The Wright State Raiders will meet Eastern Illinois on Thursday, August 27, at 5 p.m. in Charleston, Illinois, for the 16th edition of a series that currently favors the Raiders with an 8‑5‑2 record.
A New Chapter for the Raiders
The Raiders entered the contest after a 6‑1 loss to Belmont in their home opener, a game in which Burkett opened the scoring before Belmont surged ahead with six first‑half goals. Despite being outshot 16‑10 and out‑on‑goal 8‑6, Wright State matched the Bruins on corner kicks, 3‑3.
That defeat dropped the Raiders to 0‑2 in the 2025 campaign, a season that concluded with a 2‑13‑1 overall record and a 2‑7 mark in Horizon League play. Eastern Illinois, by contrast, closed 2025 at 4‑9‑4 overall and 3‑4‑3 in OVC competition.
This year’s roster brings a wave of change, with 19 newcomers that include ten freshmen, nine sophomores and nine juniors. The squad draws talent from nine different U.S. states and spans eight countries across five continents, giving the team an international flavor.
Three Raiders earned Horizon League recognition in 2025, with Henry Hutchinson and Roman Kedgley named to the Third Team and Alessandro Malterer a finalist for the sportsmanship award.
Looking ahead, the Raiders will travel to face Lindenwood on Sunday, August 28, at Alumni Field, where kickoff is scheduled for 1 p.m. Season‑long tickets are on sale starting at $10, with all transactions processed cashlessly.