WEST POINT, N.Y. – The Army lacrosse team announced the schedule for 2010 campaign on Wednesday. Highlighted by back-to-back games versus defending national champion Syracuse and runner-up Cornell, as well as another challenging Patriot League slate, the Black Knights will be in the hunt for their first conference title and NCAA Tournament appearance since 2003.

"Our schedule starts fast and should do a good job of preparing us as we head into the Patriot League portion of the season," said head coach Joe Alberici, who enters his fifth year on the Army sidelines. "We'll know how we measure up pretty early on with some strong competition and I am eager to see how our guys respond to the challenge."

The Black Knights will get the spring going early with an exhibition in Orlando, Fla. versus the US National Team and Duke scheduled to be played at the Disney Wide World of Sports Complex on Jan. 30. Massachusetts will also pay a visit to West Point on Feb. 6 for a final exhibition tune-up before the start of the regular season.

Army will kick off the 93rd season in Academy history on Feb. 20, hosting VMI at Michie Stadium. The Black Knights will then square off with host Syracuse in a game tentatively scheduled for Feb. 27, before traveling to Ithaca, N.Y. to take on Cornell on March 6.

Army will welcome Bryant to the banks of the Hudson River on March 9, before making a cross-country trip on March 13 to face service-academy foe Air Force for the first time ever in Colorado Springs, Colo.

After hosting Rutgers on March 20, the Black Knights will kick off the Patriot League portion of the schedule with a road trip to Lehigh on March 23.

Following a road showing at Hofstra a week later on March 30, Army will finish the regular season with five conference games, starting with a visit from Colgate on April 3.

After a trip to Lewisburg, Pa. to square off with Bucknell on April 10, the Black Knights will gear up for their annual grudge match with Navy that will be played at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore for the second year in a row as part of the Smartlink Day Of Rivals on April 17.

A trip to play at Lafayette on April 20 will precede the regular season finale against visiting Holy Cross on April 24.

The Patriot League Tournament semifinals are scheduled for April 30 followed by the championship game on May 2. The highest seeded team's home field will be the site for all three games.

Army finished the 2008 season with a 6-10 record that included the Black Knights fifth straight appearance in the Patriot League Tournament. Army fell to top-seeded Bucknell, 10-8, in the semifinals.

January
Sat. 30   vs. US Team/Duke (Exh.) ^  Orlando, Fla.             3:00 p.m.
 
February
Sat. 6    MASSACHUSETTS (Exh.)       West Point, N.Y.          1:00 p.m.
Sat. 20   VMI                        West Point, N.Y.         12:00 p.m.
Sat. 27   at Syracuse +              Syracuse, N.Y.            7:00 p.m.
 
March
Sat. 6    at Cornell                 Ithaca, N.Y.              3:00 p.m.
Tue. 9    BRYANT                     West Point, N.Y.          4:00 p.m.
Sat. 13   at Air Force               Colorado Springs, Colo.   2:00 p.m.
Sat. 20   RUTGERS                    West Point, N.Y.         12:00 p.m.
Tue. 23   at Lehigh *                Bethlehem, Pa.            7:00 p.m.
Tue. 30   at Hofstra                 Hempstead, N.Y.           7:00 p.m.
 
April
Sat. 3    COLGATE *                  West Point, N.Y.         12:00 p.m.
Sat. 10   at Bucknell *              Lewisburg, Pa.            1:00 p.m.
Sat. 17   vs. Navy ~*                Baltimore, Md.            4:00 p.m.
Tue. 20   at Lafayette *             Easton, Pa.               7:00 p.m.
Sat. 24   HOLY CROSS *               West Point, N.Y.         12:00 p.m.
Fri. 30   Patriot League Semifinal
 
May
Sun. 2    Patriot League Final

Home matches at Michie Stadium
^ Disney Wide World of Sports Complex
+ Tentative – date/site could change
~ M&T Bank Stadium
* Patriot League game

Schedule as of Oct. 14, 2009 (subject to change)
All times Eastern Standard Time

2009-10-15