BIRMINGHAM – First-year UAB Women’s Soccer Head Coach Lisa Mann, who will lead the Blazers into their inaugural year of the American Athletic Conference, has announced the schedule for the 2023 season.
“Our Fall 2023 schedule is very exciting and challenging. We will test ourselves against some of the best teams in the country while competing in the AAC for the first time,” said Mann.
The 17-match regular season features a nine AAC contests, nine matches at PNC Field, three College Cup teams and a pair of Power 5 squads.
All home matches and away AAC matches will stream on ESPN+.
The season starts out with a pair of exhibition matches. Vanderbilt comes to PNC Field on August 7 before the Blazers travel to Troy on August 12.
The regular season opens at PNC Field with Georgia Southern August 17. This match is the back half of a home-and-home series. Last year, the teams ended in a 1-1 draw.
Alabama comes to PNC Field on August 20. The Crimson Tide is coming off a school record 23 wins and a berth in the College Cup semifinals. They return All-American Felicia Knox, who was second in the NCAA with 20 assists and sixth with 34 points in 2022.
The first road match of the season is August 24 at Alabama State. In the three matches played in the series, UAB has outscored ASU 13-1.
Jacksonville State comes to PNC Field on August 27 before a two-match Texas roadtrip beginning with TCU on August 31 and Stephen F. Austin on September 3. The Horned Frogs advanced to their third straight Sweet 16 last season.
The non-conference season wraps up with Tennessee Tech at PNC Field on September 7 and South Alabama in Mobile on September 10.
UAB’s first American Athletic Conference match is September 14 at Charlotte. Last season, Eve Beyer recorded a 2-0 clean sheet against the 49ers.
The Blazers home AAC opener is against East Carolina September 21. This match marks the first time the teams have met since 2013. The Pirates return 2022 AAC Rookie of the Year
defender Jazmin Ferguson and All-Conference Second Team keeper Maeve English.
UAB travels to Florida Atlantic on September 28. Last year, Abbey Burns set up Carlyn Presley for the only goal on the match, giving the Blazers their first-ever victory over the Owls.
The next three matches are at PNC Field beginning with USF on October 5. The last time the Blazers and Bulls met was 2008. They return All-Conference First Team defender Vivianne Bessette from last season’s team.
UTSA comes to PNC Field on October 12. UAB has had only one setback against the Roadrunners dating back to 2017.
The homestand wraps up with Senior Day on October 15 against Rice. Last year, the UAB defense held the Owls to just three shots in a 0-0 draw.
UAB visits defending AAC champion Memphis on October 19. The Tigers advanced to the third round of the NCAA tournament after victories over Saint Louis and Mississippi State. Memphis finished ranked No. 21 in the United Soccer Coaches rankings and No. 38 in the NCAA RPI. They return five All-Conference players including leading scorer forward Mya Jones, who was third in the AAC with 16 points (7g, 2a) last year.
The final roadtrip of the regular season is October 22 at Tulsa. The Golden Hurricanes return three members of the All-Rookie Team in forward Jordan Frederick, keeper Tatum Sanders and midfielder Maggie SymSmith.
The regular season concludes October 26 at PNC Field against Temple.
The 2023 AAC Championship will be October 31, November 2 and 5, 2023 at the Premier Sports Campus in Lakewood Ranch, Fla. The top eight teams qualify with the division winners being the top two seeds, followed by the next six best conference records.
“We are very excited and cannot wait to get started,” added Mann.
Women’s Soccer season tickets are available for $65 by purchasing the 2023-24 Gold Card. The Gold Card will allow you to gain access to all home events for Women’s Soccer, Men’s Soccer, Volleyball, Women’s Basketball, Softball, and Baseball (Regions Field & Young Memorial). This card is not valid for American Athletic Conference or NCAA Championship events.
Individual game tickets will be available on Tuesday, Aug. 1.
SCHEDLUE NOTES
- In addition to the teams that moved from Conference USA to the AAC this season, UAB reunites with former CUSA soccer members East Carolina, Memphis, South Florida and Tulsa along with TCU
- UAB’s opponent’s record for the 2022 season was 150-124-58
- Stephen F. Austin is a first-time opponent
- The AAC has an 11-team league, UAB faces each school with the exception of North Texas and SMU
