Five Things to Know: Wisconsin vs. UCF/FSU

Wisconsin

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UCF

0-0–0

Game Coverage

Thursday, Aug. 22 | 5 p.m. CT — Orlando, Fla.

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Wisconsin

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Florida State

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Game Coverage

Sunday, Aug. 25 | 1 p.m. CT — Tallahassee, Fla.

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MADISON, Wis. – The No. 16 Wisconsin women's soccer team is heading south to open its 2019 regular season, where the Badgers will play a pair of matches in Florida. UW will take on UCF on Thursday in a 5 p.m. showdown in Orlando before taking on reigning national champion Florida State on Sunday at 1 p.m.

1. STARTING OFF STRONG: The Badgers are 25-8-5 all-time in season-opening matches and have a seven-match winning streak in season-openers heading into Thursday's tilt with UCF.

2. B1G RECOGNITION: Cameron Murtha, Dani Rhodes and Claire Shea earned preseason honors from the Big Ten Conference on Monday while Wisconsin was picked to finish third in the conference behind rivals Penn State and Rutgers. UW was one of five Big Ten teams that were ranked or that received votes in the United Soccer Coaches Top-25 Poll.

3. STRAIGHT FROM THE PITCH:

Hear what @danirhodes04 has to say about UW's games in Florida and how the preseason has gone for the #Badgers! pic.twitter.com/IgaRmAXnmh
— Wisconsin Soccer (@BadgerWSoccer) August 21, 2019

4. AGAINST THE BEST: Wisconsin is eying its first-ever victory against a No. 1 team in the country on Sunday after dropping their last five matches against the top-ranked team in the nation. This marks the third-straight year UW has faced the No. 1 team in the country after dropping 1-0 contests to No. 1 South Carolina (2017) and No. 1 Stanford (2018) in NCAA tournament play.

5. HEADING HOME: After their time in Florida, the Badgers will head back to Madison for a pair of matches at the McClimon Soccer Complex during Labor Day weekend. UW will take on I-94 rival Marquette on Thursday, Aug. 29 in a 7 p.m. tilt before welcoming Butler for a 1 p.m. contest on Sunday, Sept. 1.