ANDERSON, S.C. - A total of eight home matches headline the 2015 Anderson University women's soccer schedule, including matchups with five South Atlantic Conference opponents and two first-time nonconference matchups, announced by head coach Ciaran Traquair on Tuesday.

"I am ready to get going and see this new look group comes together," Traquair said. "The schedule is always going to be challenging in this region and we now want to prove that we can compete with the best."

The regular-season slate opens on Sept. 3 when the Trojans welcome Shorter to Trojan Stadium for a 4 p.m. kickoff. The nonconference tilt will be the first-ever meeting between the programs, as the Hawks are coming off a 14-win season in 2014.

Following the home opener, AU hits the road for back-to-back nonconference meetings, beginning with a 2014 rematch with Southern Wesleyan on Sept. 5, followed by a date with archrival Erskine on Sept. 9. The Trojans picked up wins over the Warriors and Flying Fleet a season ago, out-scoring the Conference Carolinas tandem by a combined score of 4-0.

A final nonconference tune-up awaits the Trojans following the two-match road trip, as they host Young Harris on Sept. 12 for the first time in program history. Four days later, AU opens SAC play with Coker at home on Sept. 16.

After opening the season with three of its first five at Trojan Stadium, Anderson begins a four-match road stretch with the first three contests being conference matchups. The Black and Gold visits Wingate (Sept. 19), Brevard (Sept. 23) and Tusculum (Sept. 26) before heading to in-state rival Limestone (Sept. 30).

Following the long road trip, AU is scheduled to play four of its next five in the Upstate, beginning with a two-match homestand with Carson-Newman (Oct. 3) and Newberry (Oct. 7). The lone road match of the stretch will come after the meeting with the Wolves on Oct. 10, when the Trojans head to Lenoir-Rhyne.

Anderson plays host to Emmanuel on Oct. 14 for its final nonconference contest of the regular season, before welcoming Catawba to the Electric City on Oct. 17. Following the match with the Indians, a trip to Queens concludes the two-match home stretch on Oct. 21.

The Trojans will celebrate Senior Day on Oct. 24 when they welcome Lincoln Memorial to Trojan Stadium, before concluding their regular season with a visit to Mars Hill on Oct. 31.

With the regular season coming to a close, the 2015 SAC Championships will begin on Nov. 3 at campus sites before returning to Manchester Meadows in Rock Hill, S.C. for the semifinals and finals on Nov. 6 & 8.

Prior to the start of the 2015 season, Anderson will take part in three scrimmages throughout August, beginning with a home match with North Greenville on Aug. 20. Following the opener, the Trojans hit the road to Georgia College (Aug. 22) and Bob Jones (Aug. 25) to prepare for the regular-season home opener on Sept. 3.

"Every game will require preparation, hard work and a bit of quality if we are to be successful," Traquair said. "I am extremely excited to test ourselves this coming year and put ourselves on the map. We have quality, depth, experience and a hunger to go out and improve our position in the conference, and give a good account of ourselves out of conference. This year is set to be a big season for this program."

2015 Schedule

Aug. 20 North Greenville (Scrimmage)
Site: Home (Trojan Stadium), 4 p.m.
2014 Record: 2-13-1 (2-8-1 Conference Carolinas)
2014 Finish: Ninth in Conference Carolinas
Last Regular Season Meeting: Anderson won 2-0 (Tigerville, 9/6/14)

Aug. 22 Georgia College (Scrimmage)
Site: Home (Trojan Stadium), 3 p.m.
2014 Record: 7-10-1 (5-6 Peach Belt)
2014 Finish: PBC Tournament First Round
Last Regular Season Meeting: Georgia College won 3-1 (Milledgeville, 9/17/14)

Aug. 25 Bob Jones (Scrimmage)
Site: Away (Alumni Stadium), 6 p.m.
2014 Record: 12-5-2
2014 Finish: NCCAA South Regional Tournament First Round
Last Regular Season Meeting: N/A

Sept. 3 Shorter
Site: Home (Trojan Stadium), 4 p.m.
2014 Record: 14-9 (5-7 Gulf South)
2014 Finish: GSC Tournament First Round
Last Regular Season Meeting: First Meeting

Sept. 5 Southern Wesleyan
Site: Away (Childs Field), 7 p.m.
2014 Record: 2-14 (1-10 Conference Carolinas)
2014 Finish: 12th in Conference Carolinas
Last Regular Season Meeting: Anderson won 2-0 (Trojan Stadium, 9/4/14)

Sept. 9 Erskine
Site: Away (Huggins Field), 5 p.m.
2014 Record: 3-13-1 (2-9 Conference Carolinas)
2014 Finish: Tied for 10th in Conference Carolinas
Last Regular Season Meeting: Anderson won 2-0 (Trojan Stadium, 10/29/14)

Sept. 12 Young Harris
Site: Home (Trojan Stadium), 1 p.m.
2014 Record: 6-10 (3-8 Peach Belt)
2014 Finish: 10th in PBC
Last Regular Season Meeting: First Meeting

Sept. 16 Coker
Site: Home (Trojan Stadium), 2 p.m.
2014 Record: 5-12 (3-8 SAC)
2014 Finish: Tied for ninth in SAC
Last Regular Season Meeting: Anderson won 9-0 (Hartsville, 9/20/14)

Sept. 19 Wingate
Site: Away (WU Soccer Complex), 4:30 p.m.
2014 Record: 13-3-4 (9-1-1 SAC)
2014 Finish: NCAA Tournament Second Round
Last Regular Season Meeting: Wingate won 4-0 (Trojan Stadium, 10/25/14)

Sept. 23 Brevard
Site: Away (Brevard Soccer Field), 2 p.m.
2014 Record: 6-11 (3-8 SAC)
2014 Finish: Tied for ninth in SAC
Last Regular Season Meeting: Anderson won 2-1 (Trojan Stadium, 10/22/14)

Sept. 26 Tusculum
Site: Away (Pioneer Field), 2 p.m.
2014 Record: 10-7-2 (6-5 SAC)
2014 Finish: SAC Tournament First Round
Last Regular Season Meeting: Tusculum won 4-1 (Trojan Stadium, 10/4/14)

Sept. 30 Limestone
Site: Away (Saints Field), 5 p.m.
2014 Record: 10-4-3 (8-1-2 Conference Carolinas)
2014 Finish: Conference Carolinas Tournament First Round
Last Regular Season Meeting: Limestone won 1-0 (Gaffney, 9/14/11)

Oct. 3 Carson-Newman
Site: Home (Trojan Stadium), 1 p.m.
2014 Record: 3-14 (1-10 SAC)
2014 Finish: 11th in SAC
Last Regular Season Meeting: Anderson won 4-2 (Jefferson City, 11/1/14)

Oct. 7 Newberry
Site: Home (Trojan Stadium), 2 p.m.
2014 Record: 10-5-4 (8-2-1 SAC)
2014 Finish: SAC Tournament Semifinalist
Last Regular Season Meeting: Newberry won 1-0 (Newberry, 10/8/14)

Oct. 10 Lenoir-Rhyne
Site: Away (Bears Field), 4:30 p.m.
2014 Record: 16-4-3 (10-1 SAC)
2014 Finish: NCAA Tournament Southeast Regional Runner-Up
Last Regular Season Meeting: Lenoir-Rhyne won 2-0 (Trojan Stadium, 10/10/14)

Oct. 14 Emmanuel
Site: Home (Trojan Stadium), 2 p.m.
2014 Record: 5-14 (2-9 Conference Carolinas)
2014 Finish: Tied for 10th in Conference Carolinas
Last Regular Season Meeting: Anderson won 1-0 (Trojan Stadium, 10/16/13)

Oct. 17 Catawba
Site: Home (Trojan Stadium), 1 p.m.
2014 Record: 11-6-3 (6-4-1 SAC)
2014 Finish: SAC Tournament Semifinalist
Last Regular Season Meeting: Catawba won 5-0 (Salisbury, 9/13/14)

Oct. 21 Queens
Site: Away (Queens Sports Complex), 7:30 p.m.
2014 Record: 8-9-2 (5-4-2 SAC)
2014 Finish: SAC Tournament First Round
Last Regular Season Meeting: Tie 1-1 (Trojan Stadium, 9/24/14)

Oct. 24 Lincoln Memorial
Site: Home (Trojan Stadium), 1 p.m.
2014 Record: 9-4-3 (7-2-2 SAC)
2014 Finish: SAC Tournament First Round
Last Regular Season Meeting: Lincoln Memorial won 1-0 (Harrogate, 10/18/14)

Oct. 31 Mars Hill
Site: Away (Meares Stadium), 2 p.m.
2014 Record: 4-11-2 (2-8-1 SAC)
2014 Finish: 12th in SAC
Last Regular Season Meeting: Anderson won 4-1 (Trojan Stadium, 9/27/14)