Greenville College Men's Soccer Program Travels to Europe
Published: April 13, 2021
GREENVILLE, Ill. - The Greenville College men's soccer program will depart Friday afternoon on a journey to Europe for the second time since 2006 for an 11-day, 10-night tour. The Panthers, under the direction of ninth year head coach Brian McMahon, will travel to London of the United Kingdom for nine days of training, playing exhibition matches, sightseeing, and attending club and professional matches.
"We are excited to have the opportunity to travel abroad again as a team to Europe," said McMahon. "The experience we have as a team getting to watch professional clubs at the top level along with playing a few matches along the way is a fantastic start to our season."
After flying from St. Louis to London via Chicago throughout Friday evening and the early hours of Saturday morning, the Panthers will arrive in London on Saturday just in time to view two live matches of the Emirates Cup, a continental competition of European club teams at Emirates Stadium, home of the Arsenal Football Club in the English Premier League. They return to Emirates Stadium to watch two matches on Sunday. Before attending the matches on Sunday, Greenville will experience a training session with the Fulham Football Club in the morning.
Their Monday schedule includes a tour of Wembley Stadium, the second largest stadium in Europe and the largest stadium in the world with every seat under cover, and its first exhibition match at West Ham Academy in the afternoon. After training Tuesday and Wednesday mornings, the Panthers will play Sports Ed in an exhibition match Wednesday afternoon. The men return to training Thursday afternoon.
On Friday, the Panthers will tour Old Trafford Stadium, home of the Manchester United in the Premier League, and its museum, before playing its third match. On Saturday, Greenville will play their final exhibition game against First Point before later attending an exhibition match between Liverpool of the Premier League and Atletico Madrid of the Spanish La Liga on Saturday afternoon.
Following a walking tour of London on Sunday morning, August 8, the Panthers will have an opportunity to attend the Community Shield Final between Manchester United and Chelsea of the Premier League at Wembley Stadium as the final event of its trip.
The European tour is a special exemption granted by the NCAA which allows the programs at member institutions to compete and practice outside its traditional and non-traditional seasons. The NCAA regulates foreign tours by permitting them once every three years. In 2008, the women's soccer team traveled to Europe, and tentative plans call for the women's soccer team to return in 2011.
"In my previous years as a coach doing this it has really brought the team together and provides for a great chemistry so my hope is that this will again be the same," said McMahon.
The Greenville College men's soccer program completed the 2008 season with an overall record of 15-4-3, a SLIAC tournament championship, and an unprecedented appearance in the NCAA Division III national tournament. The Panthers begin their 2009 season on Tuesday, Sept. 1, at home against Missouri Baptist in a 5 p.m. kickoff.
For more information, please contact
B.J. Schneck
Sports Information Director
(618) 664-6621
william.schneck@greenville.edu
