July 6, 2001
The University of Notre Dame women’s soccer team-coming off an NCAA semifinalist season in 2000-will face plenty of regular-season challenges in 2001, as the Irish are scheduled to play nine teams that competed in the 2000 NCAA Tournament during the 18-game slate for 2001.
Notre Dame-which returns 13 of its top 18 players from the 2000 squad that spent much of 2000 ranked No. 1 nationally en route to an 23-1-1 overall record-will face several perennial national powers during the 2001 campaign, including BIG EAST rival Connecticut, plus Nebraska, Penn State, Santa Clara, Stanford and Hartford. The Irish also will play Wisconsin, West Virginia and Michigan, each of which joined the above teams in the 2000 NCAAs.
Notre Dame’s 10 regular-season home games will be highlighted by a Tuesday-night clash vs. Nebraska on Sept. 25 (the Huskers were ranked No. 2 for much of 2000) and the annual adidas/KeyBank Classic, to be held Aug. 31 and Sept. 2 at Alumni Field. The tournament’s Friday-night action will pair Hartford vs. UConn and ND-Penn State, with the Irish then facing Hartford on Sunday afternoon the 2nd (following the UConn-PSU game).
The most noteworthy road games from ND’s 2001 schedule include a return to the San Francisco Bay area, site of the past two Women’s College Cups (at San Jose’s Spartan Stadium). The Irish will play at Santa Clara on Sept. 14 and at Stanford on the 16th.
Notre Dame again will spend part of its fall semester break in the state of Connecticut, with return games at UConn (Oct. 21) and Yale (Oct. 23).
A week after the adidas/Key Bank Classic, the Irish will play host to Big Ten opponents Indiana (Sept. 7) and Wisconsin (Sept. 9)-in addition to ending the regular season with a home game versus Michigan (Oct. 28).
Notre Dame’s four home games vs. BIG EAST teams include visits from Villanova (Sept. 21), Georgetown (Sept. 23), West Virginia (Sept. 30) and St. John’s (Oct. 12). In addition to the UConn game, ND will play on the road vs. BIG EAST teams at Pittsburgh (Sept. 28), Rutgers (Oct. 5), Seton Hall (Oct. 7) and Miami (Oct. 14).
The preseason includes a pair of exhibitions, at Wisconsin-Milwaukee (Aug. 21) and at home versus Iowa (Aug. 24).
BIG EAST Championship first-round games again will be played at campus sites (Nov. 3-4), with the semifinals and title game to be played at Rutgers’ Yurcak Field on Nov. 9 and 11.
NCAA Tournament first-, second- and third-round games will be held Nov. 14, Nov. 17-18 and Nov. 23-25 (respectively), followed by the NCAA quarterfinals on Nov. 30-Dec. 2. The NCAA Women’s College Cup will be held Dec. 7 and 9 in Dallas, Texas.
2001 Women’s Soccer Schedule
* BIG EAST Opponent
$ adidas/KeyBank Classic