2012 Schedule

LEXINGTON, Va. – The VMI men's soccer team will face a varied slate of opponents this upcoming season, as the team announced its 2012 schedule. The Keydets will square off against opponents from six different conferences, while also playing against six teams from the Commonwealth of Virginia.

On the docket for VMI, which will enter its third season under Richie Rose, will be foes from the Atlantic Soccer Conference (NJIT), the Northeast Conference (Mount St. Mary's), the Atlantic 10 (George Washington, Richmond), Conference USA (Marshall), the Atlantic Coast Conference (Virginia Tech, NC State) and the Keydets' own league, the Big South Conference.

Within the Commonwealth of Virginia, the Keydets will challenge Big South newcomer Longwood as well as Radford and Liberty, the ACC's Virginia Tech and NC State and Richmond out of the Atlantic 10.

Towards the end of its preseason, VMI will hit the road for a pair of exhibition games, taking on Davidson on Aug. 15 at 7 p.m., followed by a tilt in Boone, N.C. against Appalachian State on Aug. 20 at 2 p.m.

The Keydets will open 2012 with a pair of road games, first heading to Newark, N.J. to take on NJIT Aug. 24. Game time at Lubetkin Field at J. Malcolm Simon Stadium is set for 7 p.m. VMI will then travel to Emmitsburg, Md. to take on the NEC's Mount St. Mary's on Aug 31. That game will be played at Waldron Family Stadium at 7 p.m.

VMI will return to Lexington to host the J. Sculley Memorial Tournament, featuring Marshall, George Washington and Liberty. Kicking things off on Sept. 7 will be Liberty and Marshall at 1 p.m., followed by VMI versus George Washington at 4 p.m. After a day of rest, the tournament wraps up on Sept. 9 as Liberty challenges George Washington at 12:30 p.m. while the Keydets round out the tournament at 3:30 p.m. with Marshall. All four games will be played at VMI's home surface, Patchin Field.

After the J. Sculley Memorial Tournament, VMI hits the road for three straight, first heading to Farmville, Va. for a meeting with Longwood, which joins the Big South this season. Game time is set for 7 p.m. on Sept. 12. The following week on Sep.t 18, the Keydets make the relatively short trip to Blacksburg, Va. to take on ACC foe Virginia Tech at 7 p.m. VMI rounds out the road swing with a trip to the capital city and a game with Richmond on Sept. 21 at 7 p.m.

On Sept. 29, VMI returns home for its second Big South game of the year, hosting Campbell at 4 p.m. But the field advantage will be short lived before VMI heads to High Point on Oct. 3 for a 7 p.m. meeting with the Panthers. One final game on Oct. 6 at Gardner-Webb stands between the Keydets and a three-game home stand. The Keydets take on the Bulldogs at 7 p.m.

The Keydets will open their three-game stand with Radford on Oct. 10 at 4 p.m., followed by a pair of NCAA Tournament qualifiers. First, VMI will see Coastal Carolina on Oct. 13 at 2 p.m. Last season, the Chanticleers reached the second round before falling to eventual national champion North Carolina.

VMI's next challenge will be 2011 Big South Conference champion Liberty, which won it all as the No. 4 seed. The Keydets and Flames will square off in the local rivalry at 4 p.m. on Oct. 16.

Once again VMI heads away from Patchin Field for a three-game road set, opening with UNC Asheville on Oct. 20 at 2 p.m. The following weekend, VMI travels to Rock Hill, S.C. for a match with Winthrop on Oct. 27 at 2 p.m. VMI's final non-conference game will be just two days later on Oct. 29 as the Keydets take on the Wolfpack of NC State at 7 p.m.

The men's soccer team will conclude the regular season on Nov. 3 as it hosts Presbyterian College at Patchin Field at 1 p.m.

The 2012 Big South Conference Championship will begin with the first round on Nov. 6 at the higher seed. On Nov. 9 and Nov. 11, the tournament moves to Bryan Park, N.C. for the semifinals and finals.

Please note that this schedule, its times and dates are subject to change