KALAMAZOO, Mich. -- The Western Michigan men's soccer team opens the 2021 season with a pair of road games against seven-time national champions Virginia on Thursday and at 7 p.m. and Loyola Chicago on Sunday at 6 p.m.
Thursday's game can be seen live on ACC Network Extra, while Sunday's will be on ESPN+.
The Broncos and Cavaliers have met just once before in program history back in 2019. WMU lost to then No. 2 Virginia 1-0 in overtime.
Western Michigan enters the 2021 season after going 7-3-1 (5-3-1 MAC) last season, which was played in the Spring of 2021 due to COVID-19. WMU just missed out on winning the MAC Regular Season Championship, finishing just behind Bowling Green due to points per game.
WMU had two exhibition games prior to the start of the regular season, a 3-3 draw at Cleveland State and a 1-1 at Wright State. The games gave head coach Chad Wiseman and his staff a chance to evaluate the team's large roster.
"The exhibitions gave my staff and I a chance to look at the returning players, identify their growth through the summer months and evaluate their fitness levels," said Wiseman, who enters his ninth year at the helm. "It also gave us an opportunity to introduce some of our new players into the team. Now that those games are behind us, the staff has a good understanding of who is ready now and who will need more time.
One of those returners that experienced a lot of growth last season is senior forward Mike Melaragni. Affectionately known as "Big Mike" by his teammates and coaches, the 6-foot-3 captain is coming off a career-best season. In the Spring he had career highs in every scoring category with six goals and four assists for 16 points, leading the team in each. He was named First Team All-MAC and United Soccer Coaches Second Team All-North Region. Melaragni was very efficient with his scoring, landing 17 of his 18 total shots on target.
"Our captain and returning Academic All-American is in great form to start the season," said Wiseman. "We expect him to have an impact in each match this season. We have two First Team All-MAC forwards in Charlie Sharp form 2019 and now Mike from this Spring. We're looking for that strong one-two punch from those guys this season up top. They're big, strong, dynamic, experienced and have proven they can score goals."
The duo has combined for 15 goals over the past two seasons.
The Broncos also return First Team All-MAC midfielder/defender Daniel Nimick. Nimick had three goals and three assists last season with two of his goals going for game winners. Junior midfielder/forward Dylan Sing also heads into the season on the back of a career-best year after scoring five goals and tallying an assist to finish second on the team in points with 11. Second Team All-MAC midfielder Brennan Creek returns for his junior campaign after helping drive the Bronco attack the past two seasons.
The Bronco back line is filled with veterans like junior Jaylen Shannon, who started and played in 10 games last season. Former Michigan Mr. Soccer Aidan O'Connor earned five starts on the back line and played in seven total games as a freshman.
"We have an exciting group that is loaded with athleticism and our supporters will really enjoy watching this team," added Wiseman. "We can compete with any team in the country. We will be playing in some big-time environments on the road and we are hosting some big-time programs at the WMU Soccer Complex. It's certainly not going to be easy, but our players wouldn't want it any other way. The program is ready for the challenges ahead."
That first challenge is against one of the most storied programs in college men's soccer on Thursday.
