BOONE, N.C.- Highlighted by match-ups against national powerhouses Wake Forest and Villanova, as well as six home contests, Appalachian State University field hockey and head coach Brandi Alexander announced the squad's 2009 schedule Wednesday morning. To look at the complete 2009 schedule click here.

The Apps kick off the 2009 campaign on the road, heading to Davidson, N.C. to play Sacred Heart and Ball State on August 29 and 30. Appalachian will then travel to Williamsburg, Va. to take on Rutgers September 6 at 11 a.m. and the College of William and Mary the following day.

Following a road stint in Virginia, the Black and Gold then travel to the Keystone state to face assistant coach Carrie Hanshue's alma mater West Chester University, along with Villanova. ASU will be looking to avenge a loss to WCU, having dropped a 3-2 contest to the Golden Rams in 2008.

The Mountaineers make their home debut on Friday September 18, welcoming NorPac foe Davidson to the High Country. The Wildcats took two of three games against ASU in 2008, and ended the Apps season in a 3-2 double overtime thriller at the conference tournament.

To close out the month of September, ASU plays three more consecutive home matches, against Rider, Robert Morris and Catawba.

Appalachian will then hit the pavement once more to begin October, as the Mountaineers play seven matches away from home before returning back to Boone for the final two regular season contests against Radford and Longwood on October 25 and November 1.

The 2009 NorPac Tournament will be held in Palo Alto, Calif., the home of the 2008 defending NorPac champions Stanford, and will begin November 5.