| Bard Releases 2004-2005 Schedule Opponents a Healthy Mix of God-Fearing, Liberal Arts Students May 11 - They play University of New England and New England College. They have St. Joe's (Brooklyn) and St. Joe's (Patchogue). Baptist Bible is there, and so are the Banana Slugs of UC Santa Cruz. And of course, there's Vassar (probably). It's going to be quite a year in Raptorland. Bard will open the season in one of four tournaments they are scheduled to play in, not including the HVMAC tournament, and of course, the NCAA Tournament, against University of New England Saturday, November 20 in Nashua, NH. The host school, Rivier College, and Johnson "87-86" State will also be there. The Raptors have the opportunity to host their first tournament in recent memory, bringing Rivier down to Stevenson Gym, along with Anna Maria and Newbury College December 11-12. Will Bard play Vassar? That is a bit more complicated. The Raptors play in the Hudson Valley Tournament with Vassar, SUNY New Paltz and Mt. St. Mary's November 23 and December 1. Opponents are determined by a blind draw. Bard plays two games in the tourney, meaning the chances of a Vassar game are quite high. (Update: Bard will play Mt. St. Mary's November 23, while the opponent Dec. 1 remains unknown.) Other notes: Bard will play three Skyline Conference teams (Mt. St. Mary's, SUNY Maritime and St. Joe's Patchogue), the conference the Raptors chose not to enter, as well as two NEAC teams (D'Youville, Baptist Bible), paving the way for a full NEAC slate in 05-06. 16 NCAA games in all, the most Bard could play while still honoring it's commitments to the HVMAC and several long-term agreements. That's more than double 03-04's 7. |