It's official - Marquette joins the BIG EAST
6/30/2005 12:00:00 AM | Women's Soccer
The BIG EAST has had a strong tradition in women's soccer and the new members, including Marquette, will only make it a stronger league. With Notre Dame winning the NCAA title last season and Connecticut the runner up in 2003, Marquette is joining a league with a long tradition of success.
"We're very excited to be joining one of the elite conferences in the country," said Marquette women's soccer coach Markus Roeders. "The league has enjoyed tremendous success and we are looking forward to be a part of it."
Marquette will experience some of the intense action first hand this season. Marquette will host Notre Dame and visit Connecticut as part of its 11-match league schedule. Also, Valley Fields will host the semifinals and finals of the BIG EAST Tournament, something that gives the team drive to be a part of.
"Because of the success of the league, it has had multiple teams get to the NCAA Tournament," Roeders said. "Our goal is to be in the final four of teams at the end of the season. If we get into that group, we can be thinking about the NCAAs at that point."
With the depth of the league ? five teams advanced to NCAA Tournament play in 2004 ? Marquette will have an increased opportunity to advance to the NCAA Tournament, something it has done four times in its short history.
"With Conference USA, we always knew we had to finish in the top two or maybe top three to get to the NCAAs," Roeders added. "In the BIG EAST, we can even be sixth, seventh, or maybe even eighth and still get to the NCAA Tournament."
Roeders said he and the team are excited to get the opportunity to play with the nation's elite on a regular basis.
"We're preparing ourselves with non-conference play for a very tough BIG EAST," Roeders said. "We want to go out and play the best, day-in, day-out. It gives our players greater focus and excitement to know they have to go out every game and play their best to win."
Marquette will be playing with the best. Of the 22 NCAA championships awarded in women's soccer, all but six have been won by North Carolina. Of those six, two have been won by Notre Dame. BIG EAST schools have been the runners up on seven other occasions.
Of BIG EAST schools with strong traditions, Connecticut has been in three College Cups and has 23 straight NCAA tournaments to its credit. Notre Dame, in addition to its two NCAA crowns, has four other College Cup trips. West Virginia has had a string of recent success, riding a five-year NCAA streak and Villanova has a string of three NCAA trips.
Marquette opens up BIG EAST play on Friday, Sept. 16 against USF at Valley Fields at 7 p.m.
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