DEKALB, Ill. -- The Northern Illinois University men's soccer team opens the 2019 regular season with a pair of matches this weekend in Chicago. The Huskies will begin the campaign on Friday, August 30, at DePaul at 4 p.m., and will then travel to Loyola Chicago on Sunday, September 1, in a match that will kickoff at 1 p.m., and be available on ESPN+. 

"The guys are ready," said NIU head coach Ryan Swan. "Tomorrow is always a little different in terms of managing the energy that comes with the first day. We had a good training session today and the guys seem focused and ready to get to it. I'm excited to get them out there and see them in real competition."

The Huskies return 18 players from 2018, including 14 that started at least one match a season ago. NIU also brings back 25 of its 28 goals scored from last year's campaign, including leading goal scorer Nick Markanich (Bourbonnais, Ill./Bradley-Bourbonnais) who netted eight goals, the most by a NIU freshman since 2004. Senior Jan Maertins (Rheinfelden, Germany/Marquette) scored seven goals in 2018 and has 14 career goals as a collegian, including three as a freshman at Marquette in 2016. 

Sophomore Anthony Markanich (Bourbonnais, Ill./Bradley-Bourbonnais) tallied seven assists to lead all returnees in that category. Anthony Markanich was second on the team in assists last season behind only Kevin Rodriguez who recorded nine, Rodriguez went on to be selected by Minnesota United in the MLS SuperDraft and is currently playing with Rio Grande Valley FC in the USL Championship. 

Anthony Markanich also tallied four goals last season to finish third on the team while junior Alex Welch (Carmarthen, Wales/King's College Madrid) found the back of the net three times in 2018 and has six career goals in two years as a Huskie. 

Senior Christian Molina (Katy, Texas/Mayde Creek) spent part of his summer with the El Salvador Under-23 National Team, helping them advance in CONCACAF Olympic Qualifying with a 3-1, two-leg aggregate win over Panama. Molina is the most experienced player on the NIU roster, having appeared in 45 career games, making 29 starts. 

NIU returns a trio of goalkeepers with redshirt senior Konrad Dziedzic (Schiller Park, Ill./West Virginia) being the most experienced, having started 28 career games, including 17 a season ago. Senior Christoph Köninger (Achern, Germany/Gymnasium Achern) has played in three career games, including one last year, while the third returning goalkeeper for the Huskies is redshirt freshman Martin Sanchez (Bloomington, Minn./Kennedy). 

The Huskies have brought in six newcomers for the 2019 season, including redshirt freshman Enrique Banuelos (Mexico City, Mexico/Virginia) who came to NIU last spring following a semester at the University of Virginia. Banuelos is one of the three transfers that make up NIU's incoming class, along with sophomore Miguel Maynez Jr. (El Paso, Texas/New Mexico) who made 12 appearances last season at New Mexico, and junior Carlos Valdez (Houston, Texas/Richland College) who won a NJCAA Division III national championship last year at Richland College.  

DePaul enters Friday's season opener having posted a 1-1-1 mark in the preseason, the Huskies and Blue Demons had one common opponent in the exhibition slate as DePaul played to a 1-1 draw against Detroit Mercy while the Huskies defeated the Titans, 1-0. 

Loyola went 2-0-1 in exhibition play, posting wins over Milwaukee and Wisconsin while also playing to a draw against Marquette. The Ramblers will open the season on Friday against Vermont before meeting the Huskies on Sunday to close the weekend. 

"I'm not sure if (playing local opponents) will intensify the energy that will be there for opening weekend," said Swan. "But certainly, we are familiar with DePaul, our guys are familiar with them and we know that they are a good program and the same goes for Loyola. I think they will be two different games stylistically, but they should both be exciting games."

NIU will return home on Friday, September 6, when the Huskies welcome Green Bay to DeKalb for the home opener. Kickoff against the Phoenix is slated for 7 p.m.