LOWELL, Mass. (June 3, 2008) – An early season trip to Michigan State, an appearance in the Lightning College Classic and the usual 27-game Hockey East slate highlight the 2008-09 UMass Lowell schedule that head coach Blaise MacDonald recently announced.

The 34-game schedule consists of the usual 27 Hockey East dates as well as seven non-conference contests. The River Hawks have 15 home games, 17 road games and two neutral site contests – the Lightning College Classic in Tampa, Florida in early January.

“We are excited to continue to develop our team to a national level,” said MacDonald of the 2008-09 schedule. “We believe this schedule accomplishes that objective.”

The season unofficially gets underway on October 5, just one day after the first official day of practice, when the River Hawks host St. Francis Xavier in an exhibition match.

The regular season kicks off with three straight road games beginning with the season opener at Colgate on October 11. The River Hawks then travel to Michigan State, the 2007 national champions, for a two-game series, Oct. 16-17; the first meetings between UML and MSU since the 2003-04 season.

After the three games on the road to open the season, the River Hawks play nine of their next 13 games at home beginning with the home opener against Providence College on October 24.

On November 7 UML hosts Boston University in the first meeting between the two schools since the 2008 Hockey East Quarterfinals. The River Hawks host Hockey East finalist the University of Vermont the next night, November 8.

UML plays defending Hockey East regular season champion New Hampshire three times in the season’s first half. It will be the third straight season that the River Hawks and Wildcats have finished their season series before Christmas. They meet for the first time on November 14, and play a home-and-home series on December 5 and 6.

UML’s only four road games in November and December are against Massachusetts (11/15), Merrimack (11/25), New Hampshire (12/6) and Boston University (12/12).

The season’s second half kicks off with the River Hawks appearing in the Lightning College Classic. UML is slated to play Minnesota Duluth in the first round and either 2008 NCAA finalist Notre Dame or Union on the tournament’s second day.

The second half, which sees the River Hawks play 12 of 19 away from home, features five weekend series against Hockey East foes.

UML takes on defending national champion Boston College for the first time on January 16, and matches up with the Eagles for a home-and-home series on February 13-14.

The River Hawks also have home-and-home series with Merrimack (1/23-24) and Northeastern (2/27-28). UML is at Vermont for two games (2/20-21) and concludes the regular season with two games against the University of Maine (3/6-7) at the Tsongas Arena.

“It’ll be nice to compete against the 2007 national champion Michigan State in East Lansing (Mich.),” added MacDonald about the schedule. “It’ll also be nice to potentially play Notre Dame in the Lightning College Classic, and, of course, compete against the always-challenging Hockey East schedule.”

For complete schedule, please click here.