KALAMAZOO, Mich. – The Western Michigan women's soccer program and head coach Lauren Sinacola have announced its 2017 schedule with 18 regular-season games and two exhibition contests on slate. The Broncos will host nine matches at the WMU Soccer Complex.

Western Michigan is coming off another successful season in 2016 and will return 21 players from last year's roster while welcoming one transfer and six freshmen to the 2017 squad. The Broncos appeared in the Mid-American Conference semifinal for the fifth consecutive year and the 10^th time in program history last season. WMU produced one all-region player, two All-MAC selections and two All-MAC tournament nominees.

"Though summer has just started, we are already looking forward to a competitive fall," commented Sinacola. "Every team we face including our first exhibition game at Michigan to our final regular-season game at NIU will challenge us in different ways. The non-conference schedule will be tough which will prepare us for the always competitive MAC season."

The Brown & Gold warms up its 2017 campaign with two exhibition matches, traveling to Michigan on Aug. 11 and Detroit on Aug. 14.

Western Michigan will officially begin the season at home welcoming Horizon League opponent Oakland University on Aug. 20 for a non-conference contest with kickoff scheduled for 1 p.m.

The Broncos will host three other non-conference matches at the WMU Soccer Complex highlighted by B1G foe Indiana University on Aug. 27 for its annual "Fill the Farm" game. WMU welcomes the Penguins of Youngstown State on Sept. 10 before facing IUPUI, a member of the Summit League, on Sept. 15 during Homecoming Weekend.

The first official road games begin on Aug. 24 as WMU travels to Dayton, Ohio to face Wright State. The Broncos face their second regular-season B1G opponent on Sept. 1 traveling to Ohio State. The Buckeyes finished 27^th in the nation after falling in a 1-0 heartbreaker to No. 1 West Virginia in the second round of the NCAA Tournament. The final non-conference match of the season will be played at Fort Wayne (9/3).

The Broncos kick off MAC play traveling to Buffalo and Akron on Sept. 22 & 24. Western Michigan will have four other road conference matches this year at Miami (Oct. 8), Eastern Michigan (Oct. 19), Central Michigan (Oct. 22) and conclude the regular-season at Northern Illinois (Oct. 26).

Western Michigan will have five MAC games at home this season including a three-game stand welcoming Bowling Green (Sept. 29), Toledo (Oct. 1) and the reigning regular-season conference champion, Ball State (Oct. 5). The final home games will be played on Oct. 13 against Ohio University and Kent State during Senior Day scheduled for Oct. 15.

The MAC tournament is set for Oct. 26 with the top eight teams in the league earning spots in the quarterfinals. Winners advance to the MAC semifinals and finals, Nov. 3 & 4. All games will be played at campus sites.