DEKALB, Ill. – Northern Illinois University men's soccer head coach Eric Luzzi announced the Huskies' 2016 schedule on Monday. NIU's slate for the upcoming season is highlighted by nine home dates, including the NIU adidas Invitational as well as home games with conference rivals Akron and West Virginia.

"We have once again put together a very challenging schedule together for our team in 2016," said Luzzi. "We have lined up about half of our schedule against teams that have won their conference championship or been in the NCAA Tournament within the last two years. We take a lot of pride in our willingness to test ourselves against some of the best teams in the country, and this season will be no different.

"The reality of Division I soccer is that there truly are no easy games. Our team will be tested each and every time we step on the field this fall.  I am looking forward to preparing our team for each of these difficult games, and extremely excited to see how our team rises up to the challenge of another difficult schedule."

Following a trio of exhibition games, including home contests against Olivet Nazarene (Aug. 12) and Drake (Aug. 21), the Huskies will begin the regular season with four consecutive road contests. NIU will open at 2015 Missouri Valley Conference regular season champion SIU Edwardsville on Friday, Aug. 26 before traveling to Milwaukee on Monday, Aug. 29, to take on Marquette.

The Huskies will travel to Maryland the following weekend to visit UMBC, a 2014 College Cup participant, on Friday, Sept. 2 and Navy on Sunday, Sept. 4.

NIU will then return home as the Huskies open the home portion of the regular season with the NIU adidas Invitational. The Huskies will entertain Binghamton on Friday, Sept. 9 and host Utah Valley, a 2015 NCAA Tournament team, on Sunday, Sept. 11. Three more non-conference games, including a trip to UW Milwaukee in the annual LeWang Cup match on Sept. 21, will follow the NIU adidas Invitational.

A busy October sees the Huskies play seven matches in 24 days, starting with a home contest against local rival UIC on Tuesday, Oct. 4. NIU then opens league play with a trip to Kalamazoo to visit Western Michigan on Saturday, Oct. 8.

Midweek matches against Eastern Illinois (Oct. 11) and Loyola-Chicago (Oct. 18) are sandwiched around a visit from perennial MAC power Akron on Saturday, Oct. 15.

On Homecoming Saturday, Oct. 22, the Huskies will entertain Bowling Green before traveling to Buffalo for the final road game of the regular season on Friday, Oct. 28. NIU will close the regular season on Saturday, Nov. 5, when the Huskies host West Virginia.

The conference tournament will once again be hosted by the conference regular season champion and will take place November 11-13.