USF Announces 2008 W Soccer Schedule

5/2/08


TAMPA, Fla. – On Thursday, May 1, the University of South Florida announced the 19-game, 2008 women's soccer schedule that includes four teams from the BIG EAST that participated in the 2007 College Cup.



The schedule is loaded with teams from eight conferences, including the BIG EAST, Ivy League, Southeastern, Mid-American, Missouri Valley, Atlantic Sun, Conference USA and Sun Belt. Seven of the teams posted at least 10 wins last season and five of USF's non-conference opponents participated in their respective league tournaments.



"We're really excited about the schedule. Donna [Holyman] did a great job of balancing our schedule in terms of what would suit us on the road and at home," said Denise Schilte-Brown, USF head coach. "It is going to challenge our players, and if we are successful in the non-conference portion, which is a combo of winnable games and tough competition, we should be setting ourselves up to be prepared for the BIG EAST and to compete for an at large bid."



The Bulls start the season with five games on the road before hitting the newly-renovated USF Soccer Stadium for four games in mid-September. Five of their next six games are on the road, then USF ends with four BIG EAST games in a row at home.



"We are really creating a great soccer atmosphere at the USF Soccer Stadium," said Schilte-Brown. "The ladies always take pride in playing at home, in front of their fellow students and parents. The better looking the stadium, the more fans in the stands, the more motivating it is for the ladies on the field."



USF's five-game stretch on the road starts with a short drive to the University of Tampa, where the Bulls will face the University of North Florida on Aug. 22. A week later, USF heads north to play UAB in Birmingham on Aug. 29, who played in the Conference USA postseason tournament a season ago. The Bulls wrap up the month of August with a game in Nashville, where USF will face Vanderbilt on the 31st.



September begins with a pair of games in Baton Rouge, La., where USF will face Dartmouth and Kent State. The Bulls then host Stetson, Illinois State, Marquette and FAU at the USF Soccer Stadium, which is being surfaced with new grass this summer. Kent State (MAC) and Stetson (A-Sun) each played in their conference tournaments while Illinois State tied Creighton, 1-1, in the championship match of the Missouri Valley Conference tournament, but was eliminated on PKs. The Bulls conclude the month with a game at Connecticut – who posted a 14-6-2 record and played in the 2007 NCAA Elite Eight – on Sept. 26, then return to Tampa for a Sept. 28 game against Providence.



USF hits the road for back-to-back BIG EAST weekends to begin the month of October, traveling to Notre Dame on Oct. 3 and DePaul on Oct. 5, then to Syracuse and St. John's for Oct. 10th and 12th matchups. Notre Dame played in the 2007 NCAA Final Four, recording a 19-5-2 overall record. St. John's was one of six of USF's 2008 opponents to play in the BIG EAST Championships, posting an 11-5-3 overall and 6-5-0 league mark.



USF ends the regular season with Cincinnati, Louisville, Pittsburgh and West Virginia at home. The Bulls and Bearcats meet on Oct. 17, then USF faces Louisville, another 2007 NCAA Tournament participant, on Oct. 19. In the final weekend of the season, the Bulls host Pittsburgh, who was 1-8-2 in 2007 on Oct. 24, then match up with the 2007 BIG EAST Champions and NCAA Elite Eight participant, West Virginia, on Oct. 28.



The complete schedule is listed below and can be found on the USF athletics website at www.GoUSFBulls.com.





August




22
UNF
Tampa, Fla.@ Univ. of Tampa
5 p.m.

29
at UAB
Birmingham, Ala.
7 p.m.

31
at Vanderbilt
Nashville, Tenn.
Noon (CST)






September




5
vs. Dartmouth (at LSU)
Baton Rouge, La.
5 p.m.

7
vs. Kent State (at LSU)
Baton Rouge, La.
11 a.m.

11
Stetson
Tampa, Fla.
7:30 p.m.

14
Illinois State
Tampa, Fla.
1 p.m.

19
Marquette
Tampa, Fla.
7:30 p.m.

21
FAU
Tampa, Fla.
1 p.m.

26
at Connecticut
Storrs, Conn.
7 p.m.

28
Providence
Tampa, Fla.
11 a.m.






October




3
at Notre Dame
Notre Dame, Ind.
7:30 p.m.

5
at DePaul
Chicago, Ill.
1 p.m.

10
at Syracuse
Syracuse, N.Y.
7 p.m.

12
at St. John's
Queens, N.Y.
Noon

17
Cincinnati
Tampa, Fla.
7:30 p.m.

19
Louisville
Tampa, Fla.
Noon

24
Pittsburgh
Tampa, Fla.
7:30 p.m.

26
West Virginia
Tampa, Fla.
1 p.m.

30
BIG EAST First Round
Campus sites







November




2
Big East Second Round
Campus sites


7-9
Big East Semis & Final



14-16
NCAA First & Second Rounds



21-23
NCAA Third Round



28-30
NCAA Quarterfinals








December




5-7
NCAA Finals