WEST LONG BRANCH, N.J. – The Monmouth University men's soccer team, which spent all of last season in the NSCAA Top-25 National Rankings, released its 2011 schedule, head coach Robert McCourt announced on Wednesday. The Hawks will take on five teams that qualified for last season's NCAA Tournament in 2011, and the combined record of MU's eight nonconference opponents from 2010 is 81-55-14 (.587 winning percentage). MU will also face its customary 10-match Northeast Conference schedule as it shoots for its seventh straight league regular season title and third consecutive conference tournament crown.
“The 2011 schedule may be our most difficult yet,” said McCourt. “Our NEC schedule is always very physically and mentally challenging. The nonconference schedule has five NCAA tournament teams. We also play highly touted programs from the BIG EAST, Ivy League and America East. Our goal is always to be a NCAA “at-large” bid team. Playing a difficult schedule enhances our chances of being an at-large program and also makes us battle-tested for the difficult conference slate.”
The Hawks begin the season with two home games, first by hosting Saint Peter's on Saturday, August 27 at 7:00 pm under the new lights on The Great Lawn. The Peacocks, who went 13-5-1 overall and 7-1-1 in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference, won their conference tournament title and advanced to the NCAA Tournament in 2010. MU then welcomes in Boston University on Thursday, September 1 at 7:00 pm. The Terriers went 11-5-1 last season and 6-1-0 in the America East, advancing to the conference tournament semifinals a season ago.
Monmouth takes to the road for the first time when it visits Norfolk, Virginia for the Old Dominion University Tournament. The Hawks will take on the College of William and Mary on Friday, September 9 at 4:30 and the host Monarchs on Sunday, September 11 at 2:30 pm. The Tribe went 15-4-3 overall and 8-1-2 in league in 2010, winning both the Colonial Athletic Association Regular Season and Tournament Titles. They advanced all the way to the Sweet 16 and were ranked in the NSCAA Top-25 National Rankings all year. ODU, which went 10-7-2 and 5-4-2 in the CAA last year, qualified for the NCAA Tournament as an at-large team, and defeated the University of Virginia, 1-0 in the first round.
The Hawks return home for a two-match homestand, starting on Friday, September 16 when they host Seton Hall University at 7:00 pm. They then host Bucknell on Sunday, September 18 at 1:00 pm. The Bison, who went 10-9-2 last season and 3-2-2 in the Patriot League, won their conference tournament title and advanced to the NCAA Tournament last year.
MU concludes its nonconference schedules by taking on a pair of Ivy League foes in Columbia and Princeton. The Hawks visit the Lions on Thursday, September 22 at 7:00 pm before hosting the Tigers on Sunday, September 25 at 1:00 pm. Princeton went 13-4-1 last season, including a perfect 7-0-0 mark in the league, en route to claiming the Ivy's regular season title and a berth in the NCAA Tournament.
The Hawks also will play their 10-game league ledger, starting on Friday, September 30 at 4:00 pm when they host Long Island. MU will then host Central Connecticut State on Sunday, October 2 at 12:00 pm. The Blue and White then take to the road for three straight league contests, starting on Sunday, October 9 at 1:00 pm when it visits Bryant. The Hawks then travel to play rival Fairleigh Dickinson on Friday, October 14 at 7:00 pm and then Sacred Heart on Sunday, October 16 at 1:00 pm.
MU then returns home to host Quinnipiac on Friday, October 21 at 7:00 pm and St. Francis College on Sunday, October 23 at 2:00 pm. The Hawks then depart for the league's Western Pennsylvania road trip, beginning on Friday, October 28 at 3:00 pm and concluding on Sunday, October 30 1:00 pm at Saint Francis University. Monmouth ends the 2011 regular season on Friday, November 4 when it hosts Mount St. Mary's at 7:00 pm.
