MIAMI SHORES, Fla. – Barry’s 2012 men’s soccer schedule has been released by head coach Steve McCrath.
"The 2012 schedule is shaping up to be one of the toughest ever," McCrath said. "In the past we've faced former national champions and NCAA playoff contenders from the previous year. With this plus-4 schedule, it now puts the strongest conference in Division II facing already difficult opponents almost two weeks after the initial game. On top of that, the mental and physical demand of one normal conference game now pits us in direct competition almost constantly. It's near close to the English Premier League - there are no 'off days.'"
The Bucs’ season kicks off on the road for two games. On Aug. 30, the Buccaneers will take on Mars Hill College in North Carolina, and then travel to Greenville, Tenn., to play Tusculum College Sept. 1.
The Bucs play the first of seven home games on Sept. 8, when they host Bentley University. The Bucs look to break a 1-1 all time record against the Falcons, with all games in the series played at Buccaneer Field.
This season, the Bucs get a chance to take on several Sunshine State Conference foes in non-conference matchups with the addition of the “+ 4 model.” For the first time in conference history, the teams will play every team in the league once in the first half of the league schedule. Teams will then play four teams in the conference for games that won’t count in the league standings. Barry’s “+ 4 model” consists of Tampa (Sept. 22), Saint Leo (Oct 9), Lynn (Oct. 24) and Eckerd on Senior Night (Oct. 27). Other non-conference matchups include an away game against a familiar Palm Beach Atlantic team, who the Bucs own a 15-1-1 all-time record in the series, on Sept. 26. The Bucs have faced the Sailfish more than any other opponent outside the SSC.
The rest of the season’s schedule consists of eight matchups against SSC opponents. The Bucs are home four out of the eight conference games, including Lynn (Sept. 19), Tampa (Oct. 3), Rollins (Oct. 6) and Florida Southern (Oct 16). Games against Saint Leo (Sept 15), Eckerd (Sept. 29), Nova Southeastern (Oct. 13) and Florida Tech (Oct. 20) will all be away games.
A game to mark on the calendar is the Senior Night game against Eckerd when the Bucs' nine seniors, Johnny Rodrigues, Guilherme Oliveira, Joe Conkleton, Randy Taylor, Christian Yidios, Houghton Kinsman, Kendall Sealy, Edwin Jean and Fred Perez, will all be honored.