Stetson is the first of 20 matches on FAU's schedule

Florida Atlantic officially begins its 2009-10 intercollegiate schedule at 4 p.m. on Sunday, August 23 when the women’s soccer team plays host to Stetson University at FAU Field.

FAU Women’s Soccer Head Coach Brian Dooley and the Owls will be vying for the program’s ninth winning season in ten years. The Owls were picked to finish fifth in the 2009 Sun Belt Conference (SBC) Preseason Coaches Poll, announced yesterday by the league office. FAU has been within one game of playing for the conference title twice (2006 & 2008) in its three years as a member of the SBC.

By the time FAU begins its conference season on Friday, September 25 at Western Kentucky University , the Owls will have already faced a grueling non-conference slate which includes matches against Stetson, USF, the University of Mississippi , the University of Arkansas and Clemson University , among others.

FAU welcomes back 15 letter-winners and seven starters from its 2008 team that finished the year winning six of its last nine games and advancing into the SBC tournament semifinals.

Ashley Mannarino and Laura Hyvonen enter the season as two of the league’s top forwards. Mannarino, Hyvonen and midfielder Janelle Blake – all upperclassmen - each drew serious consideration for preseason all-conference honors. Mannarino, a senior from Boca Raton , was named to the preseason All-Sun Belt Conference Team.

The Owls will host matches at FAU Field in Boca Raton, along with the Sun Belt Conference Women’s Soccer Championships, to be held November 4 - 7.