Gopher Soccer Announces Spring Schedule Minnesota soccer has announced their spring 2010 schedule, which includes the Big Ten/Big 12 Challenge.
Minneapolis, Minn. - The University of Minnesota soccer team recently announced their spring 2010 schedule, which includes the Big Ten/Big 12 Challenge in April at Elizabeth Lyle Robbie Stadium.
"We challenged ourselves this year more than any other," assistant coach Jerrod Roh said. "Coach Mikki [Denney Wright] wanted us to go out and schedule as tough of opponents as we could find. We feel like we've done that. We have 11 starters returning so we need to challenge this group so they can continue to grow, so we can be ready for next fall."
The spring season gets underway in just under a month with the first game on Mar. 7. Minnesota heads down to Overland Park, Kans. for a 12:00 p.m. match with Missouri. The Tigers were Big 12 champions last season and are just the first in a spring season full of top opponents.
After some time off around spring break, the Gophers head to ACC country for a pair of games on Mar. 27 & 28. In Raleigh, N.C. Minnesota first faces Duke at 12:00 p.m. on the 27th, followed a day later with a 1:30 p.m. tilt with Wake Forest. The ACC is always a home to some of the nation's best talent, and both the Blue Devils and Demon Deacons made the NCAA Tournament field last fall.
The Gophers then return to the Midwest for a road trip to Nebraska and a 9:30 a.m. game on Apr. 17 in Lincoln, Neb. The Huskers were unbeaten at home last season, and finished in fourth place in the Big 12.
The spring season closes with the Big Ten/Big 12 Spring Challenge hosted by the Gophers at Elizabeth Lyle Robbie Stadium. A four game set on Apr. 24 welcomes Iowa, Iowa State and Kansas to St. Paul.
Iowa and Iowa State begin the Challenge at 9:30 a.m., with Kansas and Minnesota capping the morning session with an 11:15 a.m. tilt. After a midday break Iowa and Kansas square off at 2:00 p.m., before Iowa State and Minnesota close out the Spring Challenge and the Spring Season at 3:45 p.m.
The Golden Gophers were 12-5-3 overall last season, and 5-3-2 in Big Ten play. Minnesota returns all 11 starters and 16 total players from last season's team, including All-Big Ten performers Jennie Clark (1st team), Katie Bethke (2nd), Molly Rouse (2nd) and Cat Parkhill (freshman team).
