The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga soccer Mocs will play a pair of scrimmages this weekend in their final tune-ups before their season opener.
The Mocs, who were picked ninth Thursday in the Southern Conference preseason poll, will travel to play Belmont tonight at 7:30 before hosting Alabama-Huntsville at 2 p.m. Sunday at Finley Stadium.
The team had a couple of scrimmages in the spring, earning a win and a tie in the King College Spring Invitational in April, but this weekend will be the first glance first-year head coach Gavin McKinney has had at his incoming freshmen and transfers against other competition.
"We're very excited to play this weekend," McKinney said in a school release. "It can be tough when you're on the seventh day of training, going against each other. I think they are ready to get out and compete. The coaching staff will probably learn more about the team on Friday night and Sunday afternoon than maybe we would in training. The preseason games should be a good learning experience for all as we prepare for our opening game."
The Mocs host Austin Peay in their season opener on Aug. 23 at Finley Stadium.
Volleyball scrimmage Sunday
The UTC volleyball team will have its Blue-Gold intrasquad scrimmage Sunday at 4 at Maclellan Gymnasium. It will be the public's first opportunity to get a glimpse at the team prior to the Chattanooga Classic on Aug. 28-29.
Coach Travis Filar is excited about the team that returns 10 letter winners and a strong recruiting class.
"It's going to be a great opportunity for fans to see how deep we are, how talented we are and how great this group works together," Filar stated in a release. "Our level of skill is at its highest point since I've been here."
Cross country schedule released
The UTC cross country teams will host two meets as part of their 2015 schedule, which was released this week.
Their first meet will be on Sept. 5 in Nashville in the Belmont Invitational. UTC's home meets on the Moccasin Bend course are the PowerAde Invitational on Sept. 11 and the Front Runner Invitational on Oct. 17.
The Southern Conference meet is set for Oct. 31 at Furman in Greenville, S.C.
Contact Gene Henley at ghenley@timesfreepress.com. Follow him at twitter.com/genehenleytfp.