TicketsCINCINNATI – The University of Cincinnati lacrosse team will play 17 games in 2019 with 10 of those coming at home, including three of their first five games in the inaugural season of American Athletic Conference play, Head Coach Gina Oliver announced today. The Bearcats (8-9, 1-8 BIG EAST), coming off their best season in program history, will lift the lid on their 12th varsity campaign February 8 with a visit from Ohio State for the first of three home games to open the season.
"We are really excited about the 2019 schedule," Oliver said. "It's always great for your team when you're home 10 out of your 17 game schedule. We have some great competition in non-conference and we're excited to start the first year of the American Athletic Conference. The excitement surrounding hosting the inaugural AAC Tournament here on the University of Cincinnati campus is huge! It will be huge for our players, our program, and the Ohio lacrosse community. We've begun training with the end in mind and that's playing at home in May!"
The Bearcats will open the season with a pair of games against intrastate foes as they welcome both Ohio State (Feb. 8) and Kent State (Feb. 10) to town. The game with KSU will be the first varsity game in program history for the Golden Flashes as 2019 will mark their inaugural campaign. Following that contest, the Bearcats will play host to former BIG EAST rival Marquette (Feb. 15) before taking to the road for the first time in 2019 with a contest at Virginia Tech (Feb. 20), who reached the second round of the NCAA Championships last year. The opening month of the season comes to a close at home with Detroit coming to town (Feb. 24).
March will see UC play six games in total with the first three taking place on the road and the final three at home. The month opens with the Bearcats playing at Central Michigan (March 1) and Michigan (March 3) before closing the road swing at Louisville (March 13). Back at home, UC will welcome San Diego State (March 22) and Gardner-Webb (March 24) before closing the month with their first AAC game as UConn comes to town (March 30).
The Bearcats' four-game home stand comes to a close in early April as Butler comes to town (April 2) before the Bearcats hit the road for their first AAC away game when they face ECU (April 6). From there, the Bearcats will play their final two home games of 2019 as AAC foes Temple (April 13) and Vanderbilt (April 20) come to town. Finally, the 2019 regular season comes to a close with a pair of road games in Florida as UC will face Stetson (April 25) and Florida (April 27), an NCAA Quarterfinalist, on the closing weekend.
// NEW HOME
When the Bearcats start the 2019 season, it will mark their first as members of the newly formed American Athletic Conference. After spending the previous 10 seasons in the BIG EAST (UC was an independent in 2008), the Bearcats will now be members of the AAC along with ECU, Florida, Temple, UConn and Vanderbilt.
// FIRST HOSTS
With the regular season in the rearview, the focus will turn to the conference tournament with Cincinnati playing host to the inaugural American Athletic Conference Tournament May 2 and 4. The Top 4 teams in the standings will play in the tournament with the both semifinal games taking place May 2 and the winners meeting in the championship game May 4.
// BEEN A WHILE
Of the 17 opponents on the 2019 schedule, the Bearcats will be playing three teams for the first time in program history with two more appearing on the slate for the first time in a few seasons. Prior to this year, the three foes UC had not faced included Kent State, Virginia Tech and Michigan. The two teams returning to the schedule in 2019 include San Diego State and Stetson. The Bearcats and Aztecs last met in 2012 in San Diego, the only time the two sides have met, with the Bearcats and Hatters last playing one another in 2016 to cap a three-year run of games win which UC holds a 2-1 lead.
// BUILDING OFF 2018
The Bearcats enter 2019 on the heels of their best season in program history as they finished the year with an 8-9 overall record (.471) to break the record for wins in a season (was 7 in both 2009 and 2013) and win percentage (was .438 in 2013). On top of that, the Bearcats turned in seven statistical records, including 501 ground balls, the most of any school in the NCAA last year. Other records UC eclipsed in 2018 included 287 points (+29), 201 goals (+13), 86 assists (+8), 12 man-up goals (+6), 43 free-position goals (+1) and 187 caused turnovers (+18).
// FOLLOW US
GoBearcats.com is your one-stop destination for all things UC Athletics. Socially, the team can also be followed on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram with all using the handle GoBearcatsLAX. Head Coach Gina Oliver (@GinaOliverUC) also can be followed on Twitter.
// 2019 CINCINNATI LACROSSE SCHEDULE
* American Athletic Conference game
"We are really excited about the 2019 schedule," Oliver said. "It's always great for your team when you're home 10 out of your 17 game schedule. We have some great competition in non-conference and we're excited to start the first year of the American Athletic Conference. The excitement surrounding hosting the inaugural AAC Tournament here on the University of Cincinnati campus is huge! It will be huge for our players, our program, and the Ohio lacrosse community. We've begun training with the end in mind and that's playing at home in May!"
The Bearcats will open the season with a pair of games against intrastate foes as they welcome both Ohio State (Feb. 8) and Kent State (Feb. 10) to town. The game with KSU will be the first varsity game in program history for the Golden Flashes as 2019 will mark their inaugural campaign. Following that contest, the Bearcats will play host to former BIG EAST rival Marquette (Feb. 15) before taking to the road for the first time in 2019 with a contest at Virginia Tech (Feb. 20), who reached the second round of the NCAA Championships last year. The opening month of the season comes to a close at home with Detroit coming to town (Feb. 24).
March will see UC play six games in total with the first three taking place on the road and the final three at home. The month opens with the Bearcats playing at Central Michigan (March 1) and Michigan (March 3) before closing the road swing at Louisville (March 13). Back at home, UC will welcome San Diego State (March 22) and Gardner-Webb (March 24) before closing the month with their first AAC game as UConn comes to town (March 30).
The Bearcats' four-game home stand comes to a close in early April as Butler comes to town (April 2) before the Bearcats hit the road for their first AAC away game when they face ECU (April 6). From there, the Bearcats will play their final two home games of 2019 as AAC foes Temple (April 13) and Vanderbilt (April 20) come to town. Finally, the 2019 regular season comes to a close with a pair of road games in Florida as UC will face Stetson (April 25) and Florida (April 27), an NCAA Quarterfinalist, on the closing weekend.
// NEW HOME
When the Bearcats start the 2019 season, it will mark their first as members of the newly formed American Athletic Conference. After spending the previous 10 seasons in the BIG EAST (UC was an independent in 2008), the Bearcats will now be members of the AAC along with ECU, Florida, Temple, UConn and Vanderbilt.
// FIRST HOSTS
With the regular season in the rearview, the focus will turn to the conference tournament with Cincinnati playing host to the inaugural American Athletic Conference Tournament May 2 and 4. The Top 4 teams in the standings will play in the tournament with the both semifinal games taking place May 2 and the winners meeting in the championship game May 4.
// BEEN A WHILE
Of the 17 opponents on the 2019 schedule, the Bearcats will be playing three teams for the first time in program history with two more appearing on the slate for the first time in a few seasons. Prior to this year, the three foes UC had not faced included Kent State, Virginia Tech and Michigan. The two teams returning to the schedule in 2019 include San Diego State and Stetson. The Bearcats and Aztecs last met in 2012 in San Diego, the only time the two sides have met, with the Bearcats and Hatters last playing one another in 2016 to cap a three-year run of games win which UC holds a 2-1 lead.
// BUILDING OFF 2018
The Bearcats enter 2019 on the heels of their best season in program history as they finished the year with an 8-9 overall record (.471) to break the record for wins in a season (was 7 in both 2009 and 2013) and win percentage (was .438 in 2013). On top of that, the Bearcats turned in seven statistical records, including 501 ground balls, the most of any school in the NCAA last year. Other records UC eclipsed in 2018 included 287 points (+29), 201 goals (+13), 86 assists (+8), 12 man-up goals (+6), 43 free-position goals (+1) and 187 caused turnovers (+18).
// FOLLOW US
GoBearcats.com is your one-stop destination for all things UC Athletics. Socially, the team can also be followed on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram with all using the handle GoBearcatsLAX. Head Coach Gina Oliver (@GinaOliverUC) also can be followed on Twitter.
// 2019 CINCINNATI LACROSSE SCHEDULE
| F 8 | Ohio State | Cincinnati | 3 p.m. | |
| F 10 | Kent State | Cincinnati | 1 p.m. | |
| F 15 | Marquette | Cincinnati | 12 p.m. | |
| F 20 | at | Virginia Tech | Blacksburg, Va. | 4 p.m. |
| F 24 | Detroit Mercy | Cincinnati | 12 p.m. | |
| M 1 | at | Central Michigan | Mt. Pleasant, Mich. | 3 p.m. |
| M 3 | at | Michigan | Ann Arbor, Mich. | 1 p.m. |
| M 13 | at | Louisville | Louisville, Ky. | 3 p.m. |
| M 22 | San Diego State | Cincinnati | 5 p.m. | |
| M 24 | Gardner-Webb | Cincinnati | 12 p.m. | |
| M 30 | UConn * | Cincinnati | 11 a.m. | |
| A 2 | Butler | Cincinnati | 12 p.m. | |
| A 6 | at | ECU * | Greenville, N.C. | 12 p.m. |
| A 13 | Temple * | Cincinnati | 12 p.m. | |
| A 20 | Vanderbilt | Cincinnati | 1 p.m. | |
| A 25 | at | Stetson | DeLand, Fla. | 3 p.m. |
| A 27 | at | Florida | Gainesville, Fla. | 12 p.m. |
| M 2-4 | AAC Championships | Cincinnati | TBD |