CALGARY – The University of Calgary Dinos men's soccer team opens the 2018 Canada West regular season at home this weekend with games against the Saskatchewan Huskies and Lethbridge Pronghorns. Both games begin at 2 p.m., with the Huskies taking the field on Saturday, followed by the 'Horns on Sunday on the West Varsity Soccer Pitch.

NEW YEAR, NEW NAMES

The Dinos are coming off a 7-7-1 campaign in 2017 and have welcomed a number of new faces into the fold. Defender Ryan Doering is the only fifth-year player on the roster along with three fourth-year athletes, all of which will need to take leadership roles for Calgary this season.

REPLACING SCORING

A key part of the Dinos success in 2018 will rely on the emergence of new scorers. Gone are former Canada West Rookie of the Year Bori Falaye, as well as Jorge Leon Gomez, who combined to make up 11 of the team's 25 goals in 2017. Dominik Zuczek potted five goals last season and is the top returning scorer from a year ago. 

QUOTABLE

Head coach Brendan O'Connell's roster features only 21 players, but he is already very confident in the additions the team has made.

"We got 21 [players] and that is lean, but it is a good side. Bori Falaye is gone, but we have added some really good players. We are optimistic about it all. It is a very fast team which should be able to score some goals." 

SCOUTING REPORT

vs SASKATCHEWAN HUSKIES
Match Info: Saturday, Aug. 25 at 2 p.m. – West Varsity Soccer Pitch
2017 Record: 7-5-2, 2nd in Prairie Division
2017 Leading Scorer(s): Gabriel Buatois (2g, 4a), Kwame Opoku (4g, 2a)

NOTES

• The Huskies were ranked sixth in the Canada West pre-season coaches poll.
• Saskatchewan were eliminated in the Canada West quarter-finals last year by the national championship host Thompson Rivers Wolfpack, who came away with a 5-1 win on the road. 
• The Huskies were a very stingy team in 2017, allowing only 19 goals. Only the Golden Bears allowed fewer goals in the Prairie Division last season.

vs LETHBRIDGE PRONGHORNS
Match Info: Sunday, Aug. 26 at 2 p.m. – West Varsity Soccer Pitch
2017 Record: 2-10-2, 6th in Prairie Division
2017 Leading Scorer(s): Dominique Point du Jour (4g, 5a)

NOTES

• Lethbridge found themselves near the bottom of the conference pre-season coaches poll, placing 12th out of 13 teams.
• The biggest absences from the Pronghorns roster this season will be Dominique Point du Jour, who finished his eligibility in 2017.
• The Pronghorns have more players from Calgary than any other city, with 10 players set to play in their hometown on Sunday.

UP NEXT

Following their opening weekend home games, the Dinos will travel to Edmonton for a pair of games against the Alberta Golden Bears and MacEwan Griffins on Sept. 8-9.