HIGH POINT, N.C.—High Point University men's lacrosse coach Jon Torpey has announced the 2021 schedule. The Panthers will play 11 games this season, five non-conference games, and a full six-game SoCon slate. HPU will host two of its non-conference games while hosting three SoCon games. The Purple and White will host five home games this season. High Point has played at least one ACC school since the inception of the Panther program that streak continues this season with three ACC opponents on the 2021 schedule.
"We are beyond excited to get out and compete in 2021, coach Torpey said. "This season presents a great challenge with both our opponents and the sacrifices we are asking our young men to take on and off the field. With last year being cut short we will be dedicating 2021 to our 2020 senior class so I look forward to watching our squad honor them each week."
The Panthers start the season with a scrimmage against North Carolina on Saturday, January 30th. It's one of two meetings between the Panthers and Tarheels this season, once in a preseason scrimmage and once during the regular season.
HPU opens the season by hosting two games in Vert Stadium. On Saturday, February 13th as Robert Morris comes to the triad after the Panthers traveled up to Moon Township as a season ago. The Panthers have faced the Colonials every season since 2015. The all-time series between the two teams is tied at 3-3. The last HPU win over RMU came in 2019 where Hunter Vines scored a game-winning goal in double overtime to lift HPU to a 16-15 victory.
On Thursday, February 18th the Panthers welcome Bellarmine to Vert Stadium. This game against fellow SoCon team will count as a non-conference contest as long as both games against Bellarmine occur.
Graduate Transfer and reigning Division III Player of the Year Kevin Rogers has worked relentlessly to make it to the D-I level and compete against the top programs in the country. Starting on February 27th the Panthers embark on a three-game road stretch all against ACC foes.
"I was always confident I could compete at the DI level and when I had the opportunity to do so I couldn't turn it down, Rogers said. "High point competes with some of the best programs in the country and I wanted to be apart of that. This team is a special group of guys and I couldn't be more excited to strap up with them this year."
On Saturday, February 27th, The Panthers travel to Chapel Hill to face #4 North Carolina for the fourth time in program history
It will be a quick turnaround for HPU as America's favorite early spring non-conference weekday matchup is back the Panthers face #6 UVA in Charlottesville on Tuesday, March 2nd. High Point is 2-3 against the Hoos all time. Last year's matchup kicked off ESPNU's lacrosse coverage for the 2020 season. Last season's contest saw the emergence of Devon Buckshot. Buckshot exploded for five goals against #8 UVA as HPU's comeback bid fell just short in an 18-15 thriller on national television.
HPU wraps up their three-game ACC portion of their schedule with a road trip to Durham, N.C. to face #1 Duke. The Panthers are 1-7 against the Blue Devils. Last season HPU hosted Duke in the home opener.
On Friday, March 19th, High Point opens up conference play with a trip to Lexington, Va. to face VMI. A week later The Panthers will face #20 Richmond on the road in a rematch of the 2019 SoCon championship game.
HPU's first SoCon home game will come on April 3rd as HPU hosts Bellarmine at home in a conference matchup. The Panthers last faced the Knights in 2019 and the Panthers were victorious 16-15 on the road.
After a long stretch of road games, HPU hosts back-to-back SoCon games as Mercer travels to the triad on April 17th. The Panther's last game against the Bears was a one-goal game as High Point won 17-16.
On Saturday, April 24th the Panthers make the trip to Asher Nolting's home state of Colorado to face Air Force. The last game between in came in 2019 where HPU won 13-9.
The last game of the regular season is slated for Saturday, May 1st as Jacksonville comes to Vert Stadium. The last time the Panthers faced the Dolphins at Vert was the 2019 SoCon Semifinal where HPU won 17-3.
The SoCon Semifinal and Final returns this season to Richmond, Va. as the Spiders will host to SoCon tournament Thursday, May 6th and May 8th.
The Panthers schedule contains four ranked opponents all rankings are according to Inside Lacrosse's Preseason Top 20 Rankings.
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