May 12, 2015
NASHVILLE, Tenn. –Â The Darren Ambrose era is nearly three months away and Vanderbilt’s new soccer coach will face a schedule full of contenders, familiar faces and new opponents.
Not to mention, fans will have plenty of opportunities to cheer on the Commodores and their new coach.
On Tuesday, the Commodores and Ambrose announced the 2015 schedule, which will open at home on Aug. 21 against Miami-Ohio. It is the first of 11 home games at the VU Soccer/Lacrosse Complex. To see the full schedule, click here.Â
Vanderbilt will also play nine games against teams that made the 2014 NCAA Tournament, including a Final Four participant (Texas A&M) and two that reached the Elite Eight (Florida and South Carolina). The slate also features games against three new opponents (Miami-Ohio, Seattle University and High Point) and a trip to Pacific Northwest at the beginning of the season to play Gonzaga and Seattle.
“We have a great mix of games that will get us ready for SEC play,” said Ambrose, who spent the last 15 years at Penn. “Our trip out west early on against two good teams will give us a chance to see where we are pretty early in the year. I am really looking forward to seeing the caliber of teams in the SEC. It is one of the strongest conferences in the country and a big reason why I came to Vanderbilt. I have a lot of respect for the coaching staffs in the league and look forward to going head to head against them.
“Our incoming team is excited about the season and the opportunity to take a big step forward.”
Vanderbilt will get a test before the season begins with an exhibition game against Alabama on Aug. 13 at the VU Soccer/Lacrosse Complex. The game does not count toward the overall or league record. The SEC foes will not face each during the regular season.
The Commodores’ non-conference schedule features home games against Miami-Ohio, Dartmouth, crosstown neighbor Lipscomb, High Point and Evansville. They’ll hit the road for three straight games at the end of August to play Cincinnati, Gonzaga and Seattle.
Vanderbilt has never played Miami-Ohio, Seattle or High Point. Seattle and High Point both made the NCAA Tournament last year, with Seattle (WAC regular-season and tourney champs) reaching the second round. The Commodores are also renewing a rivalry against Evansville, which they haven’t played since 1997, and playing local foe Lipscomb for the second straight year.Â
Southeastern Conference play figures to once again provide a daunting challenge as seven of Vanderbilt’s 11 league opponents made the NCAA Tournament last year — Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Missouri, South Carolina and Texas A&M. Six of the seven reached the second round, Kentucky made the Sweet 16, Florida and South Carolina advanced to the Elite Eight and Texas A&M, after winning the SEC regular-season and tournament championships, advanced all the way to the Final Four.
The conference season begins on Sept. 11 at home against Mississippi State, one of six league games the Commodores will play at the VU Soccer/Lacrosse Complex. Vanderbilt will also play Florida, Tennessee, Arkansas, Georgia and Missouri at home. They’ll hit the road to play Texas A&M, LSU, Kentucky, South Carolina and Ole Miss, which will cap off the regular season on Oct. 29 in Oxford, Miss.
The Commodores will try to finish in the top 10 in the league to make the SEC Tournament from Nov. 2-7 in Orange Beach, Ala., for the first time since 2010.