WOAY – The Sun Belt Conference announced Wednesday it will resume men’s soccer as a varsity sport in the fall of 2022.
Nine schools will field teams for the coming season; full members Marshall, James Madison, Old Dominion, Coastal Carolina, Georgia Southern, and Georgia State will be joined by affiliate members West Virginia, Kentucky, and South Carolina.
It was announced last June that WVU and Marshall would become Conference USA rivals when the Mountaineers joined that league in 2022, but Wednesday’s announcement ensures the two will remain men’s soccer rivals in the Sun Belt.
“These elite programs will lend instant credibility and help establish the Sun Belt as one of the nation’s premier men’s collegiate soccer conferences,” said Commissioner Keith Gill in a statement. “They each bring their unique traditions and histories of excellence. We welcome them and look forward to a bright future on the pitch.”
West Virginia will host Coastal Carolina in their first league game on September 17, while Marshall goes to Kentucky that day. The Mountaineers and Thundering Herd are scheduled to face each other in Huntington on September 24.
