BURLINGTON, Vt. - The University of Vermont women's lacrosse team will face teams from seven different leagues in 2010. The Catamount's schedule was announced today.

"After a great fall season, we are very excited for the spring," said Vermont head coach Jen Johnson, who enters her sixth season at the helm of the Catamounts.

"This year's schedule will be challenging, but will prepare us well for conference play. This year's team is young and somewhat inexperienced, but has displayed good skill and work ethic this fall. I believe we have more depth than in previous years and will look for many players to contribute to our team's overall success."

UVM will open the 2010 campaign at Penn State, Johnson's alma mater (Class of 2000), on February 26 in the first of five straight road games to start the season.

Vermont will play seven home games at Moulton Winder Field with the home opener slated for March 17 versus Siena.

An early highlight of the 2010 Vermont schedule is a two-game series in Jacksonville, Florida. The Catamounts will take on Syracuse on March 8 at Jacksonville University. The Orange advanced to the NCAA Final Four in 2008 and the NCAA Quarterfinals in 2009. Vermont will also face the Jacksonville Dolphins on March 10 in the second game. The 2010 season is the inaugural year of women's lacrosse at Jacksonville.

Included in UVM's non-conference schedule are games versus four teams that advanced to the championship game of their league tournaments. The Nittany Lions advanced to the championship game of the American Lacrosse Conference where they fell to eventual national champion Northwestern.

Vermont will host Marist on March 20. The Red Foxes, who went 12-5 in 2009, fell to Fairfield in the championship game of the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference tournament.

The Catamounts will also face California on April 18 at Moulton Winder Field. Stanford defeated the Bears in the championship game of the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation tournament last season.

The Catamounts take on defending America East Champion, Boston University, on April 24 at Nickerson Field. The Terriers knocked Vermont out of the conference tournament last season.

UVM will host league rival New Hampshire on May 1 on "Senior Day". The last time the two teams met at Moulton Winder Field, UVM picked up its third-ever victory over a nationally ranked opponent with a 9-8 win over the Wildcats.

Last season the Catamounts returned to the America East Championship for their second straight appearance and fifth overall. Vermont finished the year with a record of 9-8 overall, the team's first winning season since 1994. UVM also tied the school record for most wins in a season (9).

In 2010, Vermont returns four of the six players that recorded 30 points or more in 2009, including two of the team's top goal scorers. Among those returning are 2009 America East Rookie of the Year Allison Pfohl (Niskayuna, N.Y.) and 2008 league rookie of the year Megan MacDonald (Wayland, Mass.). Vermont will also add seven newcomers to the mix in 2010.

February
  Fri 26   at Penn State                    6:00 pm
 
March
  Wed  3   at Dartmouth                     3:00 pm
  Mon  8   vs. Syracuse (at Jacksonville)   1:00 pm
  Wed 10   at Jacksonville                  4:00 pm
  Sat 13   at Holy Cross                    3:00 pm
  Wed 17   Siena                            3:00 pm
  Sat 20   Marist                           1:00 pm
  Wed 24   at Boston College                4:00 pm
  Wed 31   Albany *                         3:00 pm
 
April
  Sat  3   Stony Brook *                    1:00 pm
  Wed  7   at UMBC *                        3:00 pm
  Sat 10   Binghamton *                     12:00 pm
  Wed 14   LeMoyne                          3:00 pm
  Sun 18   California                       12:00 pm
  Sat 24   at Boston University *           1:00 pm
 
May
  Sat  1   New Hampshire *                  1:00 pm
  Thu  6   at America East Semifinals       TBA
  Sat  8   at America East Championship     TBA

2009-11-03