Sept. 30, 2015
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – The blueprint hasn’t changed.
Entering her 19th season at Vanderbilt, lacrosse coach Cathy Swezey continues to stack the Commodores’ schedule with challenging, top caliber opponents. In doing so, Swezey hopes a tough non-conference slate readies her team for the rigors of conference play.
The 2016 schedule isn’t any different, featuring five teams that made the 2015 NCAA Tournament and finished the season ranked in the Top 20. Swezey wants the Commodores’ non-conference tune-ups to not only prepare the team for BIG EAST Conference action but also result in wins.
“It needs to,” Swezey said. “We’ve got to find a way to win these big games. I know keeping our team healthy is going to be at the forefront for us. We believe if we’re healthy we can compete with anyone.”
Vanderbilt will open 2016 on the road on Feb. 7 at Kennesaw State. It will be the first of eight non-conference games, which features Louisville, Stanford, Penn State and Johns Hopkins – all NCAA Tournament teams from a year ago.
Penn State was the highest ranked among them, finishing the season fifth, and advancing to the NCAA Quarterfinals. The Commodores will also face Denver, which was on the 2015 schedule as well.
The two new additions to the 2016 slate are a pair of fledgling programs – Furman and Elon. Furman went 10-7 last year in its first full year as a Division I program. The Paladins have a Commodore connection as assistant coach Amber Flacone McKenzie spent four seasons at Vanderbilt on Swezey’s staff. Elon enters its third season. Vanderbilt has never played Furman or Elon.
BIG EAST Conference play begins on March 26 with a tall task on the road at perennial power Florida. The Gators were co-regular season BIG EAST champs, won the tournament crown and reached the second round of the NCAA Tournament. Vanderbilt then hosts Georgetown, which shared the regular-season title with Florida, on April 2.
The Commodores will also play Temple, Connecticut and Marquette on the road, while hosting Cincinnati and Villanova at home. The four-team BIG EAST Conference Tournament will be held from May 5-7 at Georgetown in Washington, D.C.
Vanderbilt went 7-9 last year, with a 4-3 mark in its first year in BIG EAST play to finish tied for fourth and just miss out on making the league tournament.
“(The schedule) really didn’t change much (from last year). We’re looking at the same opponents,” Swezey said. “A really tough Big East Conference that has proved itself to be a lot stronger – right at the time we joined them. We’re looking forward to the BIG EAST schedule and plenty of ranked opponents outside of that.”
Vanderbilt 2016 Schedule
Feb. 7 at Kennesaw State
Feb. 13 FURMAN
Feb. 23 LOUISVILLE
Feb. 28 ELON
March 6 at Stanford
March 9 at Denver
March 12 PENN STATE
March 16 JOHNS HOPKINS
March 22 at Boston University
March 26 at Florida*
April 2 GEORGETOWN*
April 9 at Temple*
April 13 CINCINNATI*
April 16 at Connecticut*
April 20 at Marquette*
April 23 VILLANOVA*
All caps indicates home game at VU Lacrosse Complex
* indicates BIG EAST Conference game
