Florida Soccer Announces 2007 Schedule

5/30/07

Gainesville, FL - Another rigorous schedule awaits the University of Florida soccer team in 2007. The Gators will meet eight teams that advanced to the 2006 NCAA Championship, including two NCAA College Cup teams.

“It is essential for us to play against the nation’s top teams because that will help prepare us for the post-season,” UF Head Coach Becky Burleigh said. “The SEC gains strength each year so we will need to be ready for every league match this season. Every SEC match is a challenge.”

Florida faces half of the 2006 NCAA College Cup field in the team’s opening four matches, which will all be played at the James G. Pressly Stadium. This is the 10th time in the program's 13-year history that Florida will face at least one team from the previous season’s NCAA College Cup field. 2006 NCAA runner-up Notre Dame makes its first visit to Gainesville for a Sunday, Sept. 2 match. 2006 NCAA College Cup semifinalist Florida State finishes the opening four-match home stand when it comes to Pressly Stadium for a Sunday, Sept. 9 match.

Two 2006 NCAA participants await Florida when it heads to the Midwest for its first road competition of the season. 2006 Big Ten runner-up Illinois plays host to the Gators on Friday, Sept. 14. Then UF travels to Des Moines, Iowa, to face 2006 Missouri Valley Conference champion Drake on Sept. 16.

Defense of Florida’s 2006 Southeastern Conference team title begins the final weekend in September. Three of Florida’s opening four league opponents advanced to 2006 NCAA action. Florida opens the SEC season on Friday, Sept. 28 at Georgia and then meets Tennessee in Knoxville, Tenn., on Sunday, Sept. 30. The Lady Vols advanced to the NCAA Round of 16 last season.

Florida returns home to play host to a pair of 2006 NCAA participating teams * Vanderbilt on Oct. 5 and Kentucky on Oct. 7. The Oct. 7 date is a rematch of the 2006 SEC Tournament final, which Kentucky won 2-1.

The final 2006 NCAA participant UF will face during the 2007 regular season is 2006 SEC Western Division champion Auburn. The Tigers open a SEC home weekend at Pressly Stadium on Oct. 19. UF will also face Alabama on Oct. 21.

Other SEC dates include at Mississippi (Friday, Oct. 12), at Mississippi State (Sunday, Oct. 14), at Arkansas (Oct. 25), Louisiana State (Oct. 28) and South Carolina (Nov. 2).

The 2007 SEC Tournament, set for Nov. 7-11, will be played in Orange Beach, Ala., for the third consecutive year. The NCAA Championship field will be announced on Nov. 12.

The 2006 Gator soccer team turned in a 14-6-5 record, won their seventh SEC title and advanced to the NCAA Round of 16.

2007 University of Florida Soccer Schedule
Date Opponent Site
Sat., Aug. 25 Texas A&M - EXH Gainesville, Fla.
Fri., Aug. 31 Indiana Gainesville, Fla.
Sun., Sept. 2 Notre Dame Gainesville, Fla.
Fri., Sept. 7 South Florida Gainesville, Fla.
Sun, Sept. 9 Florida State Gainesville, Fla.
Fri., Sept. 14 Illinois Champaign, Ill.
Sun., Sept. 16 Drake Des Moines, Iowa
Fri., Sept. 21 Florida Atlantic Gainesville, Fla.
Sun, Sept. 23 Nebraska Lincoln, Neb.
Fri., Sept. 28 Georgia Athens, Ga.
Sun., Sept. 30 Tennessee Knoxville, Tenn.
Fri., Oct. 5 Vanderbilt Gainesville, Fla.
Sun., Oct. 7 Kentucky Gainesville, Fla.
Fri., Oct. 12 Mississippi Oxford, Miss.
Sun., Oct. 14 Mississippi State Starkville, Miss.
Fri., Oct. 19 Auburn Gainesville, Fla.
Sun., Oct. 21 Alabama Gainesville, Fla.
Thurs., Oct. 25 Arkansas Fayetteville, Ark.
Sun., Oct. 28 LSU Gainesville, Fla.
Fri., Nov. 2 South Carolina Gainesville, Fla.
Nov. 7-11 Southeastern Conference Tournament Orange Beach, Ala.
Home matches played at James G. Pressly Stadium

end of report