Click here for the 2009 schedule

NCAA College Cup runner-up North Carolina and Big 10 champion Michigan State highlight the 2009 University of Evansville men’s soccer non-conference schedule, but the biggest impact comes from a change that requires each Missouri Valley Conference team to play league opponents twice. In the past, each MVC team played the other league teams just once.

“Last year we played 10 teams that were ranked nationally during the season, but this year’s schedule is even more challenging,” says Head Coach Mike Jacobs. “Playing teams like Creighton, Drake and Bradley twice makes every conference game feel like a playoff game. The entire season will be a challenge, but for us to make the NCAA Tournament, we have to play a schedule as competitive as possible.”

The Aces’ lone exhibition match is against Michigan State August 27 at the National Soccer Festival in Fort Wayne, Indiana. The Spartans won the Big 10 regular season and tournament titles last November. Following the regular season opener at home against SIU-Edwardsville on Tuesday, Sept. 1, the Aces take on national power North Carolina and NCAA Championship quarterfinalist UNC-Greensboro at the Carolina Nike Classic at Chapel Hill on Labor Day weekend. The Tar Heels reached the 2008 NCAA title match, losing to Maryland 1-0 in the finals. Greensboro won two NCAA matches to reach the round of 16 last November before falling to South Florida on penalty kicks in the quarterfinals.

Evansville plays the following weekend at Bradley University's tournament at Peoria, Ill. against Xavier and Western Michigan before returning home for the 22nd ProRehab Aces Soccer Classic on Friday, Sept. 18 and Sunday, Sept. 20. IUPUI and Stony Brook will be Evansville's opponents. Eastern Illinois is the fourth team in the field.

A home match on Friday, Sept. 25 against Western Illinois will be the final tuneup for league play, which begins Sept. 30 at Eastern Illinois. Other Missouri Valley Conference opponents include Creighton, Drake, Bradley and Missouri State. Drake and Creighton reached the 2008 NCAA Championship. The only other non-conference match is Wednesday, Oct. 28 at Indiana University. The Hoosiers edged the Aces 3-2 in overtime at Black Beauty Field last October.

Michigan State was the number four overall seed in last year's NCAA Soccer Championship. Indiana was sixth, Creighton seventh and North Carolina 13th.

The State Farm Missouri Valley Conference Tournament takes place November 13 and 15 at Des Moines, Iowa, followed by the first round of the NCAA Tournament November 21. With 19 returning players, the Aces will be going for their fourth consecutive winning season, and are hopeful of making the NCAA field of 48 for the first time since 1996.