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  Southern Illinois University Edwardsville
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Cougar Ruler

Kevin Kalish
Head Coach Kevin Kalish
 August 8, 2008

SIUE Men's Soccer Schedule Features 14 NCAA Division I Contests
         EDWARDSVILLE, Ill. - First-year head coach Kevin Kalish will put his Southern Illinois University Edwardsville men's soccer team through a rigorous test for the 2008 season.
         The Cougars will play 14 games against NCAA Division I competition. SIUE, in year one of reclassification, will face two teams which competed in the 2007 College Cup.
         "These games will provide our players with the opportunity to measure themselves against some of the best teams in Division I," said Kalish, who becomes only the third coach to take the reign of the Cougar men's soccer program.
         When SIUE opens practice on Thursday, Aug. 14, Kalish will put the Cougars through a preseason to ready them for the first Division I schedule at SIUE since 1995. The Cougars open up the season with an exhibition game at Korte Stadium on Aug. 19 at 7 p.m. against Missouri-St. Louis.
         "We look forward to the challenge of competing at the Division I level again," said Kalish.
         SIUE faces Bradley, a national quarterfinalist in the College Cup last season, at 7 p.m. at the Scott Gallagher Soccer Complex in St. Louis on Aug. 23. The other game against an NCAA Tournament team is Nov. 1 against Oakland.
         The Cougars open the regular season Aug. 30 and 31 in Des Moines, Iowa. SIUE meets Missouri State at 5:30 p.m. on Aug. 30 and Drake on Aug. 31 at 7:30 p.m.
         SIUE's schedule also includes Northern Illinois (Sept. 5), Wright State (Sept. 12), IUPU-Ft. Wayne (Sept. 14), Wisconsin-Milwaukee (Sept. 20), Loyola (Ill.) (Sept. 21), Dayton (Sept. 26), Memphis (Oct. 22), Alabama-Birmingham (Oct. 25), Oakland (Nov. 1), Belmont (Nov. 8), and Central Arkansas (Nov. 15).
         "Our 2008 schedule is comprised of many NCAA Championship-caliber teams," noted Kalish.
         The Cougars also have three home contests. SIUE plays McKendree on Oct. 10, Jefferson College on Oct. 15 and the SIUE alumni on Oct. 17.
         SIUE has storied history in men's soccer with 21 NCAA Tournament appearances, including an NCAA Division I national title in 1979 and an NCAA Division II national crown in 1972.
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