For MCAC Futsal fans, the start of a new year means the beginning of a new quest to capture the coveted Copa de la Paz trophy held for the first time by CMU last March. The recently released 2016 schedule has a few new features as the sport continues to grow and develop in the province but one thing that won't change in the venue for the Championship that will take place where MCAC Futsal was born; in the Loewen Athletic Centre.
The 2016 campaign will begin in Brandon January 23rd and will provide an eight match double round-robin format followed by El Campeonato, Championship Day, where only the top four teams gain access, March 5th.
Despite an earlier championship date, 2016 will actually see a more evenly spread out round-robin schedule. The Blazers will play two additional home matches as part of the tournament (February 2 vs Red River Rebels and February 26 vs USB Rouges) that will not take place in the traditional "weekend leg" format.
"I think this new feature of having matches outside of the weekend legs will be really nice for spectators," said CMU Men's Coach and MCAC Futsal Convener, Russell Willms, "In the previous format, it was possible for a team to have no home tournament matches all season as happen with us last year when we only hosted the championship. The new match format will allow the campus communities to connect in a more consistent way with the sport and it will also allow the teams to escape the congestion of three matches in two days."
Fans who are looking for an early taste of the action will be excited to watch preseason action on Saturday, January 16th when CMU hosts the Winnipeg Wesmen at the Loewen Athletic Centre at 12:30pm.
Here is a look at the extended Men's Futsal Schedule for 2016:
Jan. 16 CMU v Winnipeg Wesmen Loewen Athletic Centre 12:30pm
Jan. 23 Brandon Bobcats v CMU Brandon University 3:30pm
Jan. 24 Assiniboine Cougars v CMU Assiniboine Community College 12:00pm
Feb. 2 CMU v Red River Rebels Loewen Athletic Centre 8:00pm
Feb. 13 CMU v Brandon Bobcats Universite de St-Boniface 5:30pm
Feb. 14 CMU v Assiniboine Cougars Universite de St-Boniface 1:30pm
Feb. 14 USB Rouges v CMU Universite de St-Boniface 7:30pm
Feb. 24 Red River Rebels v CMU Red River College 9:00pm
Feb. 26 CMU v USB Rouges Loewen Athletic Centre 8:00pm
Printed from: blazers.cmu.ca/blazers-hope-to-guard-championship-as-copa-de-la-paz-schedule-is-released