SPRINGFIELD, Ohio - The Wittenberg University men's soccer program kicks off its 2003 season by hosting the Wittenberg Men's Soccer Invitational this weekend at Bill Edwards Field. This will be the 15th Wittenberg Men's Soccer Invitational since 1987.

Joining the Tigers in the traditionally outstanding field is one of the Ohio Athletic Conference's most consistent programs, Otterbein College, as well as NAIA powerhouses Ohio Dominican College and Walsh University. Action gets underway on Saturday, Aug. 31 with a game between Wittenberg and Walsh at 2 p.m., followed by a contest between Ohio Dominican and Otterbein at 4 p.m. On Sunday, Sept. 1, Walsh and Otterbein square off at 1 p.m. and Ohio Dominican and Wittenberg renew acquaintances at 3 p.m.

Coming off a 7-10-1 season in 2002, the host Tigers return five starters this season and have high hopes of breaking into the upper echelon of the extremely competitive North Coast Athletic Conference and working their way back into the NCAA Division III tournament for the first time since 1996. Wittenberg went 0-2 in last year's invitational falling 2-0 to Walsh in the opener after a scoreless first half and then losing 4-2 to Ohio Dominican in the Sunday game and the Tigers have compiled a 16-10-2 record in the competition since it was introduced in 1987.

Head Coach Steve Dawson leads Wittenberg again in 2003, as he has for 21 of the last 22 years. His career record of 207-141-17 ranks him among the top 50 active NCAA Division III men's soccer coaches in victories, and in 2001 he became the 44th coach in Division III history to win 200 career games.

Otterbein will be making its sixth straight appearance in the Wittenberg Men's Soccer Invitational. The Cardinals, who advanced all the way to the NCAA Division III national title game in 2002, are on a four-game win streak in the event capturing each of the last two team titles. Ohio Dominican, coming off a 13-6-1 season in 2002, is back for a third straight year after posting a 2-1-1 record in the last two invitationals. Rounding things out, Walsh is in the competition for a second straight year after finishing 6-15 and 4-4 in the North Division of the American Mideast Conference last year. The Cavaliers return 20 letterwinners and six starters.

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