DEFENDING OVC CHAMPIONS RELEASE 2019 SKYHAWK SOCCER SCHEDULE
5/31/2019 3:19:00 PM | Soccer
MARTIN, Tenn. – Two-time Ohio Valley Conference Coach of the Year and head coach for the University of Tennessee at Martin women's soccer program Phil McNamara has announced the 2019 slate for the defending league champions on Friday afternoon.
Along with nine scheduled home events, the Skyhawks will square off against opponents from seven different conferences before opening OVC play in late September.
"We are really looking forward to the fall schedule," McNamara said. "I feel there are a number of exciting factors about the schedule including a freshness to it, having six new opponents from last season. I like the fact that we open up at home for the first two games of the season and later in the year with two home game to open the conference season. After a successful year such as last season, it is always easy to strengthen the schedule as more high level teams are interested in competing to improve their RPI rankings. The schedule will prove a massive challenge for our players, especially with the quality and number of seniors we graduated. With that challenge, it presents an opportunity to improve, learn and gain experience with the goal of being better prepared for the conference season. Our entire squad will need to be in the best shape ever and ready to play against top programs such as Mississippi State, Indiana and Wright State."
UT Martin will play a pair of exhibition contests in advance of the 18-game regular season slate. The Skyhawks will travel to North Alabama for their first exhibition contest on Sunday, Aug. 11 before returning home for a dress rehearsal the following week against Christian Brothers on Sunday, Aug. 18.
The Skyhawks will officially open the 2019 season on Thursday, Aug. 22 when playing host to a pair of Sun Belt foes in Arkansas State before welcoming Little Rock on Sunday, Aug. 25. UT Martin then hit the road for the first time just four days later with a midweek matchup against Missouri Valley Conference opponent Evansville on Thursday, Aug. 29.
The month of September will begin with three consecutive road contests. The Skyhawks will open the month with a trip to Western Carolina on Sunday, Sept. 1 before returning to action with a showdown at Southeastern Conference foe Mississippi State on Thursday, Sept. 5. The squad will then wrap up the road swing with an in-state matchup against Middle Tennessee on Sunday, Sept. 8.
The following week will see the Skyhawks cap off non-conference play. UT Martin will play host to Big Ten foe Indiana on Thursday, Sept. 12 before traveling to Wright State later that weekend with a Sunday evening matchup on Sept. 15.
"The message to the players at this time is very simple," McNamara continued. "Look at the strength and quality of our schedule. Embrace the opportunity to compete with at this level and make sure we are well prepared to enjoy, learn and put our best foot forward. We welcome a fantastic new group of incoming players this fall who know they are arriving to help replace a championship graduating class. A strong work ethic, self-confidence and quality team mentality will be required to prove to be a OVC title contender with so many new starters. It really is a new squad. The idea of it makes me equally excited and nervous at the same time. Hopefully we can hit the ground running."
With non-conference play in the rearview mirror, UT Martin will shift its focus to defending its 2018 OVC Championship opening league play with a pair of home contests against Eastern Illinois (Friday, Sept. 20) and Belmont (Sunday, Sept. 22). After the home weekend, the Skyhawks will hit the road for a rematch of last year's OVC Soccer Championship title matchup against Murray State on Friday, Sept. 27 before closing out the month at Austin Peay on Sunday, Sept. 29.
The final month of the regular season will feature three home games and three road games spread over the calendar. The Skyhawks will host SIUE on Sunday, Oct. 6 before a swing through Death Valley features matchups at Morehead State (Friday, Oct. 11) and Eastern Kentucky (Sunday, Oct. 13). From there UT Martin will host Southeast Missouri on Sunday, Oct. 20 before capping off the road portion of the schedule on Friday, Oct. 25 at Tennessee Tech. The Skyhawks will close out the regular season at home on Sunday, Oct. 27 against Jacksonville State.
The 2019 OVC Championship will feature an eight-team field and will begin on Nov. 1 with the No. 5 through No. 8 seeds playing in the opening round. The winners of the aforementioned matches will then advance to play the No. 3 and No. 4 seeds on Sunday, Nov. 3. All games in the first two rounds will be hosted by the better seed. The No. 1 seed (who will receive a bye to the semifinals along with the No. 2 seed) will host the semifinals and final on Nov. 8 with the championship held on Sunday, Nov. 10.
Along with nine scheduled home events, the Skyhawks will square off against opponents from seven different conferences before opening OVC play in late September.
"We are really looking forward to the fall schedule," McNamara said. "I feel there are a number of exciting factors about the schedule including a freshness to it, having six new opponents from last season. I like the fact that we open up at home for the first two games of the season and later in the year with two home game to open the conference season. After a successful year such as last season, it is always easy to strengthen the schedule as more high level teams are interested in competing to improve their RPI rankings. The schedule will prove a massive challenge for our players, especially with the quality and number of seniors we graduated. With that challenge, it presents an opportunity to improve, learn and gain experience with the goal of being better prepared for the conference season. Our entire squad will need to be in the best shape ever and ready to play against top programs such as Mississippi State, Indiana and Wright State."
UT Martin will play a pair of exhibition contests in advance of the 18-game regular season slate. The Skyhawks will travel to North Alabama for their first exhibition contest on Sunday, Aug. 11 before returning home for a dress rehearsal the following week against Christian Brothers on Sunday, Aug. 18.
The Skyhawks will officially open the 2019 season on Thursday, Aug. 22 when playing host to a pair of Sun Belt foes in Arkansas State before welcoming Little Rock on Sunday, Aug. 25. UT Martin then hit the road for the first time just four days later with a midweek matchup against Missouri Valley Conference opponent Evansville on Thursday, Aug. 29.
The month of September will begin with three consecutive road contests. The Skyhawks will open the month with a trip to Western Carolina on Sunday, Sept. 1 before returning to action with a showdown at Southeastern Conference foe Mississippi State on Thursday, Sept. 5. The squad will then wrap up the road swing with an in-state matchup against Middle Tennessee on Sunday, Sept. 8.
The following week will see the Skyhawks cap off non-conference play. UT Martin will play host to Big Ten foe Indiana on Thursday, Sept. 12 before traveling to Wright State later that weekend with a Sunday evening matchup on Sept. 15.
"The message to the players at this time is very simple," McNamara continued. "Look at the strength and quality of our schedule. Embrace the opportunity to compete with at this level and make sure we are well prepared to enjoy, learn and put our best foot forward. We welcome a fantastic new group of incoming players this fall who know they are arriving to help replace a championship graduating class. A strong work ethic, self-confidence and quality team mentality will be required to prove to be a OVC title contender with so many new starters. It really is a new squad. The idea of it makes me equally excited and nervous at the same time. Hopefully we can hit the ground running."
With non-conference play in the rearview mirror, UT Martin will shift its focus to defending its 2018 OVC Championship opening league play with a pair of home contests against Eastern Illinois (Friday, Sept. 20) and Belmont (Sunday, Sept. 22). After the home weekend, the Skyhawks will hit the road for a rematch of last year's OVC Soccer Championship title matchup against Murray State on Friday, Sept. 27 before closing out the month at Austin Peay on Sunday, Sept. 29.
The final month of the regular season will feature three home games and three road games spread over the calendar. The Skyhawks will host SIUE on Sunday, Oct. 6 before a swing through Death Valley features matchups at Morehead State (Friday, Oct. 11) and Eastern Kentucky (Sunday, Oct. 13). From there UT Martin will host Southeast Missouri on Sunday, Oct. 20 before capping off the road portion of the schedule on Friday, Oct. 25 at Tennessee Tech. The Skyhawks will close out the regular season at home on Sunday, Oct. 27 against Jacksonville State.
The 2019 OVC Championship will feature an eight-team field and will begin on Nov. 1 with the No. 5 through No. 8 seeds playing in the opening round. The winners of the aforementioned matches will then advance to play the No. 3 and No. 4 seeds on Sunday, Nov. 3. All games in the first two rounds will be hosted by the better seed. The No. 1 seed (who will receive a bye to the semifinals along with the No. 2 seed) will host the semifinals and final on Nov. 8 with the championship held on Sunday, Nov. 10.
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