Courtesy of LA Tech Athletic Communications
The Bulldogs are set to host the Alabama Crimson Tide in the 2025 regular season opener tonight at 7 p.m. CT at Robert Mack Caruthers Field.
The contest can be seen on ESPN+ with Kyle Roberts and Wally Crittenden providing a call of the action.
This is the second time in as many years LA Tech will face the Tide on the pitch and the first-ever matchup at The Mack. Thursday’s match also marks the first time the Bulldogs face an SEC team at home in the Steve Voltz era.
Tech is coming off a 2024 campaign where they return just under 35% of their on-field playing time from last year, led by Mary Helen Burford who totaled 1,073 minutes as a freshman. Maeva Costenaro and Madita Ehrig are the lone returning goal scorers for Tech, each having one goal last year.
Alabama is led by head coach Wes Hart, who is entering his 11th season at the helm of the Tide’s soccer program. In 2024, he led Alabama to a 10-6-5 record, marking the fourth-straight year the Tide finished over .500 as they have collected 10 wins each year since 2021.
Hart has led the Tide to four NCAA Tournament appearances (2017, 2021, 2022, 2023) as well as securing the program’s first SEC regular-season title in 2022 after posting a perfect 10-0-0 record in conference play.
Forward Gianna Paul is Alabama’s top returner, as she was named First Team All-SEC and an All-American last season after leading the team with 12 goals and 25 points. Paul finished 17th in the country with five game-winners and among the top 30 in total goals.
Avery Brown stays in the SEC after transferring to Alabama from Ole Miss, where she was a 2023 All-Freshman Team selection before redshirting in 2024.
