2009 Salisbury University Spring Athletic Schedules announced

SALISBURY, Md. - The Salisbury University Athletics Department officially released the 2009 spring schedules for its eight varsity teams; baseball, softball, men's and women's lacrosse, men's and women's tennis and men's and women's track and field.

Once again the Sea Gull athletic teams have filled their schedules with nationally ranked opponents, Capital Athletic Conference contests and many regional non-conference rivalry games.

The Gulls have three teams coming off of NCAA tournament berths and four teams set to defend CAC championships from a year ago. The Sea Gulls other four teams look to return to the top in the CAC.

Here are the schedule highlights for each sport:

Baseball
2008 Record: 41-4, 18-0 CAC
Postseason: NCAA Division III South Region Finalists, CAC Champions
Can't Miss Home Game: vs. SUNY Cortland (February 20, 2 p.m.)
Overview: The Sea Gulls begin their season in early February with a road trip South to face Virginia Wesleyan College (February 7) followed by a doubleheader the next day against North Carolina Wesleyan College. Salisbury returns home to kick-off a five-game homestand which begins against Stevens Institute of Technology on February 15. The highlight of the first homestand is when preseason No. 1 SUNY Cortland faces the Sea Gulls on February 20. The Sea Gulls begin their defense of the Capital Athletic Conference championship with a three-game set against Rt. 13 rival Wesley College in a four-day span. The month of March features home CAC games against University of Mary Washington, York (Pa.) College, St. Mary's (Md.) College and a visit from Virginia Wesleyan. SU will also head to Florida for Spring Break between March 17-20. In April, SU will close out the conference regular-season schedule with three games against Gallaudet University and Stevenson University. The CAC tournament begins and lasts from the 14-19. SU will then close out the regular-season with five non-conference games against some strong regional teams including Frostburg State University (April 22 in Towson, Md.), Christopher Newport University (April 24 - on the road, 25 - at home), at Johns Hopkins University (April 28) and Montclair State University (May 6). The Sea Gulls will then hopefully prepare to host the NCAA South Regional at Arthur W. Perdue Stadium here in Salisbury the following week.

Click here to view the entire 2009 SU Baseball schedule

Softball
2008 Record: 32-7, 11-1 CAC
Postseason: CAC Champions
Can't Miss Home Game: vs. DePauw (March 15, 10 a.m.)
Overview: The Salisbury University softball season begins on the first day of March when the Sea Gulls head South to face Virginia Wesleyan College in a non-conference doubleheader. SU then returns home to welcome Eastern Shore rival Washington (Md.) College on the 4th. Former SU All-American pitcher Lacey Lister is the new head coach of the Shorewomen as she will make her collegiate coaching debut against her Alma Mater. The Sea Gulls return to Virginia Beach, Va., two days later to participate in the annual VWC Beach Blast Tournament (March 6-7) followed by a neutral site doubleheader against nationally-ranked Lynchburg College (March 8).  SU remains in the Hampton Roads area to face Christopher Newport University on March 11. Salisbury returns home for over two weeks as it will host the Sea Gull Invitational at Henry Parker Athletic Complex on March 13-14 before hosting DePauw University and Plattsburgh State on March 15. The Gulls host another tournament on March 20-21 before they begin their Capital Athletic Conference schedule at the end of the month against Wesley (March 25), Stevenson (March 26) and at home vs. Hood (March 29).  In April, SU is in the thick of its conference schedule as the maroon and gold goes up against Mary Washington (April 4), Gallaudet (April 7) and on the road against York (Pa.) College (April 9). Salisbury will look to win a 13th straight conference title (14th overall) when the conference tournament is held from the 14-19. SU closes out its regular-season schedule against Gettysburg College on April 21 before the announcement of the NCAA tournament field.

Click here to view the entire 2009 SU Softball schedule

Men's Lacrosse
2008 Record: 22-0, 7-0 CAC
Postseason: NCAA Division III National Champions, CAC Champions
Can't Miss Home Game: vs. Gettysburg (March 28, 1 p.m.)
Overview: The reigning NCAA Division III National Champions begin their quest for a third straight title when they host Scranton University on February 15. A week later the Sea Gulls will face their first nationally ranked team on the road against Lynchburg College (February 21). The maroon and gold return home to begin their Capital Athletic Conference schedule against Wesley College (February 25) followed by a visit from Widener College three days later. After traveling to Hood College on March 4, SU plays host to Ohio Wesleyan University (March 8) and Marymount (Va.) University (March 11). The Sea Gulls will then travel to Florida to play against Colorado College on March 17. SU returns home to host Eastern Connecticut State University (March 21) then heads north to face York (Pa.) College (March 24). Salisbury will then host a three-game homestand that will feature two of the top teams in Division III. The Gulls host Gettysburg College (March 28) in a rematch of last year's thrilling national semifinal double overtime game. Three days later CAC foe Mary Washington comes to Sea Gull Stadium before SU hosts nationally ranked Stevenson University on April 4. The Sea Gulls conclude its conference schedule with a road contest against St. Mary's (Md.) College (April 10). SU will aim to win its 15th straight conference title during the CAC tournament (April 13-19). The Gulls close out the regular-season with the annual showdown with Eastern Shore rival Washington (Md.) College this year in Chestertown, Md., on April 25. The NCAA tournament will take place in May.

Click here to view the entire 2009 SU Men's Lacrosse schedule

Women's Lacrosse
2008 Record: 22-1, 7-0 CAC
Postseason: NCAA Division III National Semifinalists, CAC Champions
Can't Miss Home Game: vs. The College of New Jersey (April 11, 1 p.m.)
Overview: Salisbury will begin its season with a home match against Christopher Newport University on February 18. The Sea Gulls will open up their Capital Athletic Conference schedule on the road at Hood College (February 22). SU returns home to host a three-game homestand against Virginia Wesleyan College (February 25), York (Pa.) College (February 28) and Stevenson University (March 1). A week later, the Gulls hit the nation's capital to go up against Catholic University of America (March 8) in a rematch of last year's NCAA regional championship that SU won 18-7. After a home CAC game against Marymount (Va.) University (March 11) the Gulls head to San Antonio, Texas, to face defending national champion Hamilton College (March 18) in a neutral site rematch of last year's national semifinal that the Gulls lost 11-10. SU returns home to host Colby University (March 24) heading to Pennsylvania for two tough road contests against nationally ranked Franklin & Marshall College (March 28) and Ursinus College (March 31). In April, SU will play three CAC opponents out of the next four games. SU welcomes St. Mary's (Md.) College to Sea Gull Stadium (April 4) before heading up Rt. 13 to face Wesley College three days later. Salisbury returns home for its big showdown with The College of New Jersey (April 11) followed by a home game against Mary Washington (April 15). The Gulls will aim to win a seventh straight CAC championship as the conference tournament is held from the 19-24. The NCAA tournament will be held in May.

Click here to view the entire 2009 SU Women's Lacrosse schedule

Men's Tennis
2008 Record: 17-5, 6-0 CAC
Postseason: CAC runner-up
Can't Miss Home Match: vs. Mary Washington (April 4, 1 p.m.)
Overview: Salisbury will open its 2009 season with back-to-back weekend tournaments at the Indoor Tennis Center. The Sea Gull Open will be held February 13-15 followed by the Sea Gull Invitational on February 21-22. SU will close out the first month with a weekend trip to Lexington, Va., to face two Old Dominion Athletic Conference foes, both ranked in the Atlantic South region. SU will square-off with Washington & Lee University on the 28th followed by a neutral site match against Hampden-Sydney College (March 1). SU returns home to host New York University (March 7) and North Carolina Wesleyan College (March 8) before the Sea Gulls prepare for their annual Spring Break trip to California. On the west coast, SU will go up against some top national teams in Bowdoin and Pomona-Pitzer. The Sea Gulls return east to take on Bridgewater and Christopher Newport University before they get into their Capital Athletic Conference schedule. In a week span, the Sea Gulls will take on York (Pa.), Hood, Stevenson and St. Mary's (Md.) before a critical four-match homestand. SU will host Virginia Wesleyan (April 2), defending CAC champion Mary Washington (April 4), Johns Hopkins University (April 5) and Eastern Shore rival Washington (Md.) College (April 17). The CAC tournament will close out the month of April before the NCAA tournament selections are announced in May.

Click here to view the entire 2009 SU Men's Tennis schedule

Women's Tennis
2008 Record: 16-5, 5-1 CAC
Postseason: CAC runner-up  
Can't Miss Home Match: vs. Mary Washington (April 11, 11 a.m.)
Overview: Salisbury will begin the season with the annual Sea Gull Open at the Indoor Tennis Center from February 13-15. A week later, the Gulls head to Fredericksburg, Va., to face Meredith in a non-conference neutral site match. SU returns home to host New York University before heading west to California for Spring Break. In California, the maroon and gold will face teams such as Sewanee, Colorado College and Cal Lutheran to name a few. Salisbury returns east to begin its Capital Athletic Conference schedule against York (Pa.) on March 28 followed by conference matches against Stevenson (March 29), Hood (March 29) and at St. Mary's (Md.) on April 1. SU will then host an important four-match homestand where the Gulls will entertain the likes of Virginia Wesleyan (April 2), Muhlenberg (April 5), defending CAC champion Mary Washington (April 11) and Eastern Shore rival Washington (Md.) College (April 17). The CAC tournament will close out the month of April before the NCAA tournament selections are announced in May.

Click here to view the entire 2009 SU Women's Tennis schedule

Men's and Women's Track and Field
Postseason: Men - CAC champions, Women - CAC runner-up
Can't Miss Home Meet: The Salisbury University Opener (March 7, 9 a.m.)
Overview: The Salisbury University track and field teams will begin the outdoor season on March 7 as the Sea Gulls host the SU Opener in the only home meet of the season. The Sea Gulls will then hit the road and head south to North Carolina to participate in the Wake Forest Open on March 20-21. SU will close out the month of March in the University of Maryland Terrapin Invitational on the 28th. The maroon and gold head back to the state of North Carolina to begin the month of April. SU will compete in the Duke University Invitational in Durham, N.C., on April 3-4 and also take part in the Murray Neely Invite at North Carolina A&T in Greensboro, N.C., on the 4th. A week later the Sea Gulls are at the West Chester Invitational (April 11) before heading to Fredericksburg, Va., to compete in the Capital Athletic Conference championships (April 18). The men's team will look to defend its title (five straight championships) while the women seek to dethrone University of Mary Washington. April closes out with a three-day visit to the historic Penn Relays held in Philadelphia on April 23-25. The Sea Gulls have another chance to add some more championships to their resume when they participate in the Mason-Dixon Outdoor Track & Field Championships (May 1-2) at Frostburg State University. A week later, the maroon and gold head south to Christopher Newport University to take part in the New Captains Classic in Newport News, Va. The regular-season schedule closes out two days later at the SWAT Last Chance Meet on May 11 in Swarthmore, Pa. SU will then hope to send individuals or teams to the national championship in Marietta, Ohio from May 21-23.

Click here to view the entire 2009 SU Track and Field schedule