May 2, 2008

BOSTON - Highlighted by matches with seven teams that made the 2007 NCAA tournament - including three that finished the season ranked in the top 12 nationally - head coach Neil Roberts announced the 2008 Boston University men's soccer schedule Friday morning.

Boston College, Providence, UMass, Connecticut, Colgate, Harvard and Vermont all made the tournament, with the Minutemen, the Huskies and the Eagles ending the year ranked fourth, fifth and 12th, respectively. BU will also square off against defending conference champions Vermont and Holy Cross and former NCAA champion St. John's. Among these opponents are the Patriot, ACC, Big East, Atlantic-10 and Ivy League champions.

"This could be one of the most challenging and competitive schedules in school history," noted Roberts. "The teams we are facing are very balanced, so it should make for a very exciting season."

The Terriers begin the season with a pair of exhibition matches against Holy Cross on Aug. 21 and Providence two days later. BU will open the regular season on the road against cross-town rival Boston College on Aug. 29 and follow that match with another in-state rival, UMass, in the home-opener on Nickerson Field on Aug. 31.

Two games against Big East members Connecticut and St. John's (Sept. 6 and Sept. 12) kick off September before BU has a three-match home stand against URI (Sept. 14), Brown (Sept. 17) and Colgate (Sept. 20). The Terriers face two city rivals back-to-back when they travel to Northeastern on Sept. 23 and host Harvard on Sept. 30.

"The America East had a fantastic year last season and this year looks to be even better," said Roberts. "Stony Brook and UMBC are still strong, Albany will make a comeback and Hartford continues to improve. It could be, as a whole, the conference's most balanced and strongest year ever."

Boston University opens its America East schedule on Oct. 4 at home against Albany. The Terriers will play at Stony Brook on Oct. 8 and host Binghamton on Oct. 11 before hitting the road for a pair of matches against Maine (Oct. 15) and UNH (Oct. 18). BU closes out the regular season with Vermont at Nickerson on Oct. 22, a trip to UMBC on Oct. 25 and a home tilt against Hartford on Nov. 1.

BU returns 24 - including nine starters - from the 2007 NCAA tournament team that finished 9-7-4 overall and 3-2-3 in the America East.

BOSTON UNIVERSITY 2008 MEN'S SOCCER SCHEDULE