WATERLOO, Ont. - Laurier's push for its first postseason birth in six seasons begins September 1 at home against York, as the OUA officially announced its 2023 schedule on Wednesday afternoon.

"We are very excited about the upcoming season and look forward to playing our games at the fabulous new Alumni Field," said Laurier men's soccer head coach Mario Halapir. "Our schedule this year is more balanced and allows for a start that includes facing both the top teams in our conference and some that are historically lower in the tables.

After a home-and-home to start the year against the Lions, a team that has reached four of the last five OUA finals, the Golden Hawks will host Algoma in back-to-back matches. Laurier is unbeaten against the Thunderbirds in their past 13 meetings, dating back to 2014.

Another home-and-home, this time against the Brock Badgers, will precede a weekend match-up in late September against the defending Blackwood Cup winners McMaster Marauders. 

Golden Hawk graduating student-athletes will be recognized before a mid-week Senior Night game with the rival Western Mustangs in town on October 4. 

Three straight road games will bring the regular season to an end, including the annual Battle of Waterloo against the Warriors on October 21. Laurier will look for its first victory in the Waterloo derby since 2016, having gone winless (0-6-4) in that span.

"The last several years, we have had to face the strongest competition right out of the gates, making it very demanding on our young team," said Halapir. "We will be tested at the end of the season by playing our last three games away from home, but I am optimistic that we are more mature as a team and will prevail."

The opening round of postseason play will see the No. 3 teams take on the No. 6 squads in each division, as well as a pair of battles between the fourth and fifth-seeded divisional foes on October 25.

Following that, the Round 1 victors will advance to battle the top teams in their division – who each receive a bye to start their quests for the cup – on Saturday, October 28, before, for the first time all season, crossing over to find their inter-divisional semifinal foes on the first day of November.

The final two teams standing will then take centre stage as they battle for the coveted OUA crown on November 4, 2023.

VIEW THE FULL SCHEDULE

With files from the OUA