Match Info	Opponent Info
UT Tyler vs. #9 St. Mary's UTT: 0-0, 0-0 LSC | STMU: 0-0, 0-0 LSC Thursday, Aug. 31st | 5 p.m. San Antonio, Texas		ROSTER	SCHEDULE	STATS
#2 CSU Pueblo vs. UT Tyler CSUP: 0-0, 0-0 RMAC | UTT: 0-0, 0-0 LSC Saturday, Sept. 2nd | 1 p.m. Tyler, Texas | Citizens 1st Bank-Perkins Soccer Complex		ROSTER	SCHEDULE	STATS

WHAT COACH JONES IS SAYING
 
On wrapping up the 2023 preseason: "I want us to continue to grow. Obviously we've had a couple of good challenges leading up to the season and now just continue to get better. We just want to see continued growth in the areas we're trying to build in and see what else we need to work on."
 
On what was learned looking back at 2022: "Consistency is tough and the conference is tough. Outside of our conference we did well, once we got in our conference it didn't go as well. I think that just trying to stay consistent and the energy and all of the positive things that are really needed to be successful in this conference."
 
On scheduling two top 10 teams early in the year: I think this is where we belong and obviously we want to play the top teams as we can. I think this is where we can compete, I think the expectations from our program traditionally and from the guys say this is where we should be and I believe it.
 
PATRIOT NOTES AND TRENDS
 

• The Patriots head into their 22^nd season as a program and head coach Kenny Jones will be at the helm just as he has in every single season of UT Tyler men's soccer history.
• UT Tyler is 223-84-44 in their history, and Jones holds a career record of 253-120-49.
• The program is coming off of a 7-6-3 season in 2022 and that pulls them to 15-14-4 over their first two years as official Division II members.
• The team loves to play at Citizens 1^st Bank-Perkins Soccer Complex, as over the last two years they are a combined 12-4-1 on their home turf. If you take that mark back to 2019, the Patriots are 18-9-4.
• The Patriots have been pretty even on their home openers over the last six years, going exactly 3-3 in those games. The goal differential is almost as even, as the Patriots lead that category 8-7.
• 2022 saw the Patriots get off to one of their best starts in program history, going 5-0-1 over their first six games and outscoring their opponents 17-1 in that stretch. However, a stretch of 0-5-1 midway through the year led to a slip before a strong 2-1-1 finish that saw the program just miss the LSC tournament for the first time in the Division II era.
• The 2023 version of UT Tyler men's soccer features a melting pot of newcomers and returners. 7 of the 12 goal scorers from last season make their return, including leading goal scorer Lukas Paulun. Joining Paulun is 2022 LSC All-Freshman Team member Thato Meko as well as leaders in minutes played Brook Williams and Craig Chisholm.
• The Patriots were tied for the LSC lead in scoring average at 1.750 goals per game in 2022. Additionally, they held their opponents to just .88 goals per game and posted the third highest save percentage in the LSC at 77.8%. Paulun finished in a tie for 7^th in the LSC last season in total goals and 10^th in total points for the year.

 
PICKED 7^TH IN THE LSC PRESEASON POLL
 
The Patriots were picked 7^th in the Lone Star Conference Preseason Poll that was released back on August 17^th. They picked up 114 total points in the poll as defending champion St. Mary's was selected as the near unanimous number one selection. In the poll, the Patriots were 41 points behind sixth place Lubbock Christian and 26 points ahead of eighth place Texas A&M International.
 

Rank	School	1st	Total
1	St. Mary's	22	283
2	Midwestern State	3	242
3	West Texas A&M	3	237
4	DBU	2	207
5	Oklahoma Christian		192
6	Lubbock Christian		155
7	UT Tyler		114
8	Texas A&M International		88
9	St. Edward's		75
10	Eastern New Mexico		57

 
LSC PRESEASON PLAYERS TO WATCH
 
Lukas Paulun and Nori Ito were selected as 2023 Lone Star Conference Preseason Players to Watch. Paulun returns as the leading goal scorer from 2022 despite playing in eight of the 16 games from last season due to injury. Ito, a transfer from Florida International, bolsters a back line that made big strides during the 2022 season after allowing just .88 goals per game and only 10.1 shots per game.
 
#9 ST. MARY'S AT A GLANCE
 

• The Rattlers head into 2023 ranked #9 in the United Soccer Coaches poll after claiming the LSC regular season title and making a run to the Third Round in the NCAA Tournament in 2022. The Rattlers finished the year at a record of 12-2-6 overall with their only two losses coming to Oklahoma Christian and CSU Pueblo.
• Head coach Johnny Clifford remains in charge after winning the 2022 LSC Coach of the Year award. They are led by Preseason Goalkeeper of the Year Andre Schlaefli and Preseason Defensive Player of the Year Andrick Ferrer.
• 21 players make their return to the program this year and have earned their highest-ever preseason ranking after making it to the NCAA Tournament Third Round for the first time in program history.
• The all-time record between the two teams stands at 2-4-2 in favor of the Rattlers. In the Division II era (since 2021), the two teams are a dead even 2-2-2.

 
#2 CSU PUEBLO AT A GLANCE
 

• The Thunderwolves head into the 2023 season ranked #2 in the United Soccer Coaches poll after making it all the way to the NCAA Championship match and finishing 19-4-2 overall on the year and claiming second place in both the RMAC regular season and postseason tournament.
• CSU Pueblo is picked #1 in the RMAC preseason poll, and they return 13 players and six starters. Those include All-Americans Shjon Andrews and Gabriel Campora.
• Head coach Oliver Twelvetrees heads into his third season overall at the helm of the program and holds a career coaching record of 39-12-6 as leader of the Thunderwolves.