HAVERFORD, Pa. – The Haverford College men's lacrosse team has announced its 2016 schedule. Featuring a slate of 15 games during the regular season, the Fords will host eight of those home dates on Swan Field. The always-challenging schedule compiled by head coach Colin Bathory '99 features several familiar names and four teams that qualified for last year's NCAA Tournament.
Right out of the gate, Haverford will face two of those NCAA qualifying teams in the month of February during its annual showdowns with local rivals Cabrini and Eastern. Cabrini will serve as the home and season opener on February 20. These teams have met every February since 2009. The Fords will trek to Eastern the following Saturday for their first road test. Despite playing each other in three straight seasons, the 2016 season will mark Haverford's first road game at Eastern since 2009. The Fords are a perfect 3-0 all-time in games played at Eastern.
When the Fords return to Swan Field at the beginning of March, a new face on the schedule will greet them in Stockton on March 2. Haverford holds a 13-1 edge all-time in the series, but these teams have not met since the 2004 season. That same week will see the team head to FDU-Florham on March 6. These squads will be meeting for the eighth time in 11 seasons. Haverford has won the previous seven meetings in the series.
The final two home dates on the non-conference slate will see Gwynedd Mercy (Mar. 9) and Wooster (Mar. 12) come to Swan Field. During the first meeting in program history at Gwynedd Mercy last season, Haverford emerged with a thrilling 10-9 win on the road. Another new face to the recent schedule will see Wooster come to Swan Field in the first meeting between the two sides since 2003. The final non-conference road trip of the season will be to Stevens on March 19 for the first meeting between the Fords and the Ducks since the 1978 season.
When Centennial Conference play opens for the Fords, they will have home field advantage on their side in three of the matches against last year's conference playoff teams. Up first will be defending champion Gettysburg on March 26. Last year's runner-up, Ursinus (Apr. 27), will close the home slate during the regular season. A CC semifinalist last year, Dickinson will come to Swan Field on April 9. Franklin & Marshall will also come to campus on Saturday, April 23.
Haverford's road contests in conference play will start with a pair of rematches from overtime games during the 2015 season as the Fords travel to conference tournament qualifier Washington College (Mar. 30) and then McDaniel (Apr. 2) during the same week. The team will also make the trip to Muhlenberg on April 13. The regular season comes to a close on Saturday, April 30 with a road showdown against rival Swarthmore. The Centennial Conference Tournament for the top four teams will get underway with the semifinals on May 4 and the championship game slated for May 7 with both dates to be contested at host institution sites.
Bathory is entering his seventh season as head coach of his alma mater in 2016. The Fords return seven of last year's top nine point producers. Also returning will be each of the team's face off men from last season to go along with All-Centennial Conference goalie Eric Caliendo. Caliendo and Brandon Smith will serve as team captains during the 2016 campaign.