May 22, 2007

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - UAB men's soccer head coach Mike Getman announced a challenging schedule for the 2007 campaign, including battling Division I powerhouse programs such as Akron, Indiana, South Carolina and SMU, among others. Additionally, for the first time since 1998 and just the second time in school history, the UAB men's soccer team will play 10 regular-season homes games during the 2007 campaign.

"We are very excited to have such a strong home schedule," Getman said. "Our fans are some of the best in college soccer and really give our team a great boost."

In addition to the 10 home regular-season contests, the Blazers will also have an advantage come tournament time, as West Campus Field will be the site of the 2007 Conference USA Championships. The league tournament, which will be held Nov. 14-18, returns to Birmingham for the first time since 1999. That year, UAB captured the regular season and conference tournament titles on its way to a program-best elite eight appearance in the NCAA Tournament.

"Hosting the C-USA Tourney will give our fans a chance to see some of the best soccer in the country," Getman said. "Playing at home will also be a great advantage as we move into the postseason."

Similar to last season, the men's soccer team opens the 2007 campaign in one of the top tournaments in the nation, the Westfield Insurance Cup in Akron, Ohio. The Blazers will battle Hartwick College on Aug. 31 in the season-opener for both teams, before taking on host Akron on Sept. 2.

Following that tournament, UAB will return home for seven of its next eight contests. Following home games against Lipscomb (Sept. 7) and Centenary (Sept. 9), the Blazers will also host the UAB Classic for the ninth consecutive season. UAB will battle crosstown foe Birmingham-Southern (Sept. 14) and Mercer (Sept. 16), while Alabama A&M will also compete in the annual event.

The lone road game during the eight-match stretch will be one of the toughest all season, as the Blazers will travel to Getman's alma mater and do battle against seven-time national champion Indiana University on Sept. 21.

The conference slate will not make things any easier, as UAB opens play in one of the top conferences in the nation with a home contest against South Carolina on Sept. 29. In all, the Blazer will play four league contests at home, inclduing Florida International (Oct. 13), UCF (Oct. 27) and Memphis (Nov. 3), as well as the Gamecocks. UAB will play road conference contests at Kentucky (Oct. 6), SMU (Oct. 17), Marshall (Oct. 20) and Tulsa (Nov. 9).

Other non-conference home games include Jacksonville (Sept. 23) and Eastern Illinois (Oct. 3), while the Blazers will take on Alabama A&M on the road on Oct. 24.

The 2007 campaign begins with a pair of exhibition games at West Campus Field on Aug. 18 against Mobile and Aug. 25 against Auburn-Montgomery.