The Bulldogs will open the 2019 season with a pair of exhibitions on the road in the coming days. Butler travels to Oakland for a Sunday afternoon contest, followed by a Tuesday night match-up with Michigan State.

A third exhibition is scheduled for Saturday, Aug. 24 at the Sellick Bowl in Indianapolis. The three exhibitions lead into the regular season opener Aug. 30 against Western Michigan, also in Indianapolis.

Oakland went 9-7-3 in 2018 while playing in the Horizon League. Sunday's contest will feature a 2 p.m. scrimmage, mainly for reserves and newcomers, prior to the 3 p.m. exhibition. The two teams also played an exhibition a season ago.

Butler head coach Paul Snape, who enters his ninth season in charge of the Butler program, is an Oakland alum, as is assistant coach Jason Perry. Snape's 109 career points are fourth in Oakland program history.

Tuesday's exhibition with Michigan State is slated to begin at 5 p.m. The Spartans were voted No. 7 in the United Soccer Coaches Preseason Poll. The Spartans finished the 2019 season with an overall record of 14-5-4 and a 4-2-2 Big Ten record earning a trip to the NCAA College Cup for the first time since 1968.

The Bulldogs return their top five scorers from a season ago, led by Brandon Guhl and his seven goals (18 points). Butler's 2019 roster includes seven starters and features 13 players who started
matches in 2018.

ButlerSports.com will have a position-by-position season preview next week, in addition to the BIG EAST releasing the conference's preseason poll and all-league selections.