Michigan Bucks News Release -- www.buckssoccer.com
Friday, March 8, 2013
PONTIAC, Mich. -- The Michigan Bucks will host their fifth annual College Challenge at Ultimate Soccer Arenas in Pontiac on Saturday, March 23 and this year will also be a participant. For the first time, the Bucks will field a team that will join soccer power house University of Notre Dame, University of Michigan and Oakland University in a three game format that will allow soccer fans admission to the entire day's events for only $8. For the fourth consecutive year, the College Challenge will be sponsored by adidas, with the first 250 kids receiving a FREE Michigan Bucks/adidas College Challenge t-shirt. In addition, the Bucks will be raffling off FREE autographed merchandise, adidas MLS game balls and replica jerseys between each match.
The afternoon schedule will begin with U of M hosting No. 8 ranked Notre Dame (1:20 p.m. kickoff), followed by Oakland University taking on the Fighting Irish (3 p.m. kick off) and ending with the local marquee matchup of the OU Golden Grizzlies taking on the host Michigan Bucks (4:40 p.m. kickoff). All three games will be abbreviated 70 minute matches and will be played on the Bucks home stadium field in the perfect weather of indoor Ultimate Soccer Arenas.
The Fighting Irish come into the tournament as the highest-profile and highest-ranked team and are coming off of one of their best seasons ever under head coach Bobby Clark. Notre Dame lost a heart breaker to eventual NCAA champion Indiana in double overtime in last fall's NCAA tournament. Michigan began the Chaka Daley era at the helm of the Wolverines with a modest regular season, coming on strong to defeat Niagara in the NCAA tournament before falling 2-1 to powerhouse Akron on the road in the second round. Wolverine and Michigan Bucks standout goalkeeper Adam Grinwis (2012 PDL Goalkeeper of the Year) lead's the Wolverine team back into Ultimate Soccer Arenas for the opening match of the day. Former Wolverines and Bucks defender Kofi Opare was drafted and signed by the LA Galaxy of Major League Soccer in January.
Eric Pogue leads his Oakland Grizzlies up against Notre Dame in the middle game of the day and his Summit League Champions will welcome the stern test that will pit his young players against a veteran Notre Dame side. Midfielder Miche'le Lipari leads the Grizzlies at OU and looks to find a starting role with the Bucks this summer. The Michigan Bucks will field a team of veteran players themselves when they take on OU in the main event of the College Challenge presented by adidas.
Leading the Bucks into the match will be the PDL's all time leading scorer, Kenny Uzoigwe. Kenny will be joined by a host of former Oakland University standouts, including former PDL Defender of the Year, Stew Givens, last year's PDL assist leader Tom Catalano and defensive specialist Sebby Harris. Playing in his final game for the Michigan Bucks is Rochester native Simon Omekanda, who began his career with the Bucks as a high school senior and played with the team while attending Penn State University. After graduation, Omekanda went on to play professionally in Europe for several seasons before coming back to lead the Bucks as co-captain the past two seasons.
Tickets for the College Challenge are $12 Adults and $9 Youth (16 and under) at the gate. Children 5 and under are always free to Bucks games. Discounted tickets can be purchased for only $8 by purchasing online at www.buckssoccer.com or visiting Ultimate Soccer Arenas before game day. College students with a valid student ID will be admitted at the gate for only $6. Anyone interested in purchasing group tickets (20 or more) can do so for only $6 each. These tickets must be purchased all at once and before game day by contacting Bucks Director of Operations Sherwin Connell at (917) 325-9345 or e-mailing to sconnell@buckssoccer.com.