SOCCER CENTRAL: Loyola-Maryland (Exhibition)

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. -- No. 10 Tennessee will make its preseason debut Monday night, as the Vols are set to host the Loyola-Maryland Greyhounds. Kickoff is slated for 7 p.m. at Regal Soccer Stadium.

Admission and parking for all preseason and regular season matches at Regal Soccer Stadium is free of charge. Gates will open at 6 p.m., and fans should be reminded that UT's clear bag policy will be in effect.

PRESEASON TOP-10: Following a historic 2018 campaign that saw the Vols reach the quarterfinal round of the NCAA Tournament, Tennessee was tabbed 10^th in the United Soccer Coaches preseason national poll released last week. It was the highest preseason ranking for UT in program history.

The Vols are the highest ranked SEC program entering the 2019 season. Other top-25 teams in the conference include No. 12 Texas A&M, No. 15 South Carolina, No. 17 Vanderbilt and No. 24 LSU. Florida, Arkansas, Ole Miss and Auburn also received votes in the poll.

Tennessee has been ranked inside the United Coaches top-25 for a program-record 24 consecutive polls, dating to Sept. 19, 2017 - a span of 691 days.

WHO'S BACK: UT returns 12 letterwinners from last year's squad, highlighted by four All-SEC returners - the most of any team in the conference.

Katie Cousins and Maya Neal are both coming off back-to-back First Team All-SEC selections the past two years. The redshirt-senior duo was also recently named to the MAC Hermann Trophy preseason watch list for the NCAA's top individual honor in collegiate soccer.

Additionally, Erin Gilroy and MA Vignola are back on Rocky Top after each earning Second Team All-SEC accolades in 2018.

WHO'S NEW: Tennessee welcomes a signing class of 15 that was rated No. 6 in the country and No. 1 in the SEC by TopDrawerSoccer.com. The Vols added 13 true freshmen and two all-conference transfers - Michelle Alozie from Yale and Mackenzie George from Cal Poly - that look to make an immediate impact this season.

SCOUTING LOYOLA: The Greyhounds are set to embark on their eighth season under head coach Joe Mallia, who enters his second stint with the program. Mallia previously held the reigns at Loyola-Maryland for seven seasons from 1998-2004.

Mallia will return to Knoxville after serving as an assistant coach for Tennessee from 2012-15 under Brian Pensky. Notably, Pensky also worked as an assistant coach under Mallia in 2001 at Loyola.

The Greyhounds have not seen a winning season since 2012, when Loyola-Maryland captured the MAAC Tournament championship and finished with a 13-6-4 overall record.

UP NEXT: The Vols will split up for an Orange & White scrimmage on Saturday, Aug. 17 at Regal Stadium. Fans are invited to meet and greet the team beginning at 5 p.m., followed by an on-field kids' clinic with select players and coaches. The intersquad match will kick off at 7 p.m.

Tennessee opens the regular season Thursday, Aug. 22 at 7 p.m. with a non-conference matchup at home against Fordham.

For the most up-to-date information on Tennessee soccer, follow @Vol_Soccer on Twitter.

University of Tennessee Athletics

Players Mentioned

Michelle Alozie

Katie Cousins

Mackenzie George

Erin Gilroy

Maya Neal

MA Vignola

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