NEWARK, Del. -- The University of Delaware 2009 women’s soccer schedule will feature two NCAA Tournament teams from a year ago as well as three first ever meetings with Binghamton, Providence and in-state rival, Delaware State.

Head Coach Scott Grzenda, the only coach in UD women’s soccer 20-year history, will lead the Blue Hens through three pre-season scrimmages against American, Lehigh and Seton Hall before opening the season with the program’s first ever meeting with Binghamton on its home field at Delaware Mini Stadium on Aug. 28. The Hens will close out the weekend on Aug. 30 by hosting another first time opponent in Providence.

After Delaware plays its third home game to open the season on Sept. 6 against Saint Joseph’s, they will go on the road to take on the Big East’s Villanova on Sept. 13. This will feature the first meeting between these two schools since 1998 when the Wildcats bested Delaware 2-1 in overtime on the Hens’ home field.

Friday, Sept. 18 will feature the historic first ever showdown with in-state rival Delaware State. The Hens and Hornets will meet under the lights at Delaware Mini Stadium on the eve of the first ever football regular season matchup between these two schools.

Then the Hens are off to Philadelphia to take on La Salle on Sept. 20 for the first time since 2002. In that last meeting, the Hens lost 4-0, but Delaware owns a 6-4 advantage in the all-time series.

Grzenda’s squad opens Colonial Athletic Association play on Sept. 24 with a home contest under the lights against Hofstra. The Hens opened CAA play against the Pride last season and lost a very competitve, 1-0 game.

After Hofstra, Delaware plays three games on the road starting with last year’s CAA champion, Northeastern. The Huskies advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament last season after a first-round victory in penalty kicks over Harvard. Delaware, which beat Northeastern 2-0 last season in the second game of CAA play, will take on Northeastern on Sept. 27. The Hens get a little bit of rest before they travel to Virginia to play William & Mary (Oct. 2) and Old Dominion (Oct. 4).

Things do not get any easier for the Hens as James Madison, an NCAA Tournament round three qualifier, comes into town on Oct. 9 followed by Virginia Commonwealth on Oct. 11. Then Delaware goes back on the road to take on Towson (Oct. 16) and George Mason (Oct. 18).

The Hens wrap up the season and CAA play with home games versus Georgia State (Oct. 23), UNC Wilmington (Oct. 25) and Drexel (Oct. 30). Should they qualify for the playoffs, the quarterfinals are scheduled to start Nov. 3, followed by the semifinals on Nov. 6 and the finals on Nov. 8.

Delaware, which finished the 2008 season 7-10-1 (4-7 CAA) and finished in a tie for eighth place in the conference, loses eight players to graduation, including its leading scorer, Alli D’Amico and most valuable player, Jamie Flynn. However, the Hens return 2008 third team All-CAA selection Caitlyn Germain and senior Kasie Shover (at right), who sat out all of last season after suffering a broken foot playing for the Lancaster Inferno of the Women’s Premiere Soccer League.

AGATE:

Aug. 18 vs. American (Scrimmage) 5 p.m.; Aug. 22 at Lehigh (Scrimmage) 7 p.m.; Aug. 24 at Seton Hall (Scrimmage) 7 p.m.; Aug. 28 vs. Binghamton 7 p.m.; Aug. 30 Providence 1 p.m.; Sept. 6 Saint Joseph’s 1 p.m.; Sept. 13 at Villanova 1 p.m.; Sept. 18 vs. Delaware State 5 p.m.; Sept. 20 at La Salle 1 p.m.; Sept. 24 vs. Hofstra 7 p.m.; Sept. 27 at Northeastern 1 p.m.; Oct. 2 at William & Mary 7 p.m.; Oct. 4 at Old Dominion 1 p.m.; Oct. 9 vs. James Madison 7 p.m.; Oct. 11 vs. VCU 1 p.m.; Oct. 16 at Towson 3 p.m.; Oct. 18 at George Mason 3 p.m.; Oct. 23 vs. Georgia State 7 p.m.; Oct. 25 vs. UNC Wilmington 1 p.m.; Oct. 30 vs. Drexel 7 p.m.