Kennesaw State announced its 2010 women's soccer schedule, getting ready for its first season calling KSU Soccer Stadium its home.

Though the WPS' Atlanta Beat have already christened the facility, the Owls will begin their first season at the 8,300-seat stadium Aug. 14 when they host Jacksonville State in an exhibition game.

"Obviously, we are very excited," Kennesaw State coach Rob King said. "(The stadium) was completed just before the girls were getting out for the summer. They were around right as it was getting finished up. Many of them headed home for the summer. Some have watched the Beat and the (WPS All-Star Game), but they are excited to play their first game there."

The new stadium is a far cry from Kennesaw State's old on-campus field, where it enjoyed unparalleled success. In nine seasons, the Owls finished with a 71-7-2 record - a home winning percentage of .900.

"It's a big change," King said. "I mean, the old complex was very kind to us. We had a lot of great times, from the start of the program all the way through. We had a fair amount of victories and conference championships there."

Kennesaw State has reached the NCAA tournament in two of the last three years, and will begin its campaign to reach a third when it opens the regular season by hosting Division II Georgia College and State University on Aug. 17. The Owls will also host Alabama A&M on Aug. 22 and Wyoming on Sept. 5.

"The Wyoming matchup is one that typically is very difficult to get those sorts of opponents to come play us," King said. "That game is a doubleheader because we are going to play the early game, then the Atlanta Beat has a game that evening. The stadium already has opened new games for us."

The Beat will play their regular-season finale against Sky Blue FC after the Owls face Wyoming.

Along with the its home slate, Kennesaw State will make trips to perennial Atlantic Coast Conference power Maryland, Richmond and College of Charleston.

"We try and schedule the same sort of level of teams that we would see in the postseason," King said. "Maryland is certainly one of them. They are a bonafide top-25 team, and similar to a number of teams we might face at the end of the year.

"College of Charleston is a team we've played a couple of times in the past, but they do give us very good games. Richmond is another good team."

Kennesaw State will complete the season with three Atlantic Sun games at home, including in-state rival Mercer in the finale.

"Against Mercer this year, they are set up right at the end of the season, and as our homecoming game as well," King said. "There will a lot of festivities around that game as well."