Tribe football to begin 2009 season at UVA
William and Mary Director of Athletics Terry Driscoll has announced the release of the Tribe's 2009 eleven-game football schedule, which is highlighted by five home games at Zable Stadium and a season-opening visit to Atlantic Coast Conference foe University of Virginia (Sept. 5).
W&M will come into the season looking to build on the momentum of a 2008 campaign that saw it finish with a 7-4 record and a No. 20 final national ranking. The Tribe will bring back a host of talent in 2009, including six all-conference selections in the 15 total returning starters (seven on offense and eight on defense).
Led by head coach Jimmy Laycock, the College will face the usual demanding eight-game conference slate of Colonial Athletic Association opponents, including home games against Delaware (Sept. 26) and James Madison (Oct. 24). The rotation of Northern Division foes remains the same with New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Northeastern in 2009.
The trip to Charlottesville, Va. begins the season on Sept. 5. Virginia will be the third Atlantic Coast Conference opponent the Tribe has faced in as many years, having also traveled to Virginia Tech and N.C. State the past two falls.
Following the game with Cavaliers, W&M opens the home schedule the following weekend (Sept. 12) with a night game against Northeast Conference foe Central Connecticut State. The following week will see the squad travel to local foe Norfolk State on Sept. 19, before returning home to open its league schedule by hosting the first Parent's Weekend contest to be played under the lights in a featured match up against CAA arch-rival Delaware.
The College will take to the road the following two weeks, as the squad will travel to Villanova and Northeastern on October 3 and 10, respectively. The Tribe will be looking to snap a four-game losing streak to Villanova, while it will seek to continue its current three-game victory run over the Huskies.
After an off week, the Tribe will host conference rival James Madison for what will be Homecoming weekend on October 24. The College will be looking to turn around its fortunes against a Dukes' squad that has recorded three-straight league wins over the Green and Gold.
W&M then travels back to the northeast on Oct. 31 to face Rhode Island, before hosting Towson (Nov. 7) and New Hampshire (Nov. 14) on consecutive weekends.
The Tribe will end its regular season schedule on November 21 by traveling to reigning FCS Champion, the University of Richmond.
2009 W&M Football Schedule
Sept. 5 at Virginia
Sept. 12 CENTRAL CONNECTICUT STATE [Night]
Sept. 19 at Norfolk State
Sept. 26 DELAWARE* [FAMILY WEEKEND, Night]
Oct. 3 at Villanova*
Oct. 10 at Northeastern*
Oct. 17 Open Date
Oct. 24 JAMES MADISON* [HOMECOMING]
Oct. 31 at Rhode Island*
Nov. 7 TOWSON*
Nov. 14 NEW HAMPSHIRE*
Nov. 21 at Richmond*
Home Games in ALL CAPS
* = Colonial Athletic Association Game
