July 6, 2005

FARMVILLE, Va. – The Longwood University men’s soccer team, under the guidance of first-year head coach Jon Atkinson, announced the release of its 2005 schedule today. The newly minted members of the Atlantic Soccer Conference (ASC) are slated to play 20 games this upcoming season, including nine contests to be played at home in Farmville. The Lancers will be competing during year three of the University’s four-year NCAA Division I Reclassification toward official Division I Certification in September 2007.

"If last season was tough, wait till you see this season," said Atkinson. "Five teams from arguably the best soccer conference, the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC), make up part of our non-conference schedule. We do have a better home and away game balance with 11 games on the road and nine games here in Farmville."

The non-conference games are highlighted by five away games against ACC members Clemson (September 6, 7 p.m.), Virginia (September 14, 7 p.m.), Duke (September 27, 7 p.m.), North Carolina (October 11, 7 p.m.), and North Carolina State (October 19, 2 p.m.). Duke, who closed out the season ranked fourth in the final 2004 NSCAA Division I / adidas National Rankings, lost in the NCAA Division I Tournament semi-finals, while Virginia, ranked fifth in the final national rankings, lost in the quarterfinals. North Carolina was also a NCAA Division I tournament participant.

Longwood will begin the season hosting Wofford (September 1, 4 p.m.), before beginning a four-game road swing. Book-ended between games against Clemson and Virginia is the Western Kentucky Tournament which pits the Lancers against WKU (September 9, 7 p.m.) and Eastern Illinois (September 11, Noon).

Closing out the non-conference slate are home games against Richmond (September 18, 3 p.m.), East Carolina (September 21, 7 p.m.), Liberty (October 8, 6 p.m.), Appalachian State (November 2, 6 p.m.) and High Point (November 5, 6 p.m.) and an away game at Mount St. Mary’s (September 24, 2 p.m.).

Longwood opens its initial season in the ASC when it travels into New York for a contest against Hartwick (October 2, 1 p.m.). Other Atlantic Soccer Conference games feature home contests against Oneonta (October 16, 1 p.m.), Howard (October 26, 7 p.m.) and Philadelphia (October 30, Noon) and road matches at New Jersey Institute of Technology (October 14, 4:30 p.m.) and Adelphi (October 22, Noon). The Lancer games will count in league standings, but they will not be eligible for the ASC Tournament during 2005 and 2006. The ASC Tournament champion earns an automatic berth into the Division I Men’s Soccer Championships.

Longwood will return nine starters among 13 letterwinners and add 12 newcomers for the upcoming men’s soccer season.