LEBANON, Ill. - McKendree University women's soccer head coach Tim Strange announced the Bearcats' 2021 schedule on Wednesday morning. The nationally-ranked Bearcats look to defend their GLVC title and are slated to play 17 regular season contests, hosting eight matches at Leemon Field while hitting the road for nine matches.
 
No. 4 McKendree will begin the season with three exhibition matches, beginning on August 22 and officially kicks off its season on Thursday, September 2, against Ashland in a neutral site game in Indianapolis at 12:00 PM CT. The 17-game season will lead up to the GLVC tournament, taking place from Sunday, November 7 through November 14.
 
The Bearcats will begin defending the GLVC title with a home match on Sunday, September 5 against Missouri S&T at Leemon Field (*match qualifies as a non-conference). McKendree beat the Miners of Missouri S&T 2-1 in the sole matchup of the 2020-21 spring season. The single game home stand leads into a three-game road trip with a non-conference bout at Kentucky Wesleyan on September 8, at Southern Indiana (2020-21 GLVC runner-up), and at Lewis on September 17. The rematch of the GLVC title between McKendree and USI will take place in Evansville, Indiana on September 12 at Strassweg Field. McKendree claimed the conference title in the spring of 2021 with a hard-fought, 5-2 victory over the defending champions with midfielder Emma Knoebel and forward Anna Stiffler both recording two goals.
 
Following the road trip, the Bearcats return home for a string of matches against UIndy, Quincy, and Illinois Springfield. The Greyhounds dropped their lone match against the eventual GLVC champion Bearcats last season. Quincy handed McKendree one of only two regular season losses during the spring 2021 season but the Bearcats prevailed against the Hawks during the GLVC Tournament Semifinal to move into position for the conference championship.
 
The final month of the regular season will feature two pairs of away matches, beginning on Friday, October 1 and Sunday, October 3 with bouts versus William Jewell and Truman State. Two weeks later, McKendree heads to Rolla, Missouri and Springfield, Missouri for contests against Missouri S&T on October 15 and Drury on October 17. The Bearcats' home schedule for the final month of the season features two pairs of matches with the first clash coming on October 8 and 10 against Southwest Baptist and Rockhurst. McKendree will then host Lindenwood on October 22 and Maryville on October 24 to close out its home schedule.
 
The final match of the regular season will be a monstrous matchup on Halloween (October 31) across the river at UMSL. The Tritons handed the Bearcats one of its only two regular season losses in the spring of 2021.
 
Last season, McKendree earned another GLVC title by defeating the defending champions of 2019, Southern Indiana. The Bearcats return top goal-scorers Anna Stiffler (8 goals, 19 points) and Emma Knoebel (7 goals, 19 points) as well as a top league goalie in Mercedes King (20 saves, 0.48 goals allowed average). McKendree players also racked up season awards following their outstanding performances, including Anna Stiffler (F) with Co-Freshman of the Year and All-GLVC second team honors, Emma Knoebel (MF) and Danielle Knutson (D) earning All-GLVC first team, Alynnah O'Leary (MF – graduated) and Mercedes King (GK) both nabbing All-GLVC second team, and Morgan Bova (D) collecting All-GLVC third team. Additionally, the Bearcat women's soccer staff earned the United Soccer Coaches Midwest Regional Staff of the Year while head coach Tim Strange garnered the GLVC Coach of the Year award.
 
Full Schedule can be seen here.