Normal- The time has come again for NCAA women's soccer to get underway. The Alabama A&M Lady Bulldogs will begin this 2013 season in a way they have not done since the 2007 season, as defending Southwestern Athletic Conference Eastern Division champions.
 
The defending champions have an action packed season ahead of them.  The Maroon and White will play an 18 game season with 11 matches being played in front of the home crowd at Lady Bulldog Field on "The Hill".
 
The seven away contests will be played in six different states across the south and southeast. Throughout this 2013 campaign, A&M will travel north to Tennessee, east to South Carolina, west to Mississippi and Louisiana, and lastly northwest to Arkansas.
 
The young Lady Bulldog team compiled of 10 freshmen and just five returners from the championship squad will get their feet wet with 11 non-conference games before entering league play.  A four game home stand opens the 2013 season.
 
The Lady Bulldogs will play South Carolina State, Mercer, Lipscomb and Murray State before having to leave the comforts of Normal for an away game.  Three of the first four games will be played in just four days.  After back-to-back 4:00 p.m. contests on Friday, August 23 and Saturday, August 24, the team will have one day's rest before getting back to work at 4 p.m. on Monday, August 26.
 
In the short time span, they will play with each other for the first time all the while testing their fitness and recovery abilities.
 
The last game of the home stand against Murray State will take place on Friday, August 30. This game too will kick off at 4:00 p.m. central time.
 
After the longest home stand of the season, the team will hit the road for the first time and head to Jacksonville, Ala. for a 7 p.m. meeting on Friday, September 6. A&M will have their first road test against the Gamecocks of Jacksonville State. The teams' meeting last season ended with the JSU defeating A&M 5-0.
 
After playing in Jacksonville, the team will return home to face Winthrop on Sunday the 8^th and East Tennessee on Friday the 13^th.  Both games kick off at 1:00 p.m. at Lady Bulldog Field.  
 
The last non-conference road trip of the season will include three games in three states. First, the Lady Bulldogs travel south to face the University of South Alabama in Mobile, Ala. on Sunday, September 15 at 1:00 p.m. After playing USA, A&M will head to the Volunteer State to take on Middle Tennessee State. The Friday, September 20 game in Murfreesboro, Tenn. will begin at 7:00 p.m.
 
Lastly, the road trip will end in Clemson, South Carolina when the Maroon & White take on the Clemson University Tigers. This will be the first Athletic Coast Conference member A&M has faced since playing Duke in 2008. This game will begin at 1:00 p.m. on Sunday, September 22.
 
The Lady Bulldogs will then return home to wrap up non-conference play versus Eastern Kentucky on Sunday, September 29. Action will start at 1:00 p.m. at Lady Bulldog field.
 
In October, the Maroon & White will engage in SWAC action. To kick off conference play the teams will play their three Eastern Division foes from Mississippi. A&M will travel to the Delta to face defending conference champions Mississippi Valley State on Friday the 4^th and Alcorn State on Sunday the 6^th.
 
The last Mississippi-Alabama match up will take place at Lady Bulldog field on Friday, October 11; A&M will host the visiting Lady Tigers of Jackson State. On Sunday the 13, the Maroon & White will begin western division play when hosting the Jaguars of Southern University.  Friday's game will begin at 3:00 p.m. while Sunday's action starts at 1 p.m.
 
After the two home games, A&M will pack their bags for the last time, traveling to both Arkansas and Louisiana. First, the squad will take on the University of Arkansas-Pine Bluff in Pine Bluff Ark. on Friday, October 18 at 3:00 p.m., and then challenge the Tigers of Grambling State on Sunday, October 20 at 1:00 p.m.
 
The last game of the season and one of the most important matches will be against in-state rival Alabama State University. The Lady Bulldogs will host the Lady Hornets on senior day, Friday, October 25 to close out regular season conference play. Last season the Hornets were victorious in a 2-nil win over A&M, this year the Lady Bulldogs will be looking for a little payback.
 
Remember all home games can be followed via live stats. For more information on A&M Bulldog Athletics, visit aamusports.com. Fans can also find the Bulldogs on Twitter at @aamubulldogs, Instagram at @AAMUSID or on Facebook at Facebook.com/Alabama-AM-Bulldogs.