June 8, 2009
Click here for the full 2009 Aggie soccer schedule.
COLLEGE STATION, Texas - The Texas A&M soccer team looks to remain amongst the nation's elite this season as head coach G Guerrieri puts the team to the test with a tough 2009 schedule that features matches against the last three national championship programs.
In addition, the Aggie soccer team faces eight teams that advanced to the NCAA Tournament last year, including three of which proceeded to the Sweet 16, two that moved on to the Elite Eight and the defending national champion, North Carolina.
"This is a tough slate of games for us, but I think we have the talent to be able to compete well in each match," said Guerrieri. "To meet our players' goal of winning the national championship in December we have to prepare them against championship-level competition all season long."
Texas A&M also hosts 12 home matches at the Aggie Soccer Stadium which is the site of the 2009 NCAA Women's College Cup.
"The Aggie Soccer Stadium is one of the greatest college soccer venues because of the perfect playing surface, the intimacy of the stadium with our huge home crowds and the great environment created by the passionate A&M students who make up the 12th Man. Our fans will be excited to see the collection of opponents who'll visit Aggieland during the 2009 regular season and I'm hoping to see most of those played in front of full house crowds."
The '09 Aggies open their season with four home matches. An exhibition game against UAB on Aug. 15 gives fans a first glimpse of this year's team before A&M kicks off the regular season on Aug. 22 against a top 10 team and the 2007 national champion, USC.
Purdue (Aug. 28) and UTSA (Aug. 30) travel to College Station the following weekend before the Aggies head to California to take on the Cal Golden Bears Sept. 4 and Saint Mary's Sept. 6. Cal was ranked as high as No. 13 last season and was knocked out of the first round of the NCAA Tournament by Florida. The Aggies later defeated the Gators to proceed to the Elite Eight.
In back-to-back road weekends, A&M then travels to Chapel Hill, N.C. on Sept. 11 for a rematch with the defending national champion UNC. The Aggies advanced to the quarterfinals of the '08 championship before falling in double overtime to the Tar Heels.
A&M closes out the non-conference schedule playing host to Portland, the defending West Coast Conference champion, on Sept. 18 and Sam Houston State on Sept. 20. The Pilots, another top 10 team and the 2005 National Champions, advanced to the quarterfinals of the NCAA Tournament last season and finished with a 20-2-0 mark.
The Aggies open Big 12 play at Baylor Sept. 25 and travel to Oklahoma Sept. 27. Kansas (Oct. 2) and Missouri (Oct. 4) both made it to the second round of the NCAA Tournament and come to the Aggie Soccer Stadium the following weekend.
A&M faces the defending Big 12 regular season champion Oklahoma State in Stillwater, Okla., on Oct. 9 before returning home to host Loyola University Chicago Oct. 11.
Big 12 play continues with away matches at Iowa State (Oct. 16) and Nebraska (Oct. 18) and home matches against Colorado (Oct. 23) and Texas Tech (Oct. 25), and wraps up with Texas at the Aggie Soccer Stadium on Oct. 30. The Longhorns were a second-round NCAA Tournament team.
The Big 12 Championship plays out Nov. 4, 6 and 8 and the first and second rounds of the postseason begin Nov. 12-15. The Aggies look to make their 15th straight appearance in the NCAA Championship that will end Dec. 4-6 at the Aggie Soccer Stadium as Texas A&M plays host to the NCAA Women's College Cup.
Season tickets to A&M home matches are available for purchase beginning June 15 online at www.12thmanfoundation or by calling 1-888-99-AGGIE.