BEAR, Del. - - The Wilmington University women's soccer team will square off against three NCAA Division II Tournament teams, including the former No. 1 ranked team in the country, as head coach Josh Ruggiero announced the 2012 team schedule on Wednesday.
The Wildcats will look to improve upon their 5-12-1 record last season and get back to the Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference Tournament, much like their 2010 performance when they finished undefeated (12-0) in the CACC.
The team returns its lone All-CACC representative and leading scorer in midfielder Penelope Fantis, as well as Amanda Walters who saw the bulk of action between the pipes, making 89 saves with a 1.63 GAA in 2011.
Wilmington's CACC schedule is split evenly, with six road and six home contests, but the most anticipated home match might be the first one of the season, as the Wildcats will be the first team to host a game at the new athletic facility, opening this fall. They play host to Le Moyne on Saturday, Sept. 1 at noon to kick-start the fall sports home schedule.
The Wildcats will also face three teams that advanced to the 2011 NCAA Division II Women's Soccer Tournament, but hold the advantage by hosting all three teams. The University of Bridgeport went unbeaten in 2011, going 16-0-2 overall but bowed out in the second round of the NCAA Tournament on penalty kicks. The Purple Knights held the number one spot in the National Soccer Coaches Association of America/Continental Tire National Poll for six consecutive weeks throughout the season.
Ruggiero's team will also face defending CACC Tournament champion Holy Family and East Coast Conference Tournament champion Dowling at home, both of which earned automatic berths to the NCAA Tournament.
Inside the CACC schedule, the Wildcats will also face Bloomfield, Philadelphia, Nyack, Concordia and Georgian Court at home while traveling to Dominican, Goldey-Beacom, Post, Felician, Chestnut Hill and Caldwell to battle for one of eight CACC Tournament spots.
Other nonconference match-ups consist of the Wildcats heading to Millersville to open the regular season on Thursday, Aug. 30 before they head to Pace University and LIU Post (formerly C.W. Post) throughout the year.
Homecoming is set for Saturday, September 15 as the Wildcats will battle Bloomfield at 12 p.m. on the new athletic turf field. The annual Wilmington University Breast Cancer Awareness Game is set for Saturday, Sept. 29 when Nyack comes to Delaware.
Eight teams will make it to the CACC Tournament which begins on Tuesday, Oct. 30 before heading to Post University for the semifinals on November 1. A champion will be crowned and the conference's automatic berth into the NCAA Tournament will be earned on Saturday, November 3 with the CACC Tournament Championship game.