
High Point Notes:
• High Point begins its 2017 season by welcoming in Howard on Friday afternoon at Vert Stadium. The Panthers are opening the season at home for the second straight year after defeating ETSU 5-1 in last year's lid-lifter.
• High Point finished the 2016 season with an 11-4-4 overall mark, the most wins for the program since a 12-5-3 campaign in 2012. HPU was 5-1-2 in Big South play, earning the #2 seed in the conference tournament before falling in the semifinals to #6 Longwood.
• HPU returns 18 letterwinners from last year's squad, including eight starters. The Panthers welcome in 11 newcomers this year, nine freshmen and two transfers. Of the 29 players on the roster, 20 are underclassmen.
• The Panthers played three exhibitions in the preseason, going 1-2-0. HPU dropped a 2-1 decision at UNCW on Aug. 12 before earning a victory over Greensboro College on Aug. 17, 4-0. Most recently, High Point fell at #15 Charlotte, 1-0, on Aug. 19.
• The Purple & White were selected second in the Big South Preseason Poll behind defending champion Radford. HPU garnered two first place votes while the Highlanders claimed the remaining seven.
• Junior defender Johnny Fenwick was named the league's Preseason co-Defensive Player of the Year. Fenwick has been named All-Big South in his first two seasons at High Point.
 
Howard Notes:
• The Bison finished 2016 at 2-15-3 overall and 1-4-0 in Sun Belt play. It marked the first multi-win season for Howard since 2014 after the squad was 0-17 in 2015.
• Howard returns 16 letterwinners from last year's team and welcomes in six newcomers. The majority of the team (13 of 22) are underclassmen. HU was selected sixth in the preseason Sun Belt poll.
• The Bison are led by fourth-year head coach Phillip Gyau, who has compiled a 4-47-7 in his tenure in Washington, D.C. Sophomore Andres Gomez is the team's top returning point producer with two goals and an assists last year.

Series Notes:
• HPU and Howard have never met in men's soccer.
• The Panthers are 8-32-5 all-time against current members of the Sun Belt with a majority of the contests being against Appalachian State and former Big South member Coastal Carolina.
• HPU is scheduled to face one other Sun Belt this team when they travel to Appalachian State on Saturday, Sep. 30.
• High Point is 1-0-1 in season openers under head coach EJ O'Keeffe. The Panthers defeated ETSU last year after drawing with UNCW in 2015. HPU is 7-1-0 in its last eight home openers with the lone loss coming in 2014 to UNCW.


#GoHPU