A Milestone Match in Athens
The University of Georgia men's soccer squad is set to welcome James Madison University to Sanford Stadium on August 20, 2024. The contest forms part of the "Soccer in Sanford" series and serves as the Bulldogs' home regular‑season opener. After a 30‑year hiatus, the matchup revives a historic rivalry that promises to draw a massive crowd.
Georgia arrives fresh from a 0‑0 draw with Illinois on August 13 and a 1‑1 stalemate with Minnesota on August 16. Both games showcased a balanced performance, setting the stage for a fresh start to the campaign. The Bulldogs finished the previous season with a 10‑5‑6 record, falling in the SEC Tournament semifinals to Vanderbilt before exiting the NCAA Tournament in the first round against Ohio State.
Head coach Keidane McAlpine, who previously set the NCAA regular‑season women's soccer attendance record of 11,925 while at USC, hopes to translate that momentum to the men's side. His vision emphasizes community engagement and a vibrant atmosphere for the upcoming opener.
James Madison's head coach, Joshua Walters Sr., brings experience from the UCLA staff that contributed to the 2017 attendance‑record‑setting game. Walters and his team enter the match with a 9‑4‑6 record from last season and a 1‑1 start to the current campaign, eager to make an impact.
The event aims to eclipse two long‑standing NCAA attendance benchmarks: 14,410 for a women's match in 1990 and 22,512 for a men's game in 1980. If successful, the figure would underscore the growing popularity of college soccer in the Southeast.
Sanford Stadium itself holds a storied place in sports history, having witnessed the U.S. women's national team's 2‑1 Olympic gold‑medal victory over China in 1996, a game that attracted 76,481 spectators. The venue's legacy adds a compelling narrative to the upcoming showdown.
Fans will be able to watch the match live on the SEC Network, and free tickets are being distributed through the university's official website, encouraging broad community participation.