University of Florida lacrosse team and head coach Amanda O’Leary announced its 2013 season schedule, which features 15 regular season contests including eight at Donald R. Dizney Stadium where the Gators hold an undefeated regular season record in the past two years, and a contest at Sun Life Stadium in Miami.
The 2013 season kicks off with three-straight road contest as they face off with the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill on February 9 to open up the schedule. UF will seek to revenge a season opening loss from last season as the then No. 4 Gators couldn’t overcome a first half deficit fell in a close 11-9 decision to the then No. 3 Tar Heels.
The Gators return to the Sunshine State for a matchup at Jacksonville (February 13) before heading back to North Carolina to face High Point in High Point, N.C. (February 17). The 2013 home schedule opens up with a pair of games at Dizney Stadium as UF welcomes UC Davis (February 22) in the first ever meeting of the two teams followed by a match with Albany (February 24).
UF remains in the state of Florida to begin March, when they take part in the second annual lacrosse Orange Bowl Classic. They will take on rival Syracuse on March 2 in Miami at Sun Life Stadium, home of the Orange Bowl and Miami Dolphins. Syracuse eliminated Florida in the NCAA semifinals last season in a 14-13 overtime decision. The Orange finished as national runner-up as it fell to Northwestern in the national championship game.
Loyola (Maryland) visits Gainesville (March 5) followed the Gators hitting the road for a match with Dartmouth (March 9). They then return to the UF campus for a three-game home stand welcoming Lehigh (March 12) and Stetson (March 19). The home stand concludes as the Gators open up American Lacrosse Conference play as it hosts Ohio State (March 23). The Gators are the reigning regular season and tournament ALC champions and look to extend its dominance in the league where they have won 10-straight games that dates back to March 26, 2011.
The Gators then travel to Penn State (March 30) and return home to face Johns Hopkins (April 6) to kick off April. They round out their regular-season slate facing reigning national champion Northwestern at home (April 20). The ALC Tournament will be hosted by Johns Hopkins in Baltimore, Md. on May 2-5. The NCAA first and second rounds will be held at respective sites from May 10-12 and quarterfinals May 18th or 19th. Villanova University in Philadelphia, Pa. will serve as the host of the 2013 NCAA Championships for the first time in school history on May 24th and 26th.
Courtesy of UF Communications