BRONX, N.Y. (May 22, 2024) – Fordham Men's Soccer Head Coach Carlo Acquista has announced his team's schedule for the upcoming 2024 campaign.
Entering his sixth season at the helm of the Rams and coming off his fifth appearance in the Atlantic 10 Tournament, Acquista will challenge his squad with a non-league schedule that features a trio of reigning regular season conference champions in addition to an eight-game A-10 slate.
Following preseason exhibition games against Seton Hall, Army and Boston University, the Rams will officially open 2024 on Thursday, Aug. 22, with a short journey to Hofstra, where they will take on the reigning CAA Regular Season and Tournament Champions. Fordham played then-No. 18 Hofstra to a 1-1 draw in the Bronx last October. After that match, the Pride went on to earn the no. 14 national seed in the NCAA Tournament and advance to the third round, where they tied North Carolina before the Tar Heels prevailed in penalty kicks.
After their opener with the Pride, the Rams will remain on the road for an Aug. 28 match against Sacred Heart in Fairfield. Last season, Fordham opened the campaign with a 3-0 victory over the Pioneers at Moglia Stadium. Sacred Heart went on to finish as the runner-up in the NEC Tournament.
The Rams will make their 2024 home debut on Sunday, Sept. 1, when they welcome Colgate to Moglia Stadium for a 1 p.m. kick-off. It will mark the first meeting between the two programs since 2005.
The Rams will remain at home for a Thursday night meeting with one of the West Coast's premier programs, as Santa Clara comes to the Bronx on Sept. 5. The reigning co-champs of the WCC, Santa Clara went 5-1-1 in a conference that sent three teams to the NCAA Tournament and sent a squad (LMU) to the national quarterfinals.
Fordham will then return to the road the following week for a pair of games at Penn on Monday, Sept. 9, and Marist on Friday, Sept. 13. Last season, Fordham defeated Penn, who was receiving votes at the time, in a thrilling 2-1 match at Moglia Stadium. The Quakers went on to win the Ivy League Regular Season Championship.
The season's annual Battle of the Bronx will take place at Moglia Stadium when the Rams host Manhattan on Monday, Sept. 16, at 7 p.m. Last season, Fordham blanked the Jaspers, 2-0, in Riverdale for its second consecutive win in the rivalry.
The following weekend, the Rams will open Atlantic 10 play with a trip to St. Bonaventure on Saturday, Sept. 21. It will mark the second straight season in which Fordham will open league play with the Bonnies, as Florian Deletioglu's brace lifted the Rams to a 3-0 victory at Moglia Stadium last fall.
The Rams will then head to Upper Manhattan for a Tuesday night tilt with Columbia on Sept. 24 before hosting UMass in their A-10 home opener on Saturday, Sept. 28, at 7 p.m.
Following a week off, Fordham will travel to VCU on Saturday, Oct. 5, before hosting perennial A-10 power Saint Louis on Wednesday, Oct. 9, at 7 p.m.
The Rams will then travel to Dayton on Saturday, Oct. 12, to take on the reigning A-10 Champs before returning home for three straight games in the Bronx beginning on Saturday, Oct. 19, against George Washington at 6 p.m.
Princeton will visit Moglia Stadium for the Rams' non-conference finale on Tuesday, Oct. 22, before Fordham welcomes Loyola Chicago for Senior Night on Saturday, Oct. 26.
The Rams will close out the regular season on the road for the second straight year, traveling to Duquesne on Saturday, Nov. 2.
The Atlantic 10 Men's Soccer Championship will begin one week later with the quarterfinal round on Nov. 9 before the semifinals take place on Wednesday, Nov. 13. The championship match will be contested on Saturday, Nov. 16. All Atlantic 10 Championship matches will be hosted by the higher seed.
