New to the BIG EAST, Gators Announce 2015 Schedule
Monday, November 10, 2014 | Lacrosse
The Florida lacrosse team released its schedule for the 2015 season. The Gators' slate of regular-season games features 11 home and six road contests.
UF opens the season at home against North Carolina on Saturday, Feb. 7, at noon. It will mark the first time that the Tar Heels will visit Gainesville since the annual series began in 2010.
First-Time Matchups
After joining the BIG EAST as an affiliate member over the summer, Florida's schedule features six first-time matchups, three in-conference and three non-conference foes, which includes a visit to the defending national champion Maryland Terrapins.
The other first-time opponents on UF's non-conference schedule are San Diego State (Feb. 20) and Niagara (March 7). Both games will be played at Donald R. Dizney Stadium.
In their first year in the BIG EAST, the Gators face Marquette, Villanova and Connecticut each for the first time. The team travels to Milwaukee, Wisconsin, to play the Golden Eagles, who enter their second season in program history. Florida hosts Villanova on April 11 before paying a visit to Connecticut to end the regular season on April 18.
Florida vs. Nation's Best
The 2015 schedule features four schools that finished top-10 in the Intercollegiate Women's Lacrosse Coaches Association's 2014 season-ending poll.
Along with their matchups against perennial powers North Carolina (No. 5 last year) and Maryland (No. 1), Florida will renew their rivalry last season's NCAA runner-up Syracuse (No. 2).
On Tuesday, March 10, Syracuse makes its first trip to The Sunshine State since 2012. Four days later, Florida travels to College Park, Maryland, for a matchup against the Terps.
Additionally, Florida hosts Loyola University (Md.) (No. 9) on March 3 at 1 p.m. Last season, the Greyhounds won their first-ever Patriot League title.
Last season, these four powers combined for a 75-15 record.
The BIG EAST
After going 21-5 in regular-season play during its five seasons in the American Lacrosse Conference (ALC) and claiming four consecutive league titles, Florida looks to carry its dominance in conference games to the BIG EAST.
Entering 2015, Florida owns a 9-3 career mark against teams from the BIG EAST, having not lost a game to its new conference foes since 2010, when Vanderbilt defeated the Gators, 16-9, in Florida's first-ever ALC Tournament appearance.
Postseason Play
The BIG EAST Tournament will be played on April 30 (semifinals) and May 2 (finals). Times and location of the tournament have yet to be determined.
The NCAA National Championships will begin with the first round on May 8, followed by the second round on May 10 and the quarterfinals from May 16-17. Locations of each round will be played at a non-predetermined campus site. The semifinal and championship game will be played on May 22 and 24, respectively, at PPL Park in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Quotables
“We are very excited for the start of the 2015 season and our first season in the BIG EAST Conference. This is an opportunity to play against top-notch competition each week of the season. Our team is looking forward to a number of new opponents this year, including the defending national champion Maryland Terps. In addition, in our season opener, we will host North Carolina for the first time.” – head coach Amanda O'Leary
| DATE | OPPONENT | LOCATION | TIME |
| Feb. 7 | North Carolina | Gainesville | 12:00 p.m. |
| Feb. 11 | Jacksonville | Jacksonville, Fla. | 7:00 p.m. |
| Feb. 14 | Michigan | Gainesville | 1:00 p.m. |
| Feb. 20 | San Diego State | Gainesville | 6:30 p.m. |
| Feb. 28 | Dartmouth | Gainesville | 1:00 p.m. |
| March 3 | Loyola | Gainesville | 1:00 p.m. |
| March 7 | Niagara | Gainesville | 1:00 p.m. |
| March 10 | Syracuse | Gainesville | 6:30 p.m. |
| March 14 | Maryland | College Park, Md. | 12:00 p.m. |
| March 17 | Stony Brook | Gainesville | 6:30 p.m. |
| March 22 | Vanderbilt* | Nashville, Tenn. | 12:00 p.m. |
| March 28 | Temple* | Philadelphia, Pa. | TBA |
| April 4 | Georgetown* | Gainesville | 12:00 p.m. |
| April 8 | Marquette* | Milwaukee, Wis. | 12:00 p.m. |
| April 11 | Villanova* | Gainesville | 1:00 p.m. |
| April 15 | Cincinnati* | Gainesville | 12:00 p.m. |
| April 18 | Connecticut* | Storrs, Conn. | 12:00 p.m. |
| April 30 & May 2 | BIG EAST Tournament | TBD | TBD |
| May 8 | NCAA's (First Round) | TBD | TBD |
| May 10 | NCAA's (Second Round) | TBD | TBD |
| May 16-17 | NCAA's (Quarterfinals) | TBD | TBD |
| May 22 & 24 | NCAA's (Semi-Final & Final) | Philadelphia, Pa. | TBD |
| *Denotes BIG EAST Game | |||
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