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CANYON, Texas - The defending Lone Star Conference Champions return to The Pitch for their home opener as they host Drury for an afternoon match on Sunday.  Match time is set for noon on Sept. 5.
 
THE SERIES
The No. 11 Buffs and Panthers meet for the first time since Sept. 3, 2016 with WT falling to Drury 1-0.  WT leads the all-time series 3-1 since its start in 1995.
 
SCOUTING DRURY
Drury opened the 2021 season against nationally-ranked Northeastern State on Thursday night.  NSU defeated the Panthers 1-0, scoring in the opening minute of the match.  A red card in the 34^th minute put Drury down a man, but starting keeper Yannick Lamers recorded six stops to keep the match within one.  Panthers midfielder Jayd Hamdaoua led with two shots.
 
BUTCH LAUFFER
Butch Lauffer enters his 31st season as head men's soccer coach at West Texas A&M University. Lauffer is now the longest tenured head coach in West Texas A&M history in a storied career dating back to 1991. Lauffer reached the 500-win plateau on Sept. 30, 2017 in Odessa, Texas with a dominating 13-2 win over UT Permian Basin. 
 
During his tenure, Lauffer has coached the men to 29 consecutive non-losing seasons and the women to 12-plus victories in 12 seasons. Lauffer has recorded a 350-157-39 (.677) record at the helm of the Buffs with a 539-224-56 (.701) overall record at WT.
 
NATIONAL STANDINGS
No. 11 WT was one of three programs from the conference ranked in the United Soccer Coaches Division II Top-25 Preseason Poll joined by Midwestern State at 22^nd and St. Mary's at 24^th.  From the region, Colorado School of Mines and Colorado Mesa made appearances in the standings at eighth and 21^st. 

THE BIG 350
Lauffer and the Buffaloes claimed the programs 350th victory after defeating Midwestern State 1-0 in the Lone Star Conference Championship game during the abbreviated 2020-21 spring season.  Under Lauffer, the Buffs finished 8-2 to be named the regular-season and tournament champions, claiming the program's third championship title.
 
PRESEASON POLL
WT was tabbed the conference favorite with 10 of 22 possible first-place votes and 171 total points voted on by the league coaches, sports information directors and media representatives.  
 
Midwestern State was second with nine first-place votes and 169 points followed by St. Mary's (one first-place vote, 141) and UT Tyler (113). UT Permian Basin (one first-place vote) and Texas A&M International were locked at 98 points to tie for fifth. With 70 points, Lubbock Christian was selected seventh with DBU (45) and Oklahoma Christian (40) following. 
 
PRESEASON OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Saldana was named the LSC Preseason Player of the Year after leading the Buffs offense in the 2020-21 spring season with a team-high nine goals and being named the LSC Newcomer of the Year. He was also named to the First Team All-conference as the junior has made an immediate impact after transferring from Hill College. He has scored in five of his eight appearances including braces in wins over St. Mary's, UT Permian Basin and Oklahoma Christian. 
 
LONE STAR CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIP
The tournament will begin with quarterfinal matches on Tuesday, November 9 followed by the semifinal and championship matches at the No. 1 seed on Friday, November 12 and Sunday, November 14.
 
UP NEXT
The Buffs return to The Pitch on Saturday, Sept. 11 to go head-to-head with No. 19 Northeastern State.