Oregon State
UC Irvine
Beaver to Open Season Thursday vs. UC Irvine
August 20, 2024 | Men's Soccer
THE GAMES: The Oregon State men's soccer team opens its 2024 season this week, as it takes on UC Irvine Thursday and Washington Monday.
FOLLOW ALONG: Thursday's contest will air live on ESPN+, while Monday's game will air on Big Ten Network.
UP NEXT: Oregon State will head to the Great Lake State for matchups with Michigan and Michigan State on Aug. 30 and Sept. 2.
Quick Hitters:
- Oregon State is coming off its first ever appearance in the College Cup, as the Beavers made men's soccer's final four in 2023.
- OSU enters the season ranked No. 4 in the United Soccer Coaches poll, its highest ever preseason ranking.
- The Beavers ended the 2023 season ranked No. 4 in the nation, the highest season-ending ranking in program history
- Oregon State was picked first in the WCC Preseason Coaches Poll, taking four of a possible eight first-place votes. Fran Cortijo, Arnau Farnos, Ellis Spikner and Dante Williams all made the WCC Preseason Team.
- The Beaver men's soccer squad is one of 10 OSU programs slated to compete in the West Coast Conference beginning in the fall of 2024 as part of the two-year conference affiliation agreement.
- Oregon State's squad features 13 newcomers this season.
- Alejandro Silva has been named to the United Soccer Coaches' Midfielders to Watch List.
- Ten Beavers have been selected in the last seven MLS SuperDrafts, including three in the 2024 draft. Logan Farrington highlighted the trio of OSU players selected this winter, going at No. 3 overall to FC Dallas.
- Oregon State returns eight players who started their lone College Cup game last season, and 11 of the 15 players who played in the contest.
- Fran Cortijo needs two assists to move into a tie for 10th on Oregon State's career list.
- Oregon State's players represent seven different countries (United States, Spain, Uganda, Argentina, Germany, Italy and Trinidad and Tobago) and four different continents (North America, South America, Europe and Africa).
- The Beavers were an impressive 7-2-2 in true road games last season.
- Greg Dalby became the second coach in Oregon State history to lead the team to the postseason in his first season in charge. His 11 victories are also tied for the most wins by an OSU head coach in his debut season.
- A total of 10 different Oregon State players found the net last season, with seven of them returning for the 2024 campaign, led by Dante Williams who netted seven goals in 2023.
- The Beavers will not have a home game for 17 days after their meeting with UC Irvine in the season-opener. Oregon State will play three road games over that span, before returning home on Sept. 8 to take on UC Davis.
The Matchup:
- Oregon State is 3-4-1 all-time against UC Irvine.
- The Beavers and Anteaters last met in the 2016 season
- OSU played one Big West opponent last season, beating UC Riverside 3-0.
- Oregon State is 19-36-6 all-time against Washington
- The Beavers are undefeated in their last six meetings with the Huskies, earning three wins and three ties over that span.
- Arnau Farnos, Dante Williams and Fran Cortijo all score over the course of Oregon State's two matchups with Washington last season.
- Washington mark the first Big 10 team Oregon State has faced since the Beavers played at Penn State in 2018.Â
- The Huskies will mark the first of three-straight Big 10 opponents for OSU, as the Beavers will head to Michigan and Michigan State next week.
