No. 12 Kansas Set for Top-20 Matchup at No. 19 Ohio State

No. 12 Kansas (2-0-0) at No. 19 Ohio State (0-1-1)
When	Thursday, Aug. 20 at 4 p.m. CT
Where	Columbus, Ohio // Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium
Watch	B1G+
Live Stats	Stats
Game Notes	Kansas
Social Media	@KUWSoccer \| @kansassoccer \| Facebook

COLUMBUS, Ohio – No. 12 Kansas is set for its first ranked matchup of the season on Thursday, August 20, as the Jayhawks will face No. 19 Ohio State in Columbus, Ohio. The match is slated to begin at 4 p.m. CT, and will be broadcast on B1G+.

"We're excited for the challenge of going on the road to face a ranked Ohio State team," Kansas head coach Nate Lie said. "We're coming off a high-scoring performance, but we know we have to turn the page quickly. The focus now is on the details, sticking to our game plan and continuing to do the little things that have put us in a position to be successful."

Kansas defeated Missouri State 7-0 on Aug. 16 in Springfield, Missouri. The seven goals tied the school record for the most goals in a match (seven vs. Francis Marion on Oct. 19, 2008). The seven goals were the most scored ever against a Division I opponent and are the most scored on the road in program history. With the win, Kansas is now unbeaten in 12 straight non-conference matches, which is the longest streak in program history. KU has recorded shutouts in back-to-back matches to start the season. The last time Kansas recorded shutouts in back-to-back matches to begin a season was 2020. The Kansas defense only conceded one shot, which tied a program record for the fewest number of shots conceded.

Junior midfielder London De Fini was named Big 12 Defensive Player of the Week and was named to the TopDrawerSoccer National Team of the Week this week. She helped the Jayhawks to a 2-0 record last week with shutout wins over Utah State (Aug. 12) and Missouri State (Aug. 16). She set new career highs with three assists and five points in the 7-0 record-breaking victory over Missouri State. De Fini was one of five goal scorers in the match.

Kansas moved up in the national rankings this week, jumping up to No. 12 in the Intercollegiate Women's Soccer Organization for Coaches (IWSOC) DI Top 25 Coaches Poll. In addition to the IWSOC ranking, the Jayhawks have earned a No. 12 national ranking from TopDrawerSoccer this week. The No. 12 ranking by IWSOC, formerly known as the United Soccer Coaches poll, is KU's highest ranking under third-year head coach Nate Lie.

ABOUT OHIO STATE
No. 19 Ohio State is coming off a 0-0 draw at Clemson on Aug. 16. Following Thursday's match against No. 12 KU, the Buckeyes will face off against Kentucky in Columbus, Ohio. OSU returns 21 players and nine starters from the 2025 season, where the Buckeyes finished 11-5-6 and an Elite Eight appearance in the NCAA Tournament. The Buckeyes were picked to finish fifth in the Big Ten preseason poll.

SERIES HISTORY
Kansas played Ohio State for the first time on Aug. 18, 2022, a match that ended in a 1-0 win for the Buckeyes. Thursday's meeting is the second meeting between the Jayhawks and the Buckeyes all-time.

HOW TO FOLLOW ALONG
Thursday's match will be broadcast on B1G+, with Emmet Morris (play-by-play) and Joey Bardack (analyst) on the call. Fans can watch by clicking here.

Live statistics can be found here, while live updates will also be provided on the team's official X page at @KUWSoccer.

UP NEXT
Kansas will travel to Kent, Ohio to face Kent State on Sunday, August 23. The match is slated to begin at 12 p.m. CT.

No. 12 Kansas Set for Top-20 Matchup at No. 19 Ohio State

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London De Fini

University of Kansas Athletics

No. 12 Kansas Set for Top-20 Matchup at No. 19 Ohio State

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