BERKELEY – The California men's soccer team's highly competitive 2024 schedule includes 10 opponents that played in last year's NCAA College Cup, head coach Leonard Griffin announced Thursday. In their first year in arguably the best conference in the nation, the Golden Bears play eight Atlantic Coast Conference opponents, including NC State on Sept. 6 in their inaugural ACC game in Raleigh, North Carolina. The Bears also host eight games on Goldman Field at Edwards Stadium.
 
Seven of Cal's ACC opponents reached the postseason last year including national runner-up Notre Dame, North Carolina, Virginia, Louisville, Pittsburgh, Stanford and SMU, while eight Cal opponents – LMU, SMU, Virginia, UNC, Louisville, Portland, Notre Dame and Stanford – were ranked in last season's final United Soccer Coaches poll.
 
Cal opens the season at home on Aug. 22 against Denver and plays at LMU – ranked 11th last year – on Aug. 29 in its first road game.
 
The Bears play a challenging stretch of three straight games vs. teams that were ranked at the end of 2023 when they host No. 13 Virginia on Sept. 21, travel to No. 6 North Carolina on Sept. 28 and host No. 24 Louisville on Oct. 4.
 
Cal hosts Notre Dame as well as Senior Day on Oct. 27. The Irish fell to Clemson – an ACC team that the Bears are not playing in the regular season – in the College Cup championship game.
 
The Bears face the Cardinal – ranked No. 5 last year – in the Nov. 1 regular-season finale on The Farm before competing in the ACC Championship from Nov. 7-10 in Cary, North Carolina.
 
Fans can purchase tickets for Cal home games by visiting CalBears.com.
 
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