Field Hockey Announces 2006 Fall Schedule
March 29, 2006 | Field Hockey
March 29, 2006
University of Louisville field hockey head coach Pam Bustin has announced the 2006 fall schedule. The Cardinals face nine teams ranked in the National Field Hockey Coaches Association top 20 and seven 2005 NCAA tournament teams. Louisville's Trager Stadium will also serve as the host site for the 2006 BIG EAST Championship.
"Team Cardinal again will face some of the best teams in the country through the 2006 campaign," said Bustin. "This program has gained great experience from last year, our inaugural season in the BIG EAST Conference, and began its 2006 preparation the day the season ended in the first round of the conference tournament. I have no doubt that this Cardinal team will be prepared physically and mentally to take on the challenging schedule of 2006 and earn the results that they desire."
The Cards will open against 2005 NCAA runner-up Duke on August 26 at Duke in the Champion's Challenge. The winner of that game will play the winner of the match up between No. 18 Michigan State and Delaware on August 27.
U of L opens BIG EAST play against Syracuse on September 22 in Syracuse. The Cardinal will host a stretch of home games from October 2 through October 15. Five of the six teams the Cards face during this stretch finished in the 2005 NFHCA top 20: including No. 20 California (Oct. 2), No. 9 Indiana (Oct. 6), No. 11 Ohio State (Oct. 11), No. 15 Villanova (Oct. 14) and No. 16 Northeastern (Oct. 15). The Cards close BIG EAST play against Rutgers on October 22 in Piscataway N.J. and will honor the 2006 seniors when they play Iowa in their final home game on October 29.
"We are excited to begin the season with the 2005 national runner-up, Duke University," said Bustin. "We also face NCAA tournament teams in Wake Forest and Michigan on the road, and welcome UConn, Indiana, Ohio State, California, and Northeastern University to Trager Stadium. We are thrilled to have ten exceptional home games and the BIG EAST tournament in Louisville. It is definitely added motivation for the team."
U of L finished the 2005 season with a 14-7 overall record and ranked No. 12 in the NFHCA rankings. The Cards were 3-2 in league play their inaugural BIG EAST season.
Complete 2006 Schedule in PDF Format
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