NEWARK, Del. - - A grueling nonconference slate will help prepare the Wilmington University women's soccer team for another deep Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference postseason run as head coach Jeff Zoyac has announced the upcoming 2018 schedule.
Zoyac led the Wildcats to the 2017 CACC Tournament Championship game, finishing the season 14-6-1 overall and 10-2 in the CACC for a second place finish in the regular season. In Zoyac's three seasons at the helm, the team has increased its win total from the season before.
The 2018 season will again feature 12 conference games, but the Wildcats will have a chance to make their mark by filling out their campaign with six tough nonconference games. The schedule consists of five teams that played in the NCAA Tournament a season ago, including two number one seeds and a team that advanced to the NCAA Tournament Semifinals.
The season begins with one of the two number one seeds from a season ago, as Adelphi comes to the WU Athletics Complex on Friday, August 31 for the season and home opener. Adelphi finished ranked 16th in the final United Soccer Coaches National Poll in 2017. The opening whistle is scheduled for 4:00 p.m.
Three home games start the season for the Wildcats, as they also welcome Daemen to Newark on Monday, September 3 and last year's Atlantic Region number one seed West Chester on Wednesday September 5. West Chester advanced to the NCAA Tournament Quarterfinals before bowing out and finished seventh overall in the National Poll last season.
The CACC portion of the scheduled begins on the road on September 8 at Caldwell. The team will then head to East Region Champions Mercy on the 12th for their third game against an NCAA participant. Mercy advanced to the NCAA Tournament Semifinals and finished third overall in the final United Soccer Coaches National Poll.
The final game of a three game road trip ends at Felician on Saturday, September 15.
A five-game home stretch ends September and is capped by 2018 Homecoming Festivities. The home stretch started with Chestnut Hill before hosting NCAA Tournament participant LIU Post (finished 15th in final National Poll) on September 20. The Wildcats then host Nyack and Holy Family before facing Concordia on Saturday, September 29 for Homecoming.
October starts with road games at Jefferson and Post before their final nonconference contest against Bridgeport. The Purple Knights finished just outside the NCAA Tournament, being ranked seventh in the final East Region Poll. Home game against Bloomfield and Georgian Court are followed by road games at Dominican and Goldey-Beacom to close out the regular season.
The goal is to be one of the top eight teams in the final CACC standings with the top four teams hosting a CACC Tournament First Round game on Monday, October 29. The final four teams advance to the CACC Tournament Semifinals hosted by Post University on Friday, November 2. A champion, attached with an automatic berth into the NCAA Tournament, will be crowned on Sunday, November 4.
To see the complete 2018 women's soccer schedule with dates and times, please click here.