ST. LOUIS – Saint Louis University men's soccer will host the inaugural Billiken Soccer Kickoff Dinner Friday, Aug. 15, at 6:30 p.m. at Lorenzini's inside Chaifetz Arena.

The dinner will feature a special guest. Dan Flynn, CEO and Secretary General of U.S. Soccer, will recap the 2014 FIFA World Cup. Additionally, members of the Billiken men's soccer team will be on hand for a meet-and-greet.

“This will be a great evening and a unique opportunity to get a first-hand account of the U.S. National Team and their amazing World Cup experience from Dan Flynn,” SLU head coach Mike McGinty said. “It will also be a great way to meet our new players and get ready for what promises to be an exciting 2014 season.”

The cost of the dinner is $100. It also includes five tickets to SLU's game the next night at Hermann Stadium against NCAA defending champion Notre Dame.

To register, please call 314-977-8180 or email BillikenClub@slu.edu and provide a credit card number. You can make checks payable to SLU Men's Soccer and send to Margo Lubus at 3330 Laclede Ave., St. Louis, MO 63103. All proceeds benefit Billiken men's soccer.

Flynn played for the Billikens from 1973 to 1977, winning an NCAA title in 1973 and playing on the Billikens' runner-up squad in 1974. He was inducted into the Billiken Hall of Fame in 2000. In addition to his extensive experience with U.S. Soccer, Flynn spent time in sports marketing at Anheuser-Busch, where he helped lead the effort of the company's sponsorship of the 1986 World Cup in Mexico.

The Billikens return five of their top six scorers from last year's team that posted a 14-5-2 record, captured the Atlantic 10 Conference regular-season crown and advanced to the A-10 Championship title game. You can view SLU's 2014 schedule by clicking here.