Photo Credit: Brian Jenkins
Complete 2010 Schedule

BURLINGTON, Vt. – The University of Vermont men’s lacrosse team announced its 2010 schedule today. The Catamounts will face a pair of NCAA Tournament teams from last season, including Final Four participant Virginia. Vermont’s home opener is set for Sat., March 6 at 2 p.m. against Marist.

“Every year we try to put together the most challenging schedule possible,” Vermont head coach Ryan Curtis said. “I think we have achieved that goal once again. We have added some great, new opponents for this year in an effort to prepare ourselves for America East play. February isn't that far off and we are excited to get going.”

The Catamounts will play seven of their first eight games on the road beginning with the season opener at Bryant on Sat., Feb. 20 at 3 p.m. Other non-league games for Vermont include: at Drexel (Feb. 27), at Colgate (March 2), versus Marist (March 6), at Virginia Military Institute (March 13), at Virginia (March 16), at St. John’s (March 20), at Delaware (March 27), at Holy Cross (April 6), and versus Dartmouth (April 20).

The match-up with Virginia on March 16 is once again a homecoming for head coach Ryan Curtis, who is a 2000 graduate of UVA. Curtis won a national championship with the Cavaliers in 1999 and was the NCAA Defenseman of the Year that season. Virginia went 15-3 last season and lost to Cornell in the NCAA Final Four.

The Catamounts open up America East play on Sat., April 3 at 1 p.m. against Binghamton at Moulton Winder Field. The remainder of the conference schedule is as follows: at Albany (April 11), at Hartford (April 17), versus UMBC (April 24) and at Stony Brook (May 1).

UMBC is the defending regular season and tournament champion in America East. The Retrievers went 12-4 last season and lost to North Carolina in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament.

This year’s America East Tournament is set for May 6 and May 8. The top four teams in the league standings will qualify for the tournament that will be hosted by the highest seed.

Vermont returns eight of its top 10 scorers from last season in 2010, including captain Geoff Worley (Coronado, Calif.), who was named to the America East All-Rookie Team a year ago. Worley finished second on the team in scoring last season with 18 goals and 20 assists for 38 points. Also back is junior Derek Lichtfuss (Lutherville, Md.), who was second on the team in goals with 22. Vermont adds 16 newcomers this season.