SEASON OPENERS:

- The Zags are opening the season against Bradley for the third-straight season and second-straight year in Peoria. 

- GU won 2-1 in overtime last year and tied at home, 1-1 in 2016. Senior Austin Giftopoulos scored the game-winner last season.

- GU is 12-22-4 all-time in season openers, but have historically opened against Washington. 

COACH MEEHAN:

- Paul Meehan is in his first year leading GU after taking over for Einar Thorarinsson, who retired after 23 seasons last November.

- Meehan spent the past five seasons as a GU assistant coach, helping lead the Zags to top-25 national rankings in each of the past two seasons.

- In his five seasons at GU, Meehan has also helped coach 16 players that have earned All-WCC honors.

- Meehan was the head coach at Corban prior to GU, and was an associate head coach at Oregon State prior to that.

BRAVES:

- Bradley was voted fourth in the Missouri Valley Conference Preseason Poll.

- Bradley was 11-7-3, the most-improved record in the nation last year.

- Sophomore midfielder Younes Dayekh was selected preseason All-MVC.

MUSTANGS:

- Senior captain Simon Boehme returns in goal for Cal Poly a year after finishing 40th among NCAA Division I goalkeepers with 4.43 saves per match.

- Cal Poly was picked to finish last in the Big West.

GU ROSTER:

- Gonzaga returns six starters from a season ago, including All-WCC Honorable Mention selection Ben Willis.

- Willis is currently seventh all-time in saves at GU with 127, fourth in goals against average at 1.37, and fifth in shutouts with seven.

- Austin Giftopoulos returns for his senior season, having started in all 32 of his appearances, scoring four goals as a defender.

SCHEDULE:

- GU will play nine regular-season games at home and nine on the road this season.

- Ten of the 18 scheduled opponents in 2018 had winning records in 2017, and three advanced to the NCAA Tournament, and SMU (8) and Washington (24) are ranked in the United Soccer Coaches Preseason Poll.