Penn State men’s soccer released its 2019 regular season schedule Monday.

The Nittany Lions will face several top-ranked opponents this fall, a tough opening test against Stanford at Jeffrey Field, and a conference battle against defending College Cup champions Maryland.

Penn State adds several new opponents to this season’s slate, including Stetson, Appalachian State, and Pittsburgh. After facing perennial College Cup contender Stanford at home to open the season, the Nittany Lions hit the road for matches against Stony Brook, UCF and Stetson in New York and Florida, respectively. They’ll then return to University Park to face a solid Villanova team before opening conference play at Ohio State.

Jeff Cook’s squad will hope to improve on last year’s 6-9-2 season and sixth-place regular season Big Ten finish in this fall’s campaign. But the conference opponents the team will face this season — including tournament winners Indiana and Maryland — will prove difficult tests.

Luckily for the Nittany Lions, both Maryland and Indiana will need to travel to University Park during regular season play. The team will also be boosted by a strong class of returners, including midfield stalwarts Aaron Molloy and Callum Pritchatt, sophomore forward Jeremy Rafanello, center back Brandon Hackenberg and goalkeeper Josh Levine. A 10th-ranked 2019 recruiting class should also bolster the Nittany Lions’ chances at a deep tournament run.

The Jeffrey Field faithful will be able to catch a first glimpse of this fall’s squad when it faces off against Georgetown in an exhibition match on August 17.