Auburn soccer announces challenging 2016 schedule
AUBURN, Ala. (auburntigers.com) – Fresh off of the first Sweet 16 appearance in program history, the Auburn soccer team will face a challenging schedule this fall as it faces eight NCAA Tournament teams from a year ago.
“We are excited about this fall schedule because it’s so incredibly challenging,” Auburn head coach Karen Hoppa said. “It may be the strongest schedule we have ever had, and we certainly feel our team is ready for this challenge.”
Auburn, which went 16-6-1 (7-4 SEC), starts the year with three straight matches against tournament teams, facing Clemson (Aug. 19), South Alabama (Aug. 21) and Cal State Fullerton (Aug. 26). After playing at Samford on Aug. 28, Auburn returns home to co-host a tournament with Georgia, facing Iowa State on Sept. 2 and Southern Cal on Sept. 4.
Auburn’s first SEC match comes on Friday, Sept. 9 at home against Vanderbilt. After a non-conference home match against Baylor on Sept. 11, Auburn will play 10 straight league games, starting at home against South Carolina on Sept. 18.
Auburn’s remaining home SEC matches are against Missouri (Sept. 30), Mississippi State (Oct. 9), Arkansas (Oct. 14) and Tennessee (Oct. 27). The road matches will be at Florida (Sept. 22), at Georgia (Sept. 25), at Kentucky (Oct. 6), at LSU (Oct. 20) and at Texas A&M (Oct. 23).
Auburn’s matches against Vanderbilt, South Carolina, LSU and Texas A&M are all scheduled to be on the SEC Network.
The SEC Tournament runs from Oct. 31-Nov. 6 at the Orange Beach Sports Complex.
The NCAA Tournament begins on Nov. 11 and will conclude with the College Cup in Cary, N.C., Dec. 2-4.
