The UCSB men’s soccer team is doing its part to help earthquake victims in Haiti.
The Gauchos will play Mexico’s Under-20 national team in a charity match on Tuesday, Feb. 23 at Harder Stadium. Portions of the proceeds from the match will help benefit the Haiti earthquake relief efforts.
Kickoff for this special event is 7:30 p.m.
The Red Cross will also be on hand at the match and is encouraging fans to bring donations of bottled water to the game.
“We are happy to be part of this game because it’s a great cause,” UCSB coach Tim Vom Steeg said. “We will have only been training for six days when the match takes place and while we may not be our sharpest, it is a great opportunity to play against a very talented group of players.”
This will be the second time UCSB has played a national team from Mexico in the last six months. In September, the Gauchos defeated Mexico’s Under-17 squad 2-1 before 8,452 fans.
Tickets for the exhibition against Mexico’s U-20s are $20 for adults and $10 for kids. Presale tickets are available at all soccer stores in the Santa Barbara area. Tickets also will be available at the Harder Stadium box office one hour prior to kickoff. UCSB Athletics is not be offering presale tickets for this event.
UCSB also has lined up a spring game against perennial West Region power New Mexico on Friday, April 9 at 7 p.m. at Harder Stadium. Then on Saturday, April 24, the Gauchos will host their Alumni Game during the annual All-Gaucho Reunion weekend.
This a big year for soccer at UCSB, as the university is hosting the NCAA Men’s College Cup at Meredith Field at Harder Stadium on Dec. 10 and 12. It will be the first time the Final Four will be played on the West Coast since 2004, when the Gauchos made history. They advanced to their first College Cup, beating Duke in the national semifinals and falling to Indiana in the championship on penalty kicks at the Home Depot Center in Carson.
For more information on the 2010 College Cup, visit UCSBgauchos.com/cup.
