Links: 2021 Virginia Tech Women's Soccer Schedule | 2021 Roster
BLACKSBURG – With designs on making a third NCAA tournament appearance within a four-year span, Virginia Tech women's soccer head coach Chugger Adair unveiled the Hokies' 2021 schedule on Wednesday.
Packed with intriguing fixtures, Tech's 2021 schedule features eight regular season matches against programs that advanced to the 2020 NCAA tournament (as held during the spring of 2021). Among their deepest tests, the Hokies will face three of the four College Cup participants from a season ago, including both national championship match competitors: Santa Clara (champion) and Florida State (runner-up).
"We are very excited about the schedule we have this season," said Adair. "Our non-conference and ACC matches will prove to be both demanding and difficult. We are looking forward to testing ourselves and putting ourselves in great positions to make the ACC and NCAA tournaments."
After two home exhibition matches against Loyola (Aug. 8) and Richmond (Aug. 12), Virginia Tech will open the regular season with a trio of home tilts at Thompson Field against Liberty (Aug. 19), William & Mary (Aug. 22) and Elon (Aug. 26). Liberty and Elon both made the NCAA's 48-team field last spring, respectively championing the Atlantic Sun and the CAA.
Hitting the road, Tech will first make an appearance at Cincinnati (Aug. 29) before visiting James Madison for two matches at the Fairfield by Marriott Invitational. There, the Hokies will stack up against the host Dukes on Sept. 2 before clashing with the reigning national champion, Santa Clara, on Sept. 5.
Rounding out its slate of non-conference challengers, Virginia Tech will entertain Villanova in Blacksburg (Sept. 9) prior to visiting South Carolina (Sept. 12).
Turning to league play, the Hokies' home ACC calendar will feature matches against NC State (Sept. 18), Duke (Sept. 26), Florida State (Oct. 15), Miami (Oct. 21) and Boston College (Oct. 24). On the road, Tech will visit North Carolina (Sept. 23), Pitt (Oct. 2), Clemson (Oct. 7), Wake Forest (Oct. 10) and Syracuse (Oct. 28).
Virginia Tech is vying for one of six entries into the 2021 ACC Women's Soccer Championship, which will conclude with the semifinal and final rounds on Nov. 5 and Nov. 7 at WakeMed Soccer Park in Cary, North Carolina. The Hokies' best ACC postseason finishes to date stand as their runner-up results in 2008 and 2013.
Thompson Field, Tech's home pitch, will operate at full capacity for the 2021 women's soccer season. Admission to women's soccer matches at Thompson Field is free for any and all fans.
Broadcast and streaming information for 2021 Virginia Tech women's soccer matches will be released at a later date.
Coach Adair on the strength of the Hokies' non-conference schedule ...
"Our non-conference schedule is very difficult from the start. We have the opportunity to go on the road and play at Cincinnati, at James Madison – a local rival – as well as against Santa Clara, the defending national champion. Then, being able to host Villanova and head on the road to one of the top SEC schools, South Carolina, will be a challenge prior to opening our ACC schedule."
Coach Adair on the demands of Tech's ACC schedule ...
"We have some extremely difficult ACC home matches ahead of us. The opportunity to host NC State, Duke, Florida State – the national runner-up last year – then round out the season with Miami and Boston College will pose challenging. Add road matches at Pitt, North Carolina and Wake Forest, among others – we will be tested often throughout the year."
Coach Adair on his 2021 season outlook ...
"We have a great nucleus of returning players. I expect us to be hungry to make the ACC and NCAA tournaments. This schedule puts us in a place to do that."
