POUGHKEEPSIE, N.Y. - The Marist Athletics Department released the 2012 men's soccer schedule on Friday. Coming off of an 8-7-5 season, which saw the team make the MAAC Semifinals and be ranked in the National Soccer Coaches' Association of America (NSCAA) North Atlantic Regional Poll on five occasions, the Red Foxes will look to be challenged in an 18-game fall schedule that includes 11 road games and opponents from eight different conferences.
Sixth-year head coach Matt Viggiano and the Red Foxes open their regular season with a huge non-conference test at home on Friday Aug. 24 as they welcome UC-Riverside of the Big West Conference. The Highlanders finished 2011 season with a 9-6-4 record, a number seven ranking in the NSCAA Far West Regional poll and the 39th best RPI in Division 1.
Four days later on Tuesday Aug. 28, Marist will host another highly regarded opponent in Northeastern as the Huskies of the Colonial Athletic Association finished 2011 with a 10-6-3 record and the 62nd rated RPI.
The team will then be tested with a stretch of five consecutive road games beginning on Friday, Aug. 31 at New Hampshire. The following Tuesday, Sept. 4, the Red Foxes will travel to Newark, New Jersey and face off with NJIT.
The final three road games will all take place in the South as they meet with the Wolfpack of North Carolina State on Sunday, Sept. 9. The following weekend they will play two games at Radford, the first versus the host Highlanders on Friday, Sept. 14 and the next versus UNC Asheville on Sunday, Sept. 16.
Finally, the action will make its way back to Tenney Stadium on Sunday, Sept. 23 when Yale visits. The Bulldogs finished 2011 ranked 48 in the RPI.
A Saturday afternoon road trip to Garden City, N.Y. on Sept. 29 to face off with Adelphi will close out Marist's 2012 non-conference slate.
Once the calendar turns to October, the men will begin the MAAC portion of their schedule with three consecutive Friday-Sunday meetings versus conference foes. On the opening weekend, the Red Foxes welcome Manhattan on Oct. 5 and Saint Peter's on Oct. 7. The next weekend Marist will travel to Loyola on Friday, Oct. 12 and conclude at Rider on Sunday, Oct. 14.
The Red Foxes will close their home regular schedule the following weekend with a pair of games, versus Canisius on Friday, Oct. 19 and Niagara on Sunday, Oct. 21. The Senior Class will be recognized before the Niagara contest as it is their final home game.
In their lone game of the week, the Red Foxes will face off with Siena on Saturday, Oct. 27.
The final weekend of league play will see Marist take on the top two squads from the 2011 season on the road as the Red Foxes will travel to Fairfield on Friday, Nov. 2 and to Iona on Sunday, Nov. 4.
"We're real excited about the level of competition that we will see with this schedule. We have a diverse schedule with nationally recognized schools from powerful soccer conferences like the ACC, Big West, CAA, Big South, America East and the Ivy League" said Viggiano. "The MAAC is hard fought year-in-year out and we feel that our non-conference schedule should prepare us well. In conference, we'll be tested throughout especially with having to play the top three finishing schools from 2011 on the road."
2012 Schedule
Friday, Aug. 24 - UC-RIVERSIDE
Tuesday, Aug. 28 - NORTEASTERN
Friday, Aug. 31 - at New Hampshire
Tuesday, Sept. 4 - at NJIT
Sunday, Sept. 9 - at NC State
Friday, Sept. 14 - at Radford
Sunday, Sept. 16 - UNC Asheville @ Radford
Sunday, Sept. 23 - YALE
Saturday, Sept. 29 - at Adelphi
Friday, Oct. 5 - MANHATTAN*
Sunday, Oct. 7 - ST. PETER'S*
Friday, Oct. 12 - at Loyola (Md.)*
Sunday, Oct. 14 - at Rider*
Friday Oct. 19 - CANISIUS*
Sunday, Oct. 21 - NIAGARA*
Saturday, Oct. 27 - at Siena*
Friday, Nov. 2 - at Fairfield*
Sunday, Nov. 4 - at Iona*
Friday, Nov. 9 - MAAC Championships at Loyola (Md.)
Sunday, Nov. 11 - MAAC Championships at Loyola (Md.)
Home games in CAPS
*MAAC game
