UVA Alumni and Hall of Fame Inductee, Tony Meola to play in Cinco De Jimi Cup

EL JIMADOR ANNOUNCES THE ‘DREAM TEAM’ ROSTER

FOR THE FIRST CINCO DE JIMI CUP

Lucky 10 will participate in the ultimate soccer experience as they play alongside their favorite players

LOUISVILLE, KY. (June 6, 2012) – el Jimador, 100 percent blue agave tequila, today announced the soccer legends from the U.S. and Mexican National teams and the 10 contest winners who will participate in the inaugural “Cinco de Jimi Cup” on July 10, 2012 at Casa Herradura’s Hacienda San José del Refugio in Amatitan, Jalisco. Part of el Jimador’s commitment to create once in a lifetime experiences for soccer fans, the Cinco de Jimi Cup is a friendly soccer game between former players from the U.S. and Mexican National teams.

A record-breaking number of adults 21 and older participated in the “What’s Your 100%” contest through el Jimador’s Facebook tab at www.Facebook.com/elJimador, by creating a list of characteristics that define them in percentages, adding up to 100 in alignment with the brand’s 100% blue agave attribute. Shane Evans of Goal.com, The Original Winger founder Benjamin Hooper, and two el Jimador executives, reviewed the entries and selected 10 winners based on originality, personality and use of the el Jimador brand.

The player roster for the “Cinco de Jimi Cup” includes:

U.S. National Team

·         Alexi Lalas (captain): el Jimador brand ambassador, National Soccer Hall of Famer and ex defender of the U.S. National team

·         Cobi Jones: National Soccer Hall of Famer and All-time leader in caps with U.S. Men's National Team

·         Tony Meola: recently named National Soccer Hall of Fame inductee and former goal keeper of the U.S. National team

Mexican National Team

·         Luis Roberto ‘Zague’ Alves (captain): former striker of the Mexican National Team and record- holding CONCACAF top scorer

·         Jorge Campos: former goal keeper and striker of the Mexican National team

·         Luis ‘El Matador’ Hernandez: former striker that holds the record for the Mexican National Team as the top scorer in the World Cup

The following ten lucky contest winners will be divided between both teams to play alongside and against their soccer idols:

• Cassandra Byerly (Green Bay, WI)
• Maria Cisneros (Millville, NJ)
• Walker Corl (Kannapolis, NC)
• Adam Gonzales (Bronx, NY)
• Sheridan Hurd (Tigard, OR)
• Baldo Romnel Ibarra (Denver, CO)
• Lucas Perry (Portland, ME)
• Anthony Rossi (Salt Lake City, UT)
• Edith Rodiguez Salazar (Crystal Lake, IL)
• Jacob Szopinski (Buffalo, NY)
  
  

“Ten soccer fans will have the chance to play with soccer legends that are true artists with the soccer ball and embark on the first of once-in-a-lifetime soccer experiences organized by el Jimador,” said Jesus Ostos, Brown-Forman tequilas brand marketing group manager. “Just like soccer is more than a game for passionate soccer fans, handcrafting tequila is a way of life and truly an art form for el Jimador.” 

In addition to participation in the match alongside soccer legends, the contest prize also includes round-trip airfare, hotel accommodations, and local transportation for all winners and a guest.

Preview: D.C. United Women at Fredericks​burg Impact

Fredericksburg, VA. - This Saturday D.C. United Women travel to Fredericksburg, VA to face the Impact in W-League action. United feature Forward Mikaela Howell who was named to the Team of the Week after notching three assists in her last match.

See game information below:

UVA Women Release 2012 Schedule

Virginia Women’s Soccer Announces 2012 Schedule

Cavaliers play 11 games at Klöckner Stadium

CHARLOTTESVILLE – The Virginia women’s soccer team announced its 2012 schedule today, which includes 11 home games at Klöckner Stadium and 10 contests against 2011 NCAA Tournament teams.

"As always, we have a challenging schedule ahead which should give our fans plenty to be excited about this fall,” said head coach Steve Swanson. “The ACC has such a strong field of teams, so we know how competitive the conference will be, but we are equally excited about our non-conference games which include some perennial top teams. This year’s schedule also includes five in-state teams whom we have built up some great rivalries with over the years. Overall, we are confident this schedule will help bring out the best in what feel can be an exciting, highly entertaining and fun team to watch this fall at Klockner Stadium.”
Of the 10 NCAA Tournament teams on the schedule, eight reached at least the round of 16, including College Cup participants Duke, Florida State and Wake Forest.

Virginia will open the regular season with a four-game homestand, beginning with the season opener on Aug. 17 against Penn State. That is followed with games against Radford, Liberty and UNC-Wilmington. The Cavaliers’ lone non-conference road trip comes Aug. 31-Sept 2 when they travel to Austin for the Longhorn Invitational to meet host Texas along with SMU. Virginia returns home to host the Virginia Nike Soccer Classic Sept. 7-9 as it welcomes in-state foes George Mason and James Madison.

The ACC schedule opens with a pair of home matches against NC State (Sept. 13) and North Carolina (Sept. 16). The Cavaliers conclude September with visits to Clemson and Maryland before hosting NCAA runner-up Duke on Sept. 30. Virginia hosts Wake Forest on Oct. 5 before a three-game road trip to Miami, Florida State and Virginia Tech. The Cavaliers conclude the regular season on Oct. 25 by hosting Boston College.

The ACC Tournament will be played in the same format that debuted last season. It begins on Oct. 28 as the top four seeds host quarterfinal games. Those winners will travel to Cary, N.C., for the semifinals and final the following weekend at the WakeMed Soccer Park. The NCAA Tournament begins on Nov. 9 and runs through the College Cup in San Diego, Calif., on Nov. 30 and Dec. 2.

Prior to the season, the Cavaliers play a pair of exhibition games. They will play at Notre Dame on Aug. 10 before returning home to host Georgetown Aug. 12.

Virginia returns seven starters among 20 returning letterwinners from last year’s squad that went 17-5-2 and reached the NCAA quarterfinals. The Cavaliers return 90 percent of their goal scoring from 2011, including 10 of their top 11 scorers, headlined by All-Americans Caroline Miller (Rockville, Md.) and Morgan Brian (St. Simons Island, Ga.).

2012 Virginia Women’s Soccer Schedule

Kickers' Goalkeeper Ronnie Pascale USL Pro Player of the Week

USL PRO NEWS RELEASE, TUESDAY, JUNE 5, 2012

Kickers’ Pascale Named Player of the Week

Standout performance earned Richmond victory against Rochester

TAMPA, Fla. – USL PRO announced its Team of the Week for the eighth week of the 2012 season today, honoring Richmond Kickers goalkeeper Ronnie Pascale as Player of the Week after a standout weekend that saw him record 19 saves in a pair of games as the Kickers took four of a possible six points on the road.



Player of the Week - Ronnie Pascale

Pascale had a standout performance in the Kickers’ Friday-night contest against the Harrisburg City Islanders. Making nine saves in wet and windy conditions, Pascale helped Richmond earn a point in a 1-1 draw. But it was his performance the following night, when the 13-year veteran made 10 stops to shut out the Rochester Rhinos at Sahlen’s Stadium, that saw Pascale at his best.

Watch Replay of Richmond vs. Harrisburg

Pascale made three big saves late in the first half, including denying Tam McManus from a free kick, before a diving stop at full stretch on JC Banks in the second half kept the Rhinos scoreless. The 35-year-old, who has announced his retirement after this season, showed that he is getting ready to leave while still at the top of his game, while helping the Kickers move up to fourth place in the USL PRO standings.

Joining his Kickers teammate on the Team of the Week was defender Shane Johnson, who scored his first professional goal in Richmond’s 1-1 draw against Harrisburg on Friday night. Kickers midfielder Luke Vercollone was also honored after scoring the game-winning goal against the Rhinos while also putting in a strong two-way performance to help the Kickers take victory.

Other top contenders for Player of the Week honors included Wilmington’s Corey Hertzog, whose two goals and assist helped the Hammerheads hand Orlando City its first loss of the season, and Charleston’s Nicki Paterson, who had a pair of goals in the Battery’s 3-1 victory against the Pittsburgh Riverhounds on Thursday night. Paterson also took the lead in the USL PRO scoring race with his brace, giving him five goals this season.

Hertzog was joined on the Team of the Week by Hammerheads teammate Mark Briggs, whose perfect first-time pass set up Hertzog’s opening goal before their roles were reversed for what proved to be the game-winner, Briggs volleying home Hertzog’s long throw-in.

In addition to Paterson, Charleston’s Colin Falvey and Dane Kelly were also named to the Team of the Week, with the Irish center back putting in two strong performances as the Battery moved into second place in the standings. Kelly recorded a goal and an assist in the Battery’s two victories to earn his place on the team.

United face Philly in U.S. Open Cup at SoccerPlex

D.C. United vs Philadelphia Union
Tuesday, June 5, 2012 - 7:30 PM ET
Maryland SoccerPlex - Boyds, MD

Two time U.S. Open Cup Champions (1996, 2008) D.C. United are set to face their MLS rivals, the Philadelphia Union tonight at the Maryland SoccerPlex. Last year the Black-and-Red defeated the Union on Penalty Kicks in Open Cup action.

D.C. are coming off a marathon of a match against the Richmond Kickers (USL) in Richmond, VA last week that saw United win 2-1 after 120 minutes of soccer. The match-up of D.C. vs. Philly features two of only eight MLS clubs left in 2012 U.S. Open Cup action after three rounds.

This year the format of the tournament was changed (ussoccer.com: Format, Composition and Schedule Finalized for 99th Edition of Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup) to include all MLS clubs and less than half (8) of the clubs from the top level of U.S. professional soccer are still competing in the fourth round: D.C., Philly, N.Y., Seattle, L.A. (Chivas USA), Colorado, K.C., and San Jose.

• Directions to the SoccerPlex
• 6:30 PM: Stadium opens
• 6:30 PM - 7:15 PM: Danny Cruz autograph session
• 7:30 PM: Kickoff

To view the complete 2012 U.S. Open Cup bracket: Click Here