The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
2006 UAB Nike Classic Kicks Off Friday
9/7/2006 12:00:00 AM | Women's Soccer
Sept. 7, 2006
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - The UAB women's soccer team opens up its home schedule this weekend as it hosts the annual UAB Nike Classic presented by the Wynfrey Hotel. The two-day, four-team tournament includes UAB, Alabama, Duke and Kansas as participants in the event.
The classic will begin on Friday, September 8 with the opening game featuring Alabama versus Kansas at 5 p.m. at West Campus Field. The second contest of the day will pit UAB against No. 12 Duke at 7 p.m.
Day two has Kansas scheduled to face Duke at 12 p.m., with the Blazers squaring off against Alabama at 2 p.m.
The tournament is notorious for hosting some of the top women's soccer programs in the nation, and this year is no different. Duke, a member of the Atlantic Coast Conference, is 3-1 to start the season and is listed as No. 12 in latest Soccer Buzz national rankings. The only loss for the Blue Devils this season came at the hands of No. 11 Connecticut, who topped Duke 2-1 on September 3.
The University of Kansas is currently No. 14 in the Soccer Buzz Central Region rankings, beginning the season 2-1. The Jayhawks have earned victories over Furman and Saint Mary's, but dropped a 1-0 game to California on September 1.
Alabama has an overall 2-2 record less than one month into the season, falling to Denver and Colorado in the Vanderbilt Tournament, but gaining wins over Memphis and Arkansas State to claim the Memphis Tournament crown.
UAB has faced a challenging schedule thus far, dropping close matches to Clemson and Cal State Northridge, both by scores of 1-0, and falling to Oregon State at the OSU Nike Invitational.
Daily admission into the tournament is $5.00 for adults, $3.00 for children ages 3-12 and free for children under the age of two. UAB students will receive free admission during the entire weekend.
Also, at the conclusion of the final game on Friday, Gang Green and Student Prorams will be sponsoring a free showing of the hit movie X-Men 3. Those in attendance at the conclusion of Friday's matches will be able to view the blockbuster hit on a theater-sized screen at West Campus Field at no charge.
