WATERTOWN, Wis. – The schedule for the Sabercats' 2016 season has been released, as the team looks to build on the 8-8-1 season of 2015, which ended with a disappointing loss to Grace Bible College in the NCCAA Midwest Regional Semifinal. This year, the Sabercats enter the newly-formed NCCAA North Region, and will face three of their conference opponents before entering postseason play in November.

The Sabercats will host nine matches as the schedule stands. Key matchups are highlighted below.

• 9/1 vs North Central University | 3:00 PM
  • As they did in 2015, the Sabercats will face the Rams early in the season. NCU put up a hard challenge against the Sabercats on the opening day of the season last year, when a Caleb Walters strike was the only goal in the contest (Recap).
• 9/8 vs Concordia-Chicago | 4:00 PM
  • One week later, the Sabercats will host the Cougars, who have not won in Watertown since 2004. Last year, the Cougars won on their home turf after beating the Sabercats 2-1.
• 9/10 vs Edgewood College | 9:00 AM
  • In an early-morning clash, the Sabercats host the Eagles in back-to-back years. The game went into overtime in 2015 when the Eagles grabbed a 2-1 sudden-death win. The last time the Sabercats bested their Madison opponents was in 1997.
• 9/29 vs Moody Bible Institute | 4:00 PM
  • The regional rivalry with the Archers is preserved even with the new NCCAA Regional alignment. After losing a seven-goal thriller in 2015, the Sabercats will look to pull a win back against the Archers, who hold the 30-12 all-time advantage in the series.

"This is one of the most competitive schedules that we have had," said head coach Jeff Pill. "Each game has its own set of challenges, and we are playing some new opponents that we know very little about."

One unfamiliar face will be the Eagles of Faith Baptist Bible College, whom the Sabercats have not met since 1995. Starting this year, the two teams will play in the same NCCAA Region due to the new regional alignment.

"We have the strongest NCCAA conference, and all of the games [will be] challenging," said Pill. "The national finalist has come from our conference for the last five consecutive years, and the expanded conference makes it even harder."

"So, we are looking forward to continuing to build on the soccer experience here by challenging the players to be sharp not only in their play but in their preparation."

For the complete schedule and more on the 2016 Sabercats Men's Soccer Team, visit the team page.