Henrico Times

Colonial Athletic Association issued the following announcement on Sept. 1

CAA cross country teams begin their 2021 fall seasons on Labor Day weekend, while field hockey and women’s soccer face a host of ranked opponents, two volleyball teams host invitationals, and a light schedule for men’s soccer features the potential for more late-game drama.

 

Cross Country: For the first time this fall, CAA cross country runners will lace up the spikes and hit the start line. Eight women’s and five men’s cross country programs are set to open their seasons this weekend, while William & Mary will start its 2021 campaign next weekend.

 

Elon, Hofstra, and Towson will host home competitions to begin the year. UNCW is among the field at the Elon Opener Friday, while Delaware will partake in the Towson Invitational on Saturday. Charleston will stay in-state to begin the fall, competing in the Buccaneer Invitational on Saturday. James Madison heads east on I-64 to race in the Richmond Opener on Saturday and Northeastern opens up its season Saturday by going to the Vermont Invite.

 

Field Hockey: More than half of CAA field hockey teams will face a nationally-ranked opponent this weekend. James Madison, ranked 24th nationally, will host Commonwealth rival No. 18 Old Dominion (FloLive) at 5 p.m. on Friday. William & Mary will host its second straight ranked opponent Friday, welcoming No. 8 Virginia (5 p.m., FloLive) to Williamsburg.

 

Drexel continues the trend of teams facing ranked in-state foes. The Dragons will head across town to face No. 20 Saint Joseph’s on Friday at 3 p.m. Towson will face eighth-ranked Virginia as the Tigers wrap up the weekend by heading to Charlottesville on Sunday (12 p.m., ACCNX). | Weekend Schedule  

 

Women’s Soccer: James Madison will face a pair of ACC tests this weekend, as the Dukes welcome Virginia Tech to Harrisonburg Thursday (5 p.m., FloFC) before hosting No. 3 Virginia Sunday (3 p.m., FloFC). Elon takes on its second consecutive ACC opponent with a trip to NC State Sunday night (7 p.m., ACCNX) and Charleston will clash with No. 15 Clemson on the road Sunday (2 p.m., ACCNX).

 

Hofstra, which cracked the Top 25 Tuesday, will square off with a pair of Ivy League opponents with a trip to Columbia Thursday (7 p.m., ESPN+) before hosting Penn Sunday (12 p.m., FloFC). Northeastern, winner of three straight in shutout fashion, will be off Thursday before a short Sunday night trip to UMass Lowell (6:30 p.m., AE.tv). | Weekend Schedule

 

Men’s Soccer: Five CAA teams will be in action on Labor Day weekend with the remaining four off, as CAA openers loom the following weekend. Elon will travel to Birmingham, Alabama for a pair of neutral-site contests with the Phoenix facing Central Arkansas Friday and UTRGV Sunday.

 

Drexel will be the lone CAA team to play a home contest when the Dragons host Stony Brook Friday (6 p.m., FloFC). Northeastern will travel north of Boston to face Merrimack Friday (7 p.m., NEC Front Row), while Sunday’s slate features Elon’s neutral-site match, James Madison’s trip to NJIT (4 p.m., AE.tv) and UNCW traveling to Jacksonville. Six of 16 games involving CAA teams so far this fall have gone beyond 90 minutes. | Weekend Schedule

 

Volleyball: Another busy weekend on the court for CAA volleyball teams includes home invitationals for Delaware and Towson, who will play on their home courts for the first time this season. Towson’s weekend is highlighted by a matchup with Loyola Maryland Friday evening (6:30 p.m., FloVolleyball).

 

Charleston, James Madison, and UNCW will hit the road for the first time this season. Charleston heads to the Duke Invitational and will match up with the host Blue Devils on Saturday (2:30 p.m., ACCNX). Northeastern will head nearly 2,000 miles west as the Huskies get set to play in the Denver Invitational. Northeastern will face host Denver, who received votes AVCA poll this week, late Saturday night with the first serve set for 9 p.m. (Pioneer All-Access). | Weekend Schedule

Original source can be found here.