West Virginia University Director of Athletics Oliver Luck today announced the schedule for the upcoming 2012 women’s soccer season. 

“Women’s soccer will kick off our 2012-13 athletic year with a very exciting and challenging schedule,” says Luck. “From playing the defending national champions to competing in an exciting Big 12 Conference, Mountaineer fans will have the opportunity to see high-level soccer this fall.”

Eight opponents on this year’s slate appeared in the 2011 NCAA tournament – Baylor, Kansas, La Salle, Miami, Oklahoma State, Penn State, Stanford and Texas.

 “We are excited about this fall’s schedule which features several new teams," says coach Nikki Izzo-Brown, who returns only six starters from last season. “We play a demanding non-conference schedule, highlighted by the defending champions in Stanford. Then we close out the season with eight Big 12 Conference games.”

West Virginia will play 11 matches this fall at Dick Dlesk Soccer Stadium and will take to the road for seven contests. WVU opens up the 2012 campaign at home against La Salle on Friday, Aug. 17.

Awaiting the Mountaineers in the early season are a pair of road trips beginning with Central Michigan and Stanford on Aug. 24 and 26 at the Penn State Invitational. WVU also travels to Big Ten foe Purdue on Sept. 9.

The Mountaineers close out the opening month of the season by hosting three teams in the WVU 90 Minute Classic – Miami, Penn State and Pitt. WVU takes on the Nittany Lions on Aug. 31 and plays host to the Hurricanes on Sept. 2.

West Virginia opens Big 12 play at home when Texas Tech comes to Morgantown on Sept. 21. Oklahoma State, Baylor and Oklahoma also visit WVU.

“I have a lot of respect for the teams in the Big 12 Conference, and we are anxious to see what it’s all about,” says Izzo-Brown. “I’m looking forward to building strong relationships with the Big 12 coaches and hopefully making it the best conference in the country.”

The Mountaineers travel to TCU on Sept. 28 for their first conference road contest. October trips to Kansas, Iowa State and Texas round out the fall schedule.

The 2012 Big 12 Soccer Championship begins with quarterfinal play on Oct. 31. Big 12 semifinals and finals will take place on Nov. 2 and 4. All matches will be played at Blossom Soccer Stadium in San Antonio, Texas.

 

The complete 2012 women’s soccer schedule is as follows:

 

Day, Date -  Opponent (Time)   

Friday, Aug. 10 - AKRON (exhibition 7:00 p.m.)

Friday, Aug. 17 - LA SALLE (7:00 p.m.)

Sunday Aug. 19  - ESTERN CAROLINA (1:00 p.m.)

Friday, Aug. 24 - vs. Central Michigan+ (5:00 p.m.)

Sunday, Aug. 26 - vs. Stanford+ (Noon)

Friday, Aug. - 31 PENN STATE^ (7:00 p.m.)

                   - (Pitt vs. Miami^ at 5:00 p.m.)

Sunday, Sept. 2 - MIAMI^  (Noon)

                       - (Penn State vs. Pitt^ at 2:30 p.m.)

Thursday, Sept. 6 - DUQUESNE (7:00 p.m.)

Sunday, Sept. 9 - at Purdue (1:00 p.m.)

Friday, Sept. 14 - TOWSON (7:00 p.m.)

Sunday, Sept. 16 - HIGH POINT (1:00 p.m.)

Friday, Sept. 21  - TEXAS TECH* (7:00 p.m.)

Sunday, Sept. 23 - OKLAHOMA STATE* (1:00 p.m.)

Friday, Sept. 28 - at TCU* (8:00 p.m.)

Friday, Oct. 5 - at Kansas* (5:00 p.m.)

Sunday, Oct. 7 - at Iowa State* (2:00 p.m.)

Friday, Oct. 12 - BAYLOR* (7:00 p.m.)

Thursday, Oct. 18 - OKLAHOMA* (7:00 p.m.)

Friday, Oct. 26 - at Texas* (8:00 p.m.)

Wednesday, Oct. 31 - Big 12 Quarterfinal~ (TBA)

Friday, Nov. 2 - Big 12 Semifinal~ ( TBA)

Sunday, Nov. 4 - Big 12 Championship~ ( TBA)

 

All times Eastern and subject to change

+ Penn State Invitational                                   

^ WVU 90 Minute Classic

* Big 12 Conference match

~ San Antonio, Texas