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Summer won’t be over, yet, but class will be in for the University of Victoria Vikes men’s soccer team. At least on the pitch.

For the second consecutive season, the sa¹ú¼Ê´«Ã½ West season will begin in August, as the Vikes will open their season hosting Trinity Western on Aug. 26 and Fraser Valley on Aug. 27 at Centennial Stadium.

The defending conference and U Sports national champion Alberta Golden Bears open their title defence Aug. 26 on the road in Calgary against Mount Royal.

The reigning women’s conference champion UBC Thunderbirds return to the pitch Sept. 2 against the UVic Vikes at Centennial Stadium.

The 2017 university soccer season concludes Nov. 12, when U Sports national champions will be crowned — both on sa¹ú¼Ê´«Ã½ West soil. This season marks the first time since 2006 that both the men’s and women’s national tournaments will be held by sa¹ú¼Ê´«Ã½ West members, as Thompson Rivers University in Kamloops gets set to host the men’s event, and the University of Manitoba hosts the women’s tourney.

For TRU, the tournament will be historic, as it marks the first national event hosted by the school, which joined sa¹ú¼Ê´«Ã½ West in 2005-06.