CHICAGO (August 4, 2021) – Under the direction of ninth-year head coach Neil Jones, the Loyola University Chicago men's soccer team announced its schedule for the 2021 season on Wednesday.  The Ramblers are slated to be in action eight times at Loyola Soccer Park during the regular season.
 
"Our entire program is looking forward to the schedule we've put together for the fall season," Jones said.  "We'll battle opponents from the Big Ten, BIG EAST, MAC, and Summit League before turning our full attention to Missouri Valley Conference play, where the intensity jumps to an even higher level.  We'll be well-prepared for that challenge due to the high quality of opponents we'll face during non-conference play.  More than anything, we couldn't be more excited about welcoming our terrific fans back to Loyola Soccer Park.  They were sorely missed this past spring, and we look forward to their return this fall."
 
Jones' crew will see action in a trio of exhibition contests before officially opening its season, hosting former Horizon League foes Green Bay (August 14) and Milwaukee (August 17) before heading north to Milwaukee, Wis. to battle Marquette (August 21).
 
Loyola lifts the lid on the regular season on August 26 when it makes the short trek south to Lincoln Park for a matchup against DePaul in the latest installment of the Red Line Rivalry.  Western Michigan will provide the opposition in the 2021 home opener on August 29 ahead of a September 3 visit from Northwestern in what will serve as the program's annual Hustle to Hoyne game.
 
Following a tilt with Western Illinois (September 11), the Maroon & Gold raise the curtain on their 10-game Missouri Valley Conference schedule with a trip to Evansville on September 18.  After being idle for the following week, Loyola returns home to host Drake on Alumni Night on September 25.  A clash with in-state rival Bradley (September 25) closes out the month.
 
October opens with a home matchup with SIUE (October 3), who returns to The Valley in 2021 as an affiliate member in men's soccer.  Six days later, the Ramblers head to Springfield, Mo. to battle reigning MVC regular season and tournament champion Missouri State (October 9) in a rematch of this past spring's MVC Championship title game. 
 
After being idle for a week following its matchup with the Bears, an October 16 clash with Evansville opens a stretch that sees the Maroon & Gold play three of their final five games within the friendly confines of Loyola Soccer Park.  The Ramblers are back in action the following weekend, when they head to Des Moines, Iowa to matchup against Drake (October 23).  A midweek clash with Bradley (October 27) precedes the 2021 road finale at SIUE on October 31.  Loyola will wrap up the regular season by playing host to Missouri State on Senior Night on November 6.
 
The 2021 MVC Championship is scheduled to run from November 9-14, with games slated to take place at campus sites.
 
Loyola is coming off a 2021 spring season in which it finished 7-4-2 overall (5-2-1 MVC) en route to making its third consecutive appearance in the MVC Championship title game.  Jones is expected to return 19 letterwinners from last season, a core highlighted by six All-Valley honorees.