WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – The 2023 season commences at Folk Field as the Purdue soccer team hosts No. 24 UCF on Thursday, August 17, at 7 p.m. ET, in West Lafayette, Indiana.
Admission is free for all fans to the Boiler Gold Rush kick-off game. The first 1,500 students in attendance will receive free Purdue Soccer thunder sticks as they look to create an unmatched home field advantage at Folk Field. The attendance record has been broken each of the last two years at the BGR season-opener, and another large crowd is expected once again on Thursday night.
The game will be broadcast live on B1G+, and live stats are available at PurdueStats.com. Updates also can be found by following and connecting with @PurdueSoccer on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook, while direct links to follow along are available on the schedule page at PurdueSports.com/Soccer.
Thursday marks the third annual Boiler Gold Rush game. The season-opening tradition began with a then-record crowd of 2,125 in 2021 that saw the Boilermakers play to a 1-1, double-overtime draw against Kentucky. Last season, the attendance record was broken again as 3,296 fans streamed through the Folk Field gates and encircled the pitch more than 30 minutes before kickoff. The record crowd, which almost doubled what is now No. 3 on the list, saw Purdue upset No. 15 USC, 3-0.
The 2023 Boilermakers feature 21 returners and nine newcomers. Seven of Purdue’s nine goal-scorers from a season ago are back, including the three leading point-scorers from 2022. This year’s roster is made up of one fifth-year, four seniors, nine juniors, eight sophomores and eight freshmen. On the pitch, three goalkeepers are set up behind 15 defenders, seven midfielders and nine forwards.
The 2023 campaign marks the 26th season of Purdue Soccer. It is the team’s 25th year in the Big Ten after a non-conference-only inaugural year in 1998. This also marks the ninth season under head coach Drew Roff.
OPENING WEEKEND SUCCESS
Purdue owns an 8-4-2 record in opening-weekend games in Roff’s first eight seasons. That includes a 6-1-1 mark in season openers and a 7-0-1 record in home-opening contests.
Thursday night’s game is just the third time the Boilermakers will open a campaign against a ranked opponent and the second in as many years. Prior to last season’s 3-0 upset of No. 15 USC, the Boilermakers downed No. 16 St. Mary’s, 1-0 at a neutral site, to begin the 2002 season.
RECORD-BREAKING CROWDS
Purdue fans have helped break multiple attendance records the last two years at Folk Field. The single-game mark of 3,296 was set in the 2022 season-opener, easily topping the previous record of 2,125, set in the 2021 opener. Both passed what is now third on the list, 1,712 set in 2016, as last year’s crowd almost doubles what was the record just more than a year before.
Last season’s average attendance of 822 broke the record of 737, set the previous year. The 2021 mark was fueled by a total of 9,578 fans who packed Folk Field, which remains the best in program history. Also in 2021, Purdue had two home games with at least 1,000 fans, the first time that accomplishment had ever been achieved.
SCOUTING UCF
In its first year in the Big 12 in 2023, UCF is coming off an NCAA Tournament Second Round appearance last season. The Knights went 9-2-7 overall and were 7-0-1 in their final season in the AAC to win the conference’s regular-season crown. UCF’s season concluded with a draw to UCLA in the NCAA Tournament, though the Bruins advanced on penalty kicks on their road to the national championship.
UCF enters the year ranked No. 24 in the United Soccer Coaches preseason poll.
SERIES HISTORY VS. THE KNIGHTS
The Boilermakers are 1-1 all-time against UCF in a series that began in 1998, Purdue’s inaugural season. That first matchup took place in Orlando, where the home side claimed a 2-1 win. The following season in West Lafayette, Purdue earned a 4-2 win. That 1999 victory was part of a six-game win streak.
UP NEXT: HOSTING THE GAELS
Purdue’s opening weekend concludes against Iona on Sunday, August 20. Kickoff at Folk Field is at noon ET, and admission is free for all fans.
A LOOK BACK AT A MEMORABLE 2022 OPENER
The 2022 opening-night win over No. 15 USC was the Boilermakers’ highest-ranked home win since 2006, and it came in front of 3,296 fans, the largest home crowd in program history by more than 1,000.
In a matchup between two NCAA Tournament, top-25 and conference runners-up from the previous season, Purdue took a 1-0 lead late in the first half on a goal by then-freshman Naomi Splittorff. Then-sophomore Gracie Dunaway added two goals in the second half to seal the top-15 victory while then-freshman Kayla Budish registered two assists.
A complete recap from the match, including box score, postgame comments from coach Drew Roff and highlights, can be found at PurdueSports.com/Soccer.
BIG TEN PLAYERS TO WATCH
Senior midfielder Emily Mathews, junior forward/midfielder Gracie Dunaway and sophomore forward Kayla Budish have been named to the Big Ten Players to Watch List. Dunaway and Mathews also were recognized on the league’s Players to Watch list in 2022.