NEWARK, DE -- The University of Delaware field hockey squad will face one of its toughest schedules in school history during the 2007 season as the Blue Hens will face five of the 16 teams that qualified for last spring’s NCAA Tournament, including a home date with defending national champion University of Maryland.

The complete 2007 schedule, which features a home game vs. Maryland Oct. 14 at Rullo Stadium, was announced Monday.

In addition to Maryland (23-2), the Blue Hens will also face 2006 NCAA Tournament teams Ohio State (Aug. 25 at the Buckeye Classic), James Madison (Sept. 21 at Harrisonburg, VA), Old Dominion (Sept. 30 in Newark), Duke (Oct. 20 in Newark), and Richmond (Sept. 1 in Richmond, VA).

Duke (19-4) advanced to the national semifinals a year ago, Ohio State (15-4) advanced to the quarterfinals, Old Dominion (19-4) captured the CAA title, James Madison (15-8) advanced to the NCAA Tournament as an at-large selection, and Richmond (16-5) captured the Atlantic 10 championship.

The five NCAA teams posted a combined record of 107-23 a year ago. In addition, the Hens will scrimmage 2006 NCAA Tournament participant American University Aug. 18 at Rullo Stadium.

Delaware’s other non-league opponents include road games vs. Kent State (at Columbus, OH), Longwood (at Richmond, VA), and Saint Joseph’s, and home games vs. Rutgers, Bucknell, Monmouth, and Pennsylvania.

The Blue Hens will face CAA foes Old Dominion, William & Mary, Drexel, and Hofstra at home and James Madison, Virginia Commonwealth, Northeastern, and Towson on the road. The CAA opener will be held Sept. 21 at James Madison with the CAA Tournament quarterfinals scheduled for Oct. 31 at home sites and the semifinals and finals set for Nov. 3-4 at the site of the highest remaining seed.

The Blue Hens will begin their sixth season in the highly competitive Colonial Athletic Association as 15th-year head coach Carol Miller welcomes back 12 letterwinners and nine starters from last year’s team that posted a record of 7-12 and placed sixth in the CAA regular season standings. The injury-ravaged Blue Hens advanced to the CAA Tournament before falling to Hofstra in the opening round.

Delaware welcomes the return of junior first team All-Mid Atlantic Region forward Casey Howard (team-high nine goals), senior back Molly Burke (seven goals; at right), senior back Amanda Warrington, and senior goalkeeper Megan Allen. Warrington, a 2004 All-American, and Allen both missed all but four games in 2006 due to injuries.

AGATE:

2007 University of Delaware Field Hockey Schedule:

August 18 vs. American (Scrimmage), 1 p.m.; 25, at Ohio State, 11:30 a.m. (OSU Buckeye Classic); 26. vs. Kent State, 11:30 a.m. (Buckeye Classic).

September 1, at Richmond, 1 p.m.; 2, vs. Longwood (at Richmond, VA), 1 p.m.; 7, vs. Rutgers, 4 p.m.; 8, vs. Bucknell, 1 p.m.; 12, vs. Monmouth, 6 p.m.; 16, at Saint Joseph’s; 21, at *James Madison, 6 p.m.; 23, at *Virginia Commonwealth, 1 p.m.; 28, vs. *William & Mary, 7 p.m.; 30, vs. *Old Dominion.

October 5, at *Northeastern, 2 p.m.; 10, vs. Pennsylvania, 7 p.m.; 14, vs. Maryland, 1 p.m.; 20 vs. Duke, 1 p.m.; 21, at *Towson, tba; 26, vs. Drexel, 7 p.m.; 28, vs. Hofstra, 1 p.m.; 31, at CAA Quarterfinals.

November 3, at CAA Semifinals; 4, at CAA Championship.

*=Colonial Athletic Association Games