SIUE (5-9-2, 2-5-0 MVC in 2022)  
at Central Arkansas (6-5-6, 5-1-2 ASun in 2022) 
Thu., Aug. 24, 8 p.m. 

THIS SEASON: The Cougars return 13 letter winners, while also losing 9 letter winners. SIUE returns three of its four top scorers from a season ago, while losing leading scorer Pau Palacin (10 points). SIUE will have 12 players who are new to the roster, or who have not appeared in a game. 

YOU HAVE TO OVC-IT: SIUE is playing as an inaugural member of the Ohio Valley Conference. In March, the OVC announced the addition of men's soccer as the league's 19th Conference-sponsored sport. 2023 marks the first time since the Athletics Department tranisitioned to Division I that men's soccer has played in the same conference as SIUE's other sports. In total, 15 of SIUE's 16 programs are part of the OVC. The lone exception is wrestling, which competes in the Mid-American Conference. 

HOMEWARD BOUND: The inaugural OVC Tournament will be played at SIUE's Korte Stadium Nov. 5-11.

PRESEASON PROGNOSTICATION: SIUE earned 86 points and garnered four first-place votes in being picked second in the inaurgural OVC preseason poll. Liberty earned 88 points (eight first-place votes) and are the preseason favorites. 

AT THE HELM: Head Coach Cale Wassermann is in his fifth season in charge of the Cougars. He has a career record of 24-29-8. 

SERIES STUFF: SIUE holds a 10-2-2 mark in the series with Central Arkansas, including a 5-0-2 mark when the teams were conference mates in the Missouri Valley. The Cougars have won two straight in the series and seven of the last eight meetings. 

BETWEEN THE PIPES: Sam Gomez returns in goal after splitting time last season. In eight games, Gomez finished with a 1.38 goals against average and a .645 save percentage. He recorded two wins and a shutout last season.