Men's Soccer Schedule Preview
MINNEAPOLIS, Minn.-- North Central University Men's Soccer will open their 2012 competition schedule with a scrimmage at Dakota County Technical College at 4 p.m. today before embarking on an 19 game regular season slate. That regular season schedule is set to begin with a home match on Friday, August 31 at verses Faith Baptist Bible College (Ankeny, Iowa) and wraps up with a home conference match verses Crown College (St. Bonifacius, Minn.) on October 27.
Along the way the Rams will play 14 matches against squads from the Upper Midwest Athletic Conference (UMAC) marking the first full NCAA Division III conference schedule in program history. NCU will also play two NCCAA Division II regional games, three non-conference matches and participate in the NCCAA Division II North Central Region Tournament.
Action begins on August 31 when the Rams host Faith Baptist Bible College at 6 p.m. at Coon Rapids Soccer Complex for an NCCAA Division II regional game. NCU then travels across town for a non-conference game with Hamline University (St. Paul, Minn.) of the NCAA DIII Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference on September 4.
North Central then heads up to Fargo, North Dakota for a neutral site match verses Providence College (Otterburne, Manitoba) that wraps up their NCCAA Division II regional schedule on September 7. The next day NCU travels to Jamestown, North Dakota for a 2 p.m. match with Jamestown College of the NAIA.
The Rams then begin their UMAC schedule with a weekend road trip verses Bethany Lutheran College (Mankato, Minn.) and Martin Luther College (New Ulm, Minn.) on September 14-15.
Thursday September 20 the Rams host defending UMAC Champion The College St. Scholastica (Duluth, Minn.) before traveling to Northland College (Ashland, Wis.) on September 22.
The last weekend in September NCU travels to Crown College (St. Bonifacius, Minn.) and the University of Minnesota-Morris (Morris, Minn.) on September 28-29.
In a rare scheduling occurrence the Rams will battle cross-town opponent Northwestern College (St. Paul, Minn.) on October 5-6 with the first meeting taking place at Coon Rapids Soccer Complex and the rematch taking place at NWC.
The final non-conference game of 2012 has NCU matching up with Presentation College (Aberdeen, S.D.) at home on October 9 before starting the second round of conference matches by traveling to St. Scholastica on October 11. The week wraps up with the beginning of a six game home stand verses Northland College on October 13.
The home stand continues with matches verses Bethany Lutheran and Martin Luther on October 17 and 19.
NCU will host the semi-final of the NCCAA DII regional tournament on Tuesday, October 23. A victory in that match would give them a berth in the championship game the next afternoon.
A pair of home matches on October 26-27 verses Minnesota-Morris and Crown College wrap up the conference and regular season schedule.
