Kansas University’s soccer program announced its 2006 schedule Tuesday. Of the Jayhawks 19 regular season matches, nine will be against teams that made the 2005 NCAA Tournament.
After facing Drake in an exhibition match on August 18 in Des Moines, Iowa, KU will open the regular season with a contest against Furman on Friday, Aug. 25, at 5 p.m. at the Jayhawk Soccer Complex. KU will also play Loyola-Marymount on Sunday, Aug. 27, at 1 p.m.
KU will then travel to two tournaments on back-to-back weekends. First, the Jayhawks will face the Cal Golden Bears and Saint Mary’s during the Cal Invitational on Sept. 1 and Sept. 3 in Berkeley, Calif. Cal finished the 2005 season 14-3-2 while advancing to the NCAA Tournament.
The Jayhawks will face Duke of the Atlantic Coast Conference and Alabama of the Southeastern Conference during the University of Alabama-Birmingham Nike Classic. Kansas and Alabama will play on Sept. 8 while the Jayhawks and Blue Devils will meet on Sept. 10.
Kansas will return to Lawrence on Sept. 15 and Sept. 17 before playing four more road matches. KU will host Pepperdine on Friday, Sept. 15, at 5 p.m. and Central Florida on Sunday, Sept. 17, at 1 p.m.
Kansas will open Big 12 play with three-straight road matches. Kansas will face Oklahoma State in Stillwater on Sept. 22 and Oklahoma in Norman on Sept. 24. The Jayhawks will step out of conference play for a Sept. 29 match against Creighton in Omaha, Neb., before traveling to Lincoln, Neb., to face the Cornhuskers on Oct. 1.
Kansas will play five of its last seven matches at the Jayhawk Soccer Complex. KU will open the stretch by hosting Texas on Friday, Oct. 6, at 4 p.m. The Jayhawks will then host 2005 Big 12 Champion Texas A&M at 1 p.m. on Oct. 8.
After traveling to Ames, Iowa, to face Iowa State on Oct. 13, the Jayhawks will face Missouri in the Border Showdown on Oct. 15 in Columbia, Mo.
Kansas will cap the regular season with three straight Big 12 matches. KU will host Baylor at 3 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 20, and Texas Tech on Sunday, Sept. 22, before ending the season against Colorado at 3 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 27.