The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
Soccer announces 2015 fall schedule
05.14.2015 | Soccer
Longhorns to face eight opponents that participated in the 2014 NCAA Tournament
AUSTIN, Texas — Home match-ups at Mike A. Myers Stadium against 21-time NCAA National Champion North Carolina and Big 10 Conference stalwart Ohio State, a trip to Charleston, S.C., to face Atlantic Coast Conference foes Clemson and Miami (Fla.), a visit to Los Angeles, Calif., to battle national power UCLA and the annual trek through the rugged Big 12 Conference highlight the 2015 University of Texas soccer schedule released on Thursday by head coach Angela Kelly.
The challenging 18-game regular-season slate includes eight opponents who participated in the 2014 NCAA Tournament Field of 64, including Sweet 16 qualifiers UCLA, North Carolina and Texas Tech as well as Clemson, Kansas, Oklahoma, West Virginia and Oklahoma State. Times and television broadcast information will be released at a later date.
"While making this 2015 schedule, there certainly has been a lot of method to the madness." Texas head coach Angela Kelly said. "We have a specific philosophy when it comes to winning, and scheduling plays a huge tactical portion within that equation. We're here to win championships at both the conference and national championship level. In order to do that, we have to play the best possible competition.
"We also look to get exposure in different regions around the country, which helps to promote our student athletes and brand at the University of Texas on a national front. It's quite obvious that our opponents collectively combine for one of the strongest out-of-conference schedules in the country. This is to assure that we are more than prepared to face anyone in our conference and anyone in any round of the NCAA Tournament. Our fans are in for a treat this season with the level of competition in our 2015 home schedule."
After beginning its schedule with a home exhibition match against 2014 NCAA participant Houston Baptist (Aug. 14), the Longhorns christen their regular-season slate by venturing to Charleston, S.C. to face Atlantic Coast Conference opponents Clemson (Aug. 21) and Miami (Aug. 23).
Texas starts its home campaign on the weekend of Aug. 28 & 30 by hosting 21-time national champion North Carolina and Ohio State, respectively.
Then it's back out on the road as the Burnt Orange & White travel to California to battle UC-Santa Barbara (Sept. 4) and UCLA (Sept. 6), the 2013 NCAA National Champions.
UT welcomes in Oregon State (Sept. 10), Abilene Christian (Sept. 13) and Arkansas-Little Rock (Sept. 20) to Myers Stadium for a three-match home stand before diving headlong into the Big 12 Conference regular-season slate at West Virginia on Sept. 25.
Other road dates in league action include trips to Kansas (Oct. 2), Oklahoma State (Oct. 4) and Texas Tech (Oct. 16), while Big 12 home dates include visits from Iowa State (Oct. 9), TCU (Oct. 11), Oklahoma (Oct. 23) and Baylor (Oct. 25).
The Longhorns close out the 2015 regular-season schedule on Oct. 30 as Montana visits Austin before UT ventures to the Big 12 Conference Women's Soccer Championship in Kansas City, Mo., over Nov. 4-8.
NCAA Tournament action begins with first round play over Nov. 13-15, eventually culminating in the annual NCAA Women's College Cup slated for Dec. 4-6 in Cary, N.C.
The Longhorns are returning 22 letter-winners from last season's squad that posted an 11-8-4 overall mark, while reaching the semifinals of the Big 12 Championship and earning the program's first NCAA bid since 2011. Included among those returnees are NSCAA All-Central Region and first-team All-Big 12 Conference goalkeeper Abby Smith (0.92 GAA, nine solo shutouts, 98 saves), Big 12 All-Newcomer Team inclusion and UT's leading returning scorer Olivia Brook (seven goals, two assists, 16 points), midfielders Lindsey Meyer (five goals, two assists, 12 points) and Julia Dyche (three goals, two assists, eight points), forwards Chantale Campbell (four goals, three assists, 11 points), Jasmine Hart (two goals, five assists, nine points), Morgan Murphy (one goal, one assist, three points) and Kelsey Shimmick (three assists) and defender Isabelle Kerr (one assist, 23 starts in 2014).
Texas is bringing back 70 percent of its total goal output, 69 percent of its assists, 69 percent of its total points and 91 percent of its goalkeeper wins for the upcoming 2015 campaign.
