SU Soccer to host Howard, Jaguar Cup in 2014

BATON ROUGE, Louisiana -- Southern University soccer will host two Sun Belt conference opponents along with the second annual Jaguar Cup before beginning its defense of last season's Southwestern Athletic western division title, head coach Courtnie Prather announced Friday.

Southern unveiled the 2014 schedule, which is comprised of teams that posted a combined 67-61-10 record in 2013 and features teams from the Southeastern, Sun Belt, Southland and Western Athletic Conference.

"We wanted to make sure we had opponents from different conferences in the region - from the Southland Conference and the Sun Belt Conference - that can gives us an opportunity to compete and prepare us for not only our conference games but, hopefully, if we put ourselves in a position to be in the SWAC Championship and move on, we'll be prepared for that first round in the national tournament," Prather said.

The Lady Jaguars, who finished 3-0-1 in league play and won the 2013 division crown in Prather's first year as head coach, also welcome Howard University to the SWAC when the schools meet in Baton Rouge on Oct. 12.

The season opens on Friday, August 22 as the Jaguars host Texas-Pan American in the Broncos inaugural soccer game as a Division I program. Following their home-opener, Southern heads to Fayetteville, Ark. to face Arkansas on Aug. 24 before returning to A.W. Mumford Stadium for a two-game home stand against UL Monroe on Aug. 29 followed by the second annual Jaguar Cup against South Alabama on Sept. 7.

"[South Alabama head coach Graham Winkworth and I] reached out to each other and we believed it would be a great opportunity to showcase our programs, not only in Louisiana but in the Alabama area, and to market the game of soccer to those who are not as exposed to the game," Prather said.

"[University of South Alabama] is a strong opponent and have done very well within their conference. Its just another opportunity to for us to play another opponent in a strong conference and expose the local community to the different teams that are represented there."

Southern concludes its non-conference slate on the road at McNeese State (Sept. 12) and Stephen F. Austin (Sept. 14) before hosting Louisiana College (Sept. 18) and traveling to Hattiesburg, Miss. to face Southern Miss (Sept. 21).

The Lady Jaguars quest to repeat as SWAC western division champions gets underway at home on Friday, September 26 against Grambling State at 6 p.m. After hosting UAPB on Sept. 28, Southern ventures to the state of Mississippi to face Alcorn State (Oct. 3 - Lorman, Miss) and Mississippi Valley State (Oct. 5 - Itta Bena, Miss.) in a cross divisional matchup.

Following a Thursday night showcase against Nicholls State on Oct. 9, Prather and the Jaguars welcome the Lady Bison to Baton Rouge, Sunday, October 12 before wrapping up the home schedule against Alabama A&M (Oct. 17) and Alabama State (Oct. 19).

The Lady Jaguars finish its 2014 campaign on the road at Texas Southern on Oct. 24 and Prairie View A&M on Oct. 26 before meeting Jackson State, the defending SWAC champions in Jackson Miss., Friday, October 31.

The 2014 SWAC Soccer Tournament is scheduled for November 14-16.

"Everything that we've been doing, we've talked about everyday preparation and staying focused on 'today'," Prather added. "Not looking to far down the road. Not putting the championship on a pedestal and saying that's what we want to get. We know, if we prepare for [the season] correctly everyday, we should find ourselves in a spot for contention."

2014 Southern U. Soccer Schedule

Date Opponent Location Time (CT)  

Fri, Aug 22 Texas-Pan American A.W. Mumford Stadium 6:00 p.m.
Sun, Aug 24 Arkansas Little Rock, Ark. 11:00 a.m.
Fri, Aug 29 UL- Monroe A.W. Mumford Stadium 6:00 p.m.
Sun, Sep 07 South Alabama A.W. Mumford Stadium 1:00 p.m.
Fri, Sep 12 McNeese State Lake Charles, La. 7:00 p.m.
Sun, Sep 14 Stephen F. Austin Nacogdoches, TX 1:00 p.m.
Thu, Sep 18 Lousiana College A.W. Mumford Stadium 5:00 p.m.
Sun, Sep 21 Southern Miss Hattiesburg, MS 1:00 p.m.
Fri, Sep 26 Grambling State * A.W. Mumford Stadium 6:00 p.m.
Sun, Sep 28 Arkansas-Pine Bluff * A.W. Mumford Stadium 1:00 p.m.
Fri, Oct 03 Alcorn State Alcorn State, Miss. 5:00 p.m.
Sun, Oct 05 Mississippi Valley State Itta Bena, Miss. 1:00 p.m.
Thu, Oct 09 Nicholls State A.W. Mumford Stadium 6:00 p.m.
Sun, Oct 12 Howard * A.W. Mumford Stadium 1:00 p.m.
Fri, Oct 17 Alabama A&M A.W. Mumford Stadium 6:00 p.m.
Sun, Oct 19 Alabama State A.W. Mumford Stadium 1:00 p.m.
Fri, Oct 24 Prairie View A&M * Prairie View, Texas 7:00 p.m.
Sun, Oct 26 Texas Southern * Houston, Texas 1:00 p.m.
Fri, Oct 31 Jackson State University Jackson, Miss. 6:00 p.m.
Sun, Nov 16 SWAC TOURNAMENT * TBA 6:00 p.m.
* Conference Games



  COURTESY SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY ATHLETIC MEDIA RELATIONS