2018 Schedule

Butler head coach Paul Snape has announced arguably the most challenging schedule in his eight years leading the Bulldogs. The 2018 slate features five NCAA Tournament teams.

"We have put together another tough schedule that will challenge our players to perform at their absolute best in every game," said Snape, who along with his assistants earned 2017 BIG EAST Coaching Staff of the Year honors. "The non-conference schedule is against nine teams that can play in many different styles and this will fully prepare us for our highly-competitive BIG EAST schedule. We have big expectations for this upcoming season, but you can only fulfill them if you are taken out of your comfort zone and forced to adapt; this schedule will certainly do this!" 

The regular season begins Aug. 24 with a trip to Akron to face the Zips, who advanced to the 2017 NCAA Tournament semifinals. Less than a week later, the Bulldogs travel to Kalamazoo, Mich., to play NCAA Tournament quarterfinalist Western Michigan Aug. 30.

The non-conference home schedule includes 2017 NCAA Tournament team Columbia on Sept. 3 in a Labor Day afternoon contest. The Bulldogs also host Drake (Aug. 27), Marshall (Sept. 26), and SIUE (Oct. 9). Butler and SIUE met in the 2016 NCAA Tournament.

The annual match-up with in-state rival Indiana will be Tuesday, Oct. 16 in Bloomington, Ind. The teams fought to a 0-0 draw in Indianapolis in 2017. The Hoosiers later advanced to the NCAA Tournament championship match. Butler will travel to California to play UC-Santa Barbara Sept. 8. The Bulldogs also meet Evansville on the road Oct. 2 in what has become an annual series with the Purple Aces.

In BIG EAST play, the Bulldogs will host Providence (Sept. 22), Georgetown (Oct. 5), Seton Hall (Oct. 24), and Marquette (Oct. 28). Georgetown also made the 2017 NCAA Tournament and was the No. 14 overall seed. Butler will travel to five conference foes in 2018: Creighton (Sept. 15), St. John's (Sept. 29), DePaul (Oct. 13), Villanova (Oct. 20), and conclude the 2018 regular season at Xavier Oct. 31.

The Bulldogs open the season with a pair of exhibitions – both at the Sellick Bowl in Indianapolis. Butler will face Snape's alma mater, Oakland, on August 13 before welcoming NCAA Division II national champion University of Charleston August 18.

The top six teams in the conference qualify for the BIG EAST Tournament, which begins with quarterfinal match-ups on Sunday, Nov. 4.

Butler Olympic Sports Passes are currently available for just $50 (and $25 for youth). The passes include all home matches for men's soccer, women's soccer and volleyball this fall. Fans can purchase those at ButlerSports.com/BuyTickets.

Butler went 8-1 against BIG EAST opponents during the 2017 season, winning the regular season title and earning the No. 1 seed in the BIG EAST Tournament. Snape and his staff led the Bulldogs to an overall record of 14-5-2 and a No. 12 national ranking in the United Soccer Coaches poll.

Butler earned their second consecutive berth to the NCAA Tournament with an at-large berth to the 2017 NCAA Tournament. The Bulldogs made it to the third round for the first time since 1995, the third time in program history.

The Bulldogs are expected to return eight starters from a season ago. The team will also welcome back midfielders Jared Timmer and Marco Charalambous, who missed the 2017 season due to injury. That group, plus a strong collection of returning reserves and a talented incoming freshman class, has the Bulldogs as one of the favorites in the BIG EAST.