Top Field Set For Manchester Cup

Final plans have been completed for Winthrop University’s 2011 Manchester Cup, which now has a corporate sponsor.

Lowe’s Home Improvement has signed on to be the major sponsor of the Manchester Cup for the next two years. The Manchester Cup will be held Friday, Mar. 25 and Saturday, Mar. 26 at the Manchester Meadows Soccer Complex.

The Lowe’s Manchester Cup has grown into one of the best college soccer showcases in the spring as teams from all over the region come to Rock Hill, SC to face quality competition. The Manchester Cup was originated in 2007 and will once again feature some of the best collegiate teams from the South Region.

There is an addition to the Lowe’s Manchester Cup this season as there will be a women’s session for the first time. The women’s session will be held on Friday, Mar. 25 with games starting at 4 p.m. The session will include two college games followed by two high schools games and ending at night with two college games.

The field for the women will be Winthrop, Belmont Abbey, Gardner-Webb and Appalachian State. The high school matchups will be South Pointe facing Fort Mill and Northwestern squaring off against Rock Hill.

This year’s field of men’s teams includes Winthrop, UNC Wilmington, Old Dominion, South Carolina, North Carolina State, Charlotte, East Tennessee State, College of Charleston, Furman and Kentucky.

ODU, ETSU, South Carolina and College of Charleston were all in the NCAA College Cup this past fall. College of Charleston and ODU both advanced out of the first round while South Carolina had a first round bye and advanced to the Sweet 16.Charlotte finished the 2010 season ranked #16 nationally in the NSCAA poll.

The boy’s high school games will be Rock Hill vs. South Pointe and Northwestern facing Fort Mill.

“The Lowe’s Manchester Cup has continued to grow each of the five years since it started in 2007,” said Winthrop men’s coach Rich Posipanko.

“We feel this year’s field of teams is the best that we’ve ever had. Nine of the 10 teams have played in the NCAA College Cup over the previous two years and have all been nationally or regionally ranked during that same time period. Our goal has always been to bring the best college soccer to the Rock Hill community.”