The Minnesota Golden Gopher soccer team released its 2008 fall schedule today, following the recent conclusion of the program’s spring season. The Gophers’ fall slate will feature two home tournaments and 10 total games at Elizabeth Lyle Robbie Stadium in St. Paul.

Schedule highlights include home games with 2007 Big Ten champion Purdue (Oct. 10), 2007 NCAA tournament participants Indiana (Oct. 5) and Illinois (Oct. 12), as well as non-conference foes and NCAA qualifiers Creighton (Sept. 7) and Boston University (Sept. 21).

Minnesota will also play road games against NCAA teams Ohio State (Oct. 19) and Penn State (Oct. 17).

From Sept. 5-7, Minnesota will host the Regina Moench Memorial Tournament, which will feature teams from Northeastern, Creighton and Ohio University. The tournament was named in honor of Moench, a former player and captain for the Gopher soccer program. Moench was a native Bloomington, Minn. who passed away February 12, 2008. She played for Minnesota in 2004 after transferring from Creighton University, where she was an All-Missouri Valley Conference player. Moench was Minnesota’s Offensive Player of the Year in 2004.

The Gophers’ second tournament of the year will be annual Minnesota Gold Classic, to be held at Elizabeth Lyle Robbie Stadium Sept. 19 and 21. The invitational will feature the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Brown University and Boston University.

The 2008 Big Ten season gets underway Sept. 26 for the Gophers, when they embark on a road swing through Michigan State and Michigan. The team’s 2008 Big Ten home opener will take place Oct. 5 against Indiana.

The 2008 Big Ten Tournament, hosted by Minnesota a year ago, will be played at the Iowa Soccer Complex at the University of Iowa from Nov. 6-9.

The Gophers’ 2008 season begins August 22 at Elizabeth Lyle Robbie Stadium when they host Northern Iowa.