TULSA, Okla. – After a 10-win season and the program's second Missouri Valley Conference semifinal appearance in three years, the UIC men's soccer team starts with a fresh slate on Thursday night, kicking off its 2026 slate at 7 p.m. (CT) with the start of a four-match road trip at first-time opponent Tulsa. The contest will be broadcast live from Hurricane Soccer & Track Stadium on ESPN+, with live stats available through UICFlames.com.   

MATCH #1
UIC "Flames" (0-0-0, 0-0-0 MVC) at Tulsa "Golden Hurricane" (0-0-0, 0-0-0 American)
When: Thursday, Aug. 20th  |  7 p.m. CT
Where: Tulsa, Okla.  |  Hurricane Soccer & Track Stadium
Live Coverage: ESPN+  |  Live Stats

SERIES NOTES
Although they have faced off on occasion in the preseason through the years, Thursday will mark UIC's first-ever regular-season match against American Conference member Tulsa. The last time the Flames faced a brand-new opponent was Aug. 27, 2023, when they defeated St. Thomas, 3-0 at Flames Field.

UIC last played a current American Conference school on Oct. 27, 2018, when it fell 4-0 at Charlotte. The Flames last took points from an American squad in 2011 with back-to-back 1-1 draws at UAB and on a neutral pitch against Memphis. UIC's last win over an American member was also at UAB, a 1-0 triumph on Sept. 5, 2008 (on an 84th-minute goal by Charlie Trout, who is now in his second year as the Flames' Director of Student-Athlete Development).

This week also will see UIC play a men's soccer match in the state of Oklahoma for the first time. In fact, the only opponent from the Sooner State that the Flames have previously played at any location is the school they will see this coming Sunday — Oral Roberts — which UIC defeated 4-0 on Sept. 3, 1995, at the Puma/Holiday Inn Fall Classic in Peoria, Ill.
 
LIFTING THE LID
UIC is 16-23-6 all-time in season openers, including an 8-7-1 record under 17th-year head coach Sean Phillips. The Flames have won two of their last three season openers, including a 3-1 victory over Air Force to kick off last year. Among this year's returnees, senior defender Sota Nakazono and junior midfielder Carlos Nevarez picked up goals in last year's opener, with sophomore defender Daniel Zepeda, senior midfielder Darrell Turcios and sophomore forward Antonio Delgado each credited with assists.

Thursday is UIC's first season opener on the road since 2022, when the Flames fell at eighth-ranked Kentucky, 2-0. UIC is seeking its first season-opening win away from home since the COVID-delayed 2020 season (played in the spring of 2021), when the Flames opened with a 1-0 Horizon League win at Wright State.
 
2026 FLAMES FACTS
UIC posted a 10-3-5 record last season, going 2-1-4 in MVC play, and advanced to the Valley tournament semifinals for the second time in three years. The Flames also opened last year by going unbeaten in their first 10 matches (7-0-3), including victories over crosstown rivals Northwestern and Loyola, as well as a draw at DePaul.

This season, UIC returns 15 players off last year's squad (10 who started at least one match), including four of its top six point scorers, led by senior midfielder and second-team all-MVC selection Darrell Turcios, who had career highs of five goals, four assists and 14 points last season. The Flames also welcome back starting netminder Owen Cornell, who got the call 15 times between the pipes and posted an 8-2-5 record with a 1.33 goals-against average and four shutouts.

PRESEASON HONORS
Senior midfielder Darrell Turcios was selected to the Preseason All-MVC Team via a vote of the Valley's seven head coaches, the conference announced Monday. In addition, UIC was picked to finish fourth in the preseason coaches' balloting, earning 29 points to place behind Western Michigan (44 pts.), Drake (40 pts.) and Evansville (34 pts.).  

ON THE ROAD AGAIN…
UIC is opening the 2026 season with four consecutive road matches, its longest run away from home since a similar four-match stretch from Sept. 8-19, 2023. It's the longest season-opening road trip for the Flames since 2004, when they opened with five in a row away from Chicago (at Denver, at Air Force, at Northern Illinois, at the UNCW Seahawk Soccer Classic against UNCW and Jacksonville).

…BUT WE'LL BE HOME SOON
After its four-match road trip, UIC will play a school-record six consecutive home matches at Flames Field, covering the entire month of September. Among the visitors to town during that record-setting homestand will be Chicagoland rivals DePaul (Sept. 3), Loyola (Sept. 13) and Northwestern (Sept. 19), as well as Power Four opponent Notre Dame (Sept. 29). A full slate of promotions are also on tap throughout the 2026 men's soccer season, with full details available here. 

UP NEXT: ORAL ROBERTS
UIC continues its season-opening road swing Sunday with a 2 p.m. (CT) matinee at Oral Roberts. The match will be broadcast live on the Summit League Network (subscription required) while live stats will be available through UICFlames.com.

FOLLOW THE FLAMES
Once again this season, UIC students, staff and youths in eighth grade and under are admitted to all home soccer matches free of charge, while adults and youths in ninth grade and above can purchase tickets for $5 each at the northwest (Morgan St.) or southeast (Granderson Stadium home plate) entrances to Flames Field on match night. Discounted tickets for groups of 10+ adults, are on sale for $3 each. In addition, fans can buy the Flames Fast Pass, a one-time $50 purchase that will provide the bearer with access to all UIC home athletics events (except men's and women's basketball) during the 2026-27 academic year.
 
For more information on UIC men's soccer, fans are encouraged to visit UICFlames.com, or follow the Flames on social media through X (@UIC_MSOC and @UICFlames) and Instagram (@uic_msoc and @uicflames).

 
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