Add to calendar | 2016 Schedule

LOUDONVILLE, N.Y. -- Siena Women's Soccer Head Coach Steve Karbowski has released his team's 2016 schedule. The 2015 MAAC Tournament Champions and NCAA Tournament participants are slated for 18 regular season matches -- an even nine home and nine away -- and are set to kick off the program's 37th season at New Hampshire on Friday, Aug. 19 at 7 p.m.

"We are looking forward to kicking off the 2016 season," said Karbowski, who is set to enter his 18th season at the helm. "The non-conference scheduled will be a great test to have us prepared heading into MAAC play. We have a competitive mix from the America East, Ivy, Northeast and Patriot leagues, and having the opportunity to play a couple of night games on the road will provide valuable experience for the team. Additionally, our three-game home stretch right in the middle of the non-conference schedule will be a great challenge."

The Saints begin the season with a pair of road contests as they head to Lafayette on Aug. 21, two days after playing in their earliest season opener in program history against the Wildcats. Siena will play eight non-conference contests -- an even four home and four away -- with five matches scheduled against America East programs.

Siena's home opener on Friday, Aug. 26 against crosstown rival and defending America East Tournament Champion UAlbany kicks off a season long three-match homestand. The Saints host the Great Danes at 5 p.m., before welcoming Cornell (Aug. 28) and defending America East Regular Season Champion Hartford (Sept. 1) to Siena Field to close out the stretch. All three of those programs each posted winning records and tallied at least nine victories last fall. Over the past nine seasons, the Saints are an impressive 53-15-10 (.744) at Siena Field including a remarkable 29-4-2 (.857) at home against non-conference foes.

Siena heads back on the road for its final two non-conference contests at Binghamton (Sept. 5) and Vermont (Sept. 9), before concluding non-league action against LIU Brooklyn on Sept. 11 in Loudonville.

The Saints begin their MAAC Championship defense on Saturday, Sept. 17 when they host Iona for a 1 p.m. kickoff. Siena also welcomes Niagara (Oct. 5), Rider (Oct. 8), Quinnipiac (Oct. 19) and Manhattan (Oct. 22) to Siena Field this fall for the program's milestone 25th MAAC season. The Saints' regular season home finale against the Jaspers marks a rematch of last fall's MAAC Championship Match, and will serve as Siena's Senior Day.

"We know that every game in the MAAC season will be close as the conference has become stronger and deeper every year," commented Karbowski, who has piloted the Saints to an 80-57-19 regular season league record during his tenure. "It will be important to be in mid-season form by the time we open MAAC play, and our goals this year will not only include a MAAC Tournament appearance, but also to be a host for the Tournament on our way towards competing for another NCAA Tournament bid."

The Saints open their conference road slate with a two-match road trip at Fairfield (Sept. 24) and Marist (Sept. 28). Siena will also face defending MAAC Regular Season Champion Monmouth (Oct. 12), as well as Saint Peter's (Oct. 15) and Canisius (Oct. 26) in conference road contests.

For the third consecutive season, the MAAC's top-six finishers will qualify for the conference championships. The top-two seeds will earn byes to the semifinal round, with the No. 3 and No. 4 seeds hosting quarterfinals contests against the sixth and fifth ranked finishers respectively on Oct. 29. The MAAC Regular Season Champions will then have the privilege of hosting both the semifinals matches Nov. 4, and the championship match on Nov. 6.

The Saints will look to build off an historic 2015 season in which they became the first-ever No. 6 seed to win the MAAC Tournament Championship and advance to the NCAA Tournament. Siena completed its Cinderella run to the program's second MAAC Championship and NCAA Tournament appearance (2010) with a final overall record of 12-7-3 last fall, including a 5-4-1 league mark. The Saints return seven starters and seven of their top-eight scorers from last year's magical squad in retaining 79% of their scoring, while also welcoming six newcomers to the fold.