Eastern men’s soccer coach Adam Howarth announced his team’s schedule on Monday.

The Panthers open the regular season with seven away games before they host their home opener against Lipscomb on Sept. 17.

The Panthers begin Summit League conference play on Sept. 30 with a home match against IUPUI.

Eastern men’s soccer will return to competing in The Summit League this upcoming season.

Eastern soccer competed in the Mid-Continent Conference from 1983 to 1995 before joining the Missouri Valley Conference. The Mid-Continent Conference was renamed The Summit League in 2007.

Men’s soccer and swimming are the only two Eastern teams that compete in The Summit League.

Howarth’s squad will face two teams that made it to the NCAA Tournament last year, Bradley and Oakland.

Eastern faces Bradley on Sept. 1 in Peoria. The Panthers will meet the Oakland Golden Grizzlies for their last home match of the season on Oct. 29.

The Panthers finished 4-12-1 last season and look to improve on that record this upcoming season.

Gingerich earns academic honors

Red-shirt junior track and cross-country runner Megan Gingerich was named to the Academic All-District V first team.

Gingerich maintains a 3.89 GPA as a communication disorders major.

Gingerich earned the academic nod after members of the College Sports Information Directors of America voted for her. Gingerich will be placed on a national ballot and will have a chance to earn Capital One Academic All-America recognition.

The Arthur, Ill. native recently represented Eastern at the NCAA West Regional, competing in the 800-meter run. Gingerich placed 30th in the event with a time of 2:09.08.

Gingerich was named the 2010 OVC Female Track Athlete of the Year and has earned six first-team All-OVC honors in her Eastern career.

Panthers wide receiver named to 2011 pre-season watch list

Junior Chris Wright was named to the 2011 wide receiver preseason award list by the College Football Performance Awards.

Wright is one of four wide receivers from the Ohio Valley Conference named to the list and one of 38 total.

Wright caught 21 passes for 557 receiving yards and six touchdowns last season.

Wright was named OVC Player of the Week last season after turning in a big performance against Tennessee State. In that Panthers overtime win, Wright had five receptions for 217 yards and three touchdowns.

The Panthers will open up the 2011 season against Illinois State on Sept. 1.