Sept. 3, 2003

FAIRFAX, VA ... On Friday, the George Mason men's soccer team will take the field for the first time at home this season and will look to continue its high level of success in the George Mason/Comfort Inn Soccer Classic.

This marks the 23rd consecutive year the Patriots have hosted an on-campus tournament and George Mason has an all-time record of 26-9-8 in the event, including a 10-2-4 mark over the last eight seasons. This year, Mason and James Madison (tournament partner for the fifth straight year) will face Southern Conference members Appalachian State and Georgia Southern.

James Madison (2-0 in 2003) and Georgia Southern (0-2) open the tournament Friday at 5 p.m. before George Mason (2-0) faces Appalachian State (0-1) at 7:30 p.m. The Dukes and Patriots then trade opponents on Sunday, with JMU meeting Appalachian State at 12 p.m. and Mason squaring off with Georgia Southern at 2:30 p.m.

George Mason, 8-7-4 a year ago, has been one of the top teams in the Colonial Athletic Association over the past two decades and has won four conference titles since the CAA began in 1984. The Patriots have made eight appearances in the NCAA Tournament, including four straight berths from 1984-87 and seven trips in nine years from 1982-90. Former head coach Gordon Bradley, who retired in 2000 after 16 years at George Mason, guided the Patriots to three CAA championships and six NCAA Tournament appearances, and third-year head coach Fran O'Leary intends to continue that tradition.

James Madison also has been one of the top teams in the CAA over the past decade, winning three straight conference titles from 1992-94 and another in 2001 when it advanced to its ninth appearance in the NCAA Tournament. The Dukes made five straight trips from 1992-96, including berths in the national quarterfinals in both 1994 and 1995. Led by 18th-year head coach Dr. Tom Martin, James Madison posted an 8-10-3 overall record last year.

Appalachian State posted a strong 13-5-1 record in 2002 and ASU alum Paul Stahlschmidt looks to build upon that mark with seven returning starters in his first season as head coach. The Mountaineers made five consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances from 1975-79 as Thompson Usiyan, the NCAA record holder for season and career points and goals, led the way over the final three years.

Georgia Southern is looking to rebound from a disappointing 2-16-2 record last season. Nine of those losses were by one goal, and 14 newcomers look to help the Eagles forget that campaign as they seek to climb in the SoCon standings and gain their first NCAA Tournament appearance. Eighth-year head coach Kevin Chambers (a GSU alum) led Georgia Southern to its best season ever with a 14-4-2 mark and No. 14 national ranking in 1997.