Salem, Va. – Roanoke College Women's Soccer Coach Phil Benne announced the Maroons 2016 schedule on Wednesday. RC will play a full 18 match schedule and will begin its season with a trip to Costa Rica later this week.

In addition to training in Costa Rica, the Maroons will have three friendly matches with UCEM Alajuela, San Carlos and Liberia. The team will do a community service project at a local day care center and will take part in team activities off the field such as whitewater rafting, zip line and a catamaran tour.

"We look forward to our fourth trip to Costa Rica with the upper class. It always provides great team-building and soccer competition to prepare us for when we get home for preseason.   With the addition of a great group of freshmen,  we will be ready for an always challenging schedule," said Benne.

RC will embark on its regular season when it takes part in the Shellenberger Classic at Lynchburg College. The Maroons will open the season against Sewanne on Sept. 3 before facing Johns Hopkins on Sept. 4. Both the Tigers and the Blue Jays earned bids to the NCAA Tournament last season.

Roanoke will host its own tournament on Sept. 10-11 and will face Berry and regional power before heading to Richmond for neutral site match with No. 9 Salisbury on Sept. 14.

The ODAC slate of matches begins Sept. 17 when the Maroons host Randolph-Macon. It will be the first of nine league matches as the ODAC enters its first year of an unbalanced schedule.

After traveling to Hollins on Sept. 21 for its ODAC road opener, RC will head to Washington and Jefferson match on Sept. 24 and Washington and Lee on Sept. 28.

The Maroons will return home for matches with Sweet Briar on Oct. 1 and then close out its non-conference slate against Ferrum on Oct. 5.

RC will have a tough stretch playing three of their next four matches on road before rounding out the regular season with three home matches against Randolph (Oct. 22), Lynchburg (Oct. 26) and Bridgewater (Oct. 29).