PEMBROKE — Six home games against Conference Carolinas foes, as well as a matchup with region powerhouse Lenoir-Rhyne in mid-September, highlight the 18-game UNC Pembroke soccer schedule that was released on Friday by head coach Lars Andersson.

Fans can get an early look at the defending Conference Carolinas Tournament champions on Aug. 17 with a scrimmage against North Carolina FC at Lumbee River EMC Stadium. Three days later, the Black & Gold will host the UNC-Chapel Hill Club-White squad in a late-morning scrimmage.

The Braves will officially open up their season on Aug. 25 when they travel to Dahlonega, Ga., to take on former Peach Belt Conference rival North Georgia at 1 p.m. UNCP will draw the curtain on the home portion of its 2022 regular season schedule, as well as open up Conference Carolinas play, on Sept. 7 when they welcome Converse to Pembroke.

In addition to the season opener at North Georgia, the Black & Gold is scheduled to take part in four other non-conference tilts, including road matchups with Wingate (Aug. 31), Shaw (Sept. 5), Lenoir-Rhyne (Sept. 14) and Lander (Sept. 21). The Black & Gold will play a trio of home contests in both September and October. Admission to 2022 home games is free.

UNC Pembroke will look to defend its 2021 Conference Carolinas Tournament crown in late October and early November, including an appearance at the Conference Carolinas Tournament semifinals and finals, Nov. 4-6, at Bryan Park in Browns Summit.

The first three rounds of the NCAA Championships are scheduled for Nov. 10-20 at select campus sites, while the NCAA Division II Final Four is scheduled for the first weekend of December in Seattle, Wash.

Braves volleyball announces 2022 schedule

Eleven home dates, as well as host duties for the three-day Conference Carolinas Tournament in mid-November, highlight the 31-match UNC Pembroke volleyball schedule that was released by second-year head coach Carly Wehling on Wednesday.

The Braves will lift the lid on the 2022 regular season when they travel to St. Augustine, Fla., for the Flagler Saints Invitational. The Black & Gold is scheduled to face NCAA Tournament participants Embry-Riddle and host Flagler at that event, while also tangling with Newberry and Davenport as well.

The Black & Gold will welcome five other squads to Pembroke, Sept. 2-3, when it opens up the home portion of the 2022 regular season slate by hosting the inaugural UNC Pembroke Invitational at Lumbee Guaranty Bank Court. The two-day tournament will feature matchups with East Stroudsburg, Lenoir-Rhyne, Felician, and Wingate.

UNCP will close the tournament portion of its regular season slate Sept. 9-10, when it heads to Pensacola, Fla., for the West Florida-hosted Third Weekend Invitational. The Braves are slated to battle a trio of 2021 NCAA Tournament participants — West Florida, Lewis and Spring Hill — while also taking on Oklahoma Baptist who registered 23 wins during the 2021 season.

UNC Pembroke will dive into Conference Carolinas play on Sept. 14 when it makes the short trip to Florence, S.C., for the Battle of I-95 with Francis Marion. First serve is set for 7 p.m. at the Smith University Center. UNCP will play 10 of its 17 conference matchups during the month of October, including three contests at home.

The Braves will play host to the three-day, seven-match Conference Carolinas Tournament, Nov. 11-13, at Lumbee Guaranty Bank Court. Friday’s (Nov. 11) schedule is highlighted by four quarterfinal matchups, while the semifinal and championship games will be contested on Saturday and Sunday, respectively, at Lumbee Guaranty Bank Court.

The four-day NCAA Southeast Regional is scheduled to get underway on Nov. 17 at a to-be-determined campus site, while the three-day NCAA Championship is scheduled for Dec. 1-3 inside Seattle Pacific University’s Royal Brougham Pavilion.