The Butler men's soccer team opens the 2024 season with a pair of home matches, hosting Southern Indiana on Thursday and Western Illinois on Sunday. Both contests will be held in the Sellick Bowl. 
 
The meeting between Butler and USI will be the first ever in the series. The Screaming Eagles, out of the Ohio Valley Conference, won two matches in 2023, defeating Northern Kentucky and Lindenwood. The team lost to BIG EAST member Akron, 0-1.
 
This will be the initial season for Western Illinois to compete in the OVC. The side won two matches last year as a part of the Summit League, defeating Eastern Illinois and St. Thomas. The Leathernecks lost a non-conference match to IUPUI.
 
Butler vs. USI
DATE/TIME:    Thursday, August 22 / 7PM
LOCATION:     Indianapolis / Sellick Bowl
TICKETS:        butlersports.com
LIVE STATS:   butlersports.com / StatBroadcast
 
Butler vs. Western Illinois
DATE/TIME:    Sunday, August 25 / 6PM
LOCATION:     Indianapolis / Sellick Bowl
TICKETS:        butlersports.com
LIVE STATS:   butlersports.com / StatBroadcast
 
Bulldog Bits

• Palmer Ault was chosen as BIG EAST Preseason Offensive Player of the Year by the conference's coaches. This is his second season receiving the recognition. The team was selected in the fourth spot in the Midwest Division, behind Akron, Xavier, and Creighton. 
   
• Palmer Ault returned to Butler for the 2024 season after being selected last December by the Colorado Rapids in 2024 MLS SuperDraft. He was selected as the fifth pick in the second round (36th overall) but delayed his signing with the club until a future date. Ault is the second Bulldog to be drafted in the past two seasons, joining Wilmer Cabrera, Jr. who was selected by the Chicago Fire in the 2023 SuperDraft. 
   
• The Bulldogs' 2024 roster - which features 10 newcomers - includes players from 11 different states and seven total countries. Topping the list are four players from Michigan and three players from England. 
   
• With 87 total saves in 2023, Caleb Norris led the BIG EAST and finished 5th nationally. He finished 2nd in the conference with an average of 5.80 saves per match (4th nationally) and a .777 save percentage (32nd). 
• Palmer Ault's average of 1.27 shots on goal per game in 2023 was fifth in the BIG EAST (55th nationally), and his six goals ranked 7th in the conference.
   
• The Butler coaching staff has added alumnus Joe Moulden '19 as an assistant coach. Moulden was a defender for the Bulldogs beginning in 2015 and served as captain during his senior season in 2018. During his time as a student-athlete, the Bulldogs won two BIG EAST titles (2016 & 2017) and made two NCAA tournament appearances, including a run to the Sweet 16 in 2017. Moulden earned All-BIG EAST Second Team honors as a junior in 2017, and was also named Third-Team Great Lakes All-Region by the United Soccer Coaches. The native of Bolton, England comes to Butler after serving as an assistant coach with the Georgia Southern Eagles men's soccer program from 2020-2023.