Kickers Open 2010 Season With Pro-Am Challenge
Published on January 22, 2010 under United Soccer League Championship (USL)
Richmond Kickers News Release
RICHMOND, VA - (Friday, January 22, 2010) - The defending USL Second Division Champions Richmond Kickers are pleased to announce the 2010 professional schedule, opening the season with the first annual Pro-Am Challenge featuring NCAA Champion University of Virginia Cavaliers on Saturday, April 3rd. The 2010 USL Second Division regular season commences two weeks later against the Harrisburg City Islanders on Saturday, April 17th. The Kickers will call the University of Richmond Stadium home during the entire 2010 season.
First Annual Pro-Am Challenge April 3rd
The Kickers welcome the University of Virginia men's soccer team to open their 18th season in a unique Pro-Am Challenge pitting the USL Second Division Champions versus the NCAA Champions on Saturday, April 3rd. Kickoff is slated for 4:00 p.m. at the University of Richmond Stadium. The Cavaliers captured their sixth NCAA Championship, and first since 1994, with a 3-2 penalty kick shootout win over Akron in the NCAA Championship final last December. The Cavaliers (19-3-3) ended the season on a 16-game unbeaten streak.
Former Kickers youth player and Thomas Dale High School graduate Jordan Evans played an integral role in clinching the championship title for UVA. Evans entered the game in the second half and played through two golden goal overtime periods. With the score tied at 0-0, the game entered sudden death penalty kicks with the Cavaliers winning in dramatic fashion, 3-2.
Other local standouts include Will Bates, a Thomas Dale High School graduate, who was recently named Soccer America's Freshman of the Year. Bates led the Cavaliers with 12 goals and an assist in 2009 and was a member of the ACC's All-Freshman team. Other local talent slated to appear is former Deep Run High School Most Valuable Player, Brian Ownby.
Regular Season Kicks Off April 17th
The defending champions Kickers will compete alongside USL-2 opponents Charlotte Eagles, Charleston Battery, Harrisburg City Islanders, Pittsburgh Riverhounds and Real Maryland Monarchs. Former USL-2 foes Bermuda Hogges and Western Mass Pioneers have realigned with the Premier Development League for the 2010 campaign. Playing a 20-game balanced schedule, the Kickers will face each team home and away twice. In 2010, the regular season will run for 18 weeks, kicking off the weekend of April 17 and concluding August 14.
The Kickers will take home field advantage at the University of Richmond Stadium (just off the Downtown Expressway) for the entire 2010 home season, including the preseason exhibition featuring the University of Virginia. Ten of the Kickers 11 home games will be played on Saturdays with the only exception being a match against the Charlotte Eagles on Friday, May 21st.
Established in 1993, the Richmond Kickers pro team has consistently been one of the most successful professional soccer clubs in America. Over the past 17 seasons, Richmond has qualified for postseason play 15 times, and reached the title match in 2009 for the fifth time in the past eight campaigns, claiming their second
Championship crown in four seasons. Richmond's six previous league Championship appearances (1995, 1996, 2002, 2005, 2006, 2007) include winning the Premier League title in 1995, a shoot-out loss to Seattle in the USL First Division final in 2005 and taking the USL Second Division crown against Charlotte in 2006. In addition to on-field success, the Kickers have taken United Soccer Leagues Organization of the Year honors on five occasions (1995, 2000, 2006, 2007, 2009).
Playoffs
The top three teams advance to the postseason with the regular season champion playing host to the league championship. The second and third seeds will meet the weekend of August 21 to determine the other finalist for the championship game the following weekend.
Tickets
General admission tickets for the Pro-Am Challenge, featuring the University of Virginia are $12/adults and $7/youth and are on sale now via RichmondKickers.com.
Regular season home games will remain $12/adults and $7/youth ages 3-17 for the third consecutive season. Order tickets in advance via RichmondKickers.com and receive a $2.00 off discount per ticket.
Back by popular demand, the Kickers will continue to offer an affordable and convenient single season pass, which includes admission to every 2010 regular season home game. Enjoy all of the Kickers Pro regular season home games for the best possible pricing with a 2010 Family Pass ($119), All-Access Pass ($90) Adult Pro Pass ($55) or Youth Pro Pass ($20, ages 3-17).
Order your 2010 Season Pass by February 5th and purchase tickets to the UVA exhibition for just $7.00! Please note: Adult Pro Passes, Youth Pro Passes, Family Passes, Coach Passes and Flexi-Tickets will not be accepted at the UVA exhibition on April 3rd.
About Richmond Kickers Soccer Club
Today over 6,000 soccer players participate in programs sponsored by the Richmond Kickers and partner clubs, including Midlothian Youth Soccer League, Ashland Youth Soccer League, City of Richmond Parks and Rec., Goochland United Soccer Association and little KICKS. The Kickers travel program consists of 64 teams and over 900 players who compete in the US Soccer Academy Program, Super Y-League, VCCL and ADSL. The club was recently named as one of only 30 adidas Sports Marketing Clubs in the U.S. The Richmond Kickers Soccer Club provides opportunities for all players of all abilities and unites soccer in the Central Virginia community. Benefits include economy of scale, consistency of coaching philosophy, professional administrative and coaching staff expertise, positive role models for youth players and a clear pathway from youth to pro for aspiring young players.
Richmond Kickers 2010 Pro Schedule
DAY, DATE OPPONENT TIME STADIUM
Sat, April 3 UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA* 4:00 PM UR STADIUM
Sat, April 17 HARRISBURG CITY ISLANDERS 7:00 PM UR STADIUM
Sat, April 24 CHARLOTTE EAGLES 7:00 PM UR STADIUM
Sat, May 1 @ Real Maryland Monarchs 6:30 PM Richard Montgomery
Sun, May 2 @ Pittsburgh Riverhounds 3:00 PM Chartiers Valley HS
Sat, May 8 REAL MARYLAND MONARCHS 7:00 PM UR STADIUM
Sun, May 16 @ Real Maryland Monarchs 6:30 PM Richard Montgomery
Fri, May 21 CHARLOTTE EAGLES 7:00 PM UR STADIUM
Sat, May 29 PITTSBURGH RIVERHOUNDS 7:00 PM UR STADIUM
Sat, June 5 CHARLESTON BATTERY 7:00 PM UR STADIUM
Fri, June 11 @ Charleston Battery 7:30 PM Blackbaud Stadium
Sat, June 19 @ Harrisburg City Islanders 7:00 PM Skyline Sports Complex
Sat, June 26 @ Charlotte Eagles 7:00 PM Charlotte Christian
Sat, July 3 CHARLESTON BATTERY 1:00 PM UR STADIUM
Fri, July 9 @ Charleston Battery 7:30 PM Blackbaud Stadium
Sat, July 10 @ Charlotte Eagles 8:00 PM Charlotte Christian
Thurs, July 15 @ Pittsburgh Riverhounds 7:00 PM Chartiers Valley HS
Sat, July 24 PITTSBURGH RIVERHOUNDS 7:00 PM UR STADIUM
Sat, July 31 HARRISBURG CITY ISLANDERS 7:00 PM UR STADIUM
Sat, August 7 @ Harrisburg City Islanders 7:00 PM Skyline Sports Complex
Sat, August 14 REAL MARYLAND MONARCHS 7:00 PM UR STADIUM
Sat, August 21 USL SECOND DIVISION SEMIFINALS TBD TBD
Sat, August 28 USL SECOND DIVISION CHAMPIONSHIP TBD TBD
Home Games in Bold.
*Exhibition
A full-service soccer club with over 6,000 players competing in youth, adult, amateur and professional programs, the Richmond Kickers pyramid structure serves as a model to soccer clubs across the country. For more information, visit RichmondKIckers.com.
United Soccer League Championship Stories from January 22, 2010
- Kickers Open 2010 Season With Pro-Am Challenge - Richmond Kickers
- United Soccer Leagues Second Division Schedule Released - Real Maryland Monarchs
- Charleston Battery Schedule Set - Charleston Battery
- 2010 Schedule Released - Penn FC
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