Kentucky men’s soccer reveals 2022 schedule — its first in its new conference

When news breaks of conference realignment in college athletics, most fans’ minds turn immediately to the ramifications for football. Oklahoma and Texas to the SEC. USC and UCLA to the Big Ten. The examples are many and the shakeup intense.

However, when the chess pieces start moving, athletes at all levels are affected, and the University of Kentucky is among the schools sliding one of its sports to a new spot on the board this fall.

The UK men’s soccer team announced its 16-game 2022 schedule on Wednesday — its first in the Sun Belt Conference after 17 seasons in Conference USA. The Wildcats moved from C-USA to the Sun Belt along with Coastal Carolina, Marshall, Old Dominion and South Carolina after last season. The Southeastern Conference does not sponsor men’s soccer, which is why UK and South Carolina play elsewhere.

Coach Johan Cedergren’s Wildcats open their 2022 season with exhibition games Aug. 14 at Evansville and Aug. 19 at home vs. Northern Kentucky before playing four non-conference games at home. Those matches include UK’s regular-season opener vs. Illinois-Chicago on Aug. 25 and a date with in-state rival Louisville on Sept. 6.

After a non-league match at Tulsa, UK hosts Marshall for its Sun Belt opener on Sept. 16. The Wildcats will also play Sun Belt home games vs. Georgia Southern, Coastal Carolina and Old Dominion

They’ll visit conference foes Georgia State, James Madison, West Virginia and South Carolina.

UK’s non-league schedule also includes home matches against Lipscomb and Dayton and a road game at Indiana.

Of UK’s 16 opponents in 2022, eight played in last year’s NCAA Tournament: Georgia State, Indiana, Lipscomb, Louisville, Marshall, Seattle, Tulsa and West Virginia.

Kentucky finished 15-2-4 last season, won the C-USA Tournament and was the No. 9 overall seed in the 48-team NCAA Tournament. The Wildcats were defeated in the Sweet 16 by Clemson, which went on to win the national championship.

The 2022 Sun Belt Conference Tournament will begin with its quarterfinal round on Nov. 6 with semifinals and finals to follow. The location for the tournament is still to be determined. The winner will clinch the Sun Belt’s automatic bid into the 2022 NCAA Tournament.

2022 UK men’s soccer schedule

(Home games in all capital letters; all times p.m. and Eastern)

Aug. 14: x-At Evansville, 4

Aug. 19: x-NORTHERN KENTUCKY, 7:30

Aug. 25: ILLINOIS-CHICAGO, 7:30

Aug. 29: SEATTLE, 7:30

Sept. 2: BELMONT, 7:30

Sept. 6: LOUISVILLE, 7:30

Sept. 11: At Tulsa, 7

Sept. 16: MARSHALL, 7:30

Sept. 20: LIPSCOMB, 7:30

Sept. 24: At Georgia State, 7

Oct. 1: At James Madison, 7

Oct. 5: At Indiana, 7

Oct. 9: GEORGIA SOUTHERN, 7

Oct. 12: DAYTON, 7

Oct. 15: At West Virginia, 7

Oct. 19: COASTAL CAROLINA, 7

Oct. 28: OLD DOMINION, 7

Nov. 1: At South Carolina, 7

x-Exhibition