Tennessee Announces 2010 Spring Lacrosse Schedule
For Immediate Release – University of Tennessee Lacrosse
Knoxville, Tenn. (Oct. 23, 209) – The University of Tennessee men’s lacrosse head coach Matt Synowiez and team President Jack Cleary are pleased to announce the Volunteers’ 17-game 2010 regular season schedule.
The Volunteers’ 2010 season includes three teams that finished in the top 15 in the 2009 MCLA Top 23 poll. This is the most challenging schedule the Volunteers have undertaken in the last six years and includes games against the Florida State Seminoles, Lindenwood Lions and Virginia Tech Hokies. The schedule also includes five out of conference opponents. Coach Synowiez and assistant coaches Chris Kelley, Mike Vitulano and Chris Hurley are excited about the talent and motivation of the 2009-2010 team and look forward to seeing the Vols compete on the field.
The Volunteers will start off the season with a scrimmage to get ready for regular season play. On Sunday, Jan. 31, the Volunteers will take on Middle Tennessee State University as we continue to help this young program grow and stabilize so it can achieve its goal of joining the SELC/MCLA in 2010-2011. The following weekend will be a doubleheader with our first official game of the year at host Mars Hill College against the N.C. State Wolfpack. We will follow up this game with our annual spring game against NCAA Division II Mars Hill College the same afternoon.
UT has two huge games in Knoxville the following weekend. Tennessee has its first divisional game of the spring against the Clemson Tigers on Friday night, Feb. 12 in a night game under the lights. The Volunteers will then battle divisional opponent University of Kentucky on Sunday, Feb. 14. Tennessee has an opportunity to lock up its spot in the SELC Tournament if it can sweep this important weekend.
The following weekend has the Volunteers on the road traveling south to take on the Auburn Tigers in a Friday night game on Feb. 19. Tennessee is then looking forward to its first out of conference game of the year on Saturday, Feb. 20 against visiting Eastern Michigan. The game is being played at Auburn University.
Back in Knoxville, Tennessee is looking forward to the visiting Georgia Bulldogs for a key SEC rival game on Friday night, Feb. 26 under the lights. On Saturday, Feb. 27, the Volunteers will be matching up against Indiana University in their second out of conference game of the spring.
The Volunteers take their show on the road the next weekend, traveling to Memphis, Tenn. to host Lindenwood University, Texas A&M University and Illinois State at the beautiful facilities at Memphis University School. Tennessee will take on the always tough Lindenwood Lions (ranked 10th in 2009 final MCLA poll) on Friday night, March 5 under the lights at MUS. The Volunteers compete against Illinois State on Saturday, March 6, followed up by a very good Texas A&M team on Sunday, March 7 before the end of the weekend. These three challenging games give the Volunteers an opportunity to simulate three games in three days like the SELC Tournament requires. After this stretch of games, Tennessee gets a much needed break as the team is off from competition for 13 days while it enjoys spring break.
Tennessee returns to competition back in Knoxville for our final divisional home game against in-state rival Vanderbilt University on Saturday, March 20.
The next weekend has the always tough Florida State Seminoles (ranked seventh in 2009 final MCLA poll) and Virginia Tech Hokies (ranked 13th in 2009 final MCLA poll) rolling into Knoxville for a weekend of games. Tennessee will match up with Virginia Tech on Friday night, March 26 for the first game between the two teams in over five years. The Volunteers are hosting a great matchup between Virginia Tech and Florida State on Saturday afternoon, March 27 at UT’s field turf facility. Sunday, March 28 has the Vols returning to the field against Florida State to complete a great weekend of lacrosse in Knoxville.
April is a lighter month for the Volunteers as they match up with SELC rival Georgia Tech on Friday night, April 9 in Knoxville and the Vols complete the regular season on Tuesday night, April 20 against MCLA Division II opponent Tennessee Wesleyan College right before the SELC Tournament, which is scheduled for Friday, April 23 through Sunday, April 25.
Tennessee is coming off of its best season in eight years with its 9-4 record in 2009. The Volunteers have been steadily improving over the last few years as they work their way back to being an elite program within the MCLA. The team wanted to reach out and schedule more top ranked teams than it has in the past and feels this season’s schedule fulfilled that goal. The team is also proud of having five out of conference opponents on the schedule so we can measure our progress against other teams around the country. The Vols are excited about the young team they have returning and look forward to seeing them in action in 2010.
2010 University of Tennessee Lacrosse Schedule
Jan. 31– vs. Middle Tennessee State University (scrimmage)
Feb. 6– vs. N.C. State University (at Mars Hill College)
Feb. 6- @ Mars Hill College (NCAA Division II)
Feb. 12– vs. Clemson University*
Feb. 14– vs. University of Kentucky*
Feb. 19- @ Auburn University
Feb. 20– E. Michigan (at Auburn University)^
Feb. 26– vs. University of Georgia
Feb. 27– vs. Indiana University^
March 5– vs. Lindenwood University^ (at Memphis University School, Memphis, Tenn.)
March 6– vs. Illinois State University^ (at Memphis University School, Memphis, Tenn.)
March 7– vs. Texas A&M University^ (at Memphis University School, Memphis, Tenn.)
March 20– vs. Vanderbilt University*
March 26– vs. Virginia Tech
March 28– vs. Florida State University
April 9– vs. Georgia Tech #
April 20– @ Tennessee Wesleyan College (MCLA Div. II)
April 23-25– SELC Tournament, Atlanta
May 11-15– MCLA National Championship at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park, Denver
* Divisional Game
^ Out of Conference Game
# Parents / Senior Day
