HUNTSVILLE, Ala. — Women's soccer will make its debut in Joe Davis Stadium on August 18 as in-state rivals University of North Alabama (UNA) and Jacksonville State (Jax State) square off, bringing their annual match to a neutral site for the first time.
"We can't wait to see Jax State and UNA face off for the first women's soccer match in the newly renovated Joe Davis Stadium!" stated Mark Russell, Huntsville Sports Commission Executive Director. It'll make for a fun soccer-filled weekend in Rocket City!"
The match will kick off at 7 p.m., and tickets are available through the Huntsville City FC box office website. Tickets are $10 and can be purchased here.
It will be a busy weekend on Wicks Family Field. On Saturday, August 17, Huntsville City FC will host a match against New York Red Bulls II. You can purchase tickets for that match here.
"Bringing a women's soccer rivalry match to Wicks Family Field is going to make this a great weekend of soccer for our fans to enjoy," said Chad Emerson, Managing Director of HCFC. "Thanks to our partners at the Sports Commission and CVB, we look forward to more of these events in the future."
UNA is coming off a strong season in 2023, going 11-5-6 and advancing to the ASUN Conference championship game – losing in penalty kicks to Florida Gulf Coast. Head coach Chris Walker returns with 19 players from his squad a year ago.
"We are excited to have the opportunity to work with the city of Huntsville and host our game against Jacksonville State at the fantastic Joe Davis Stadium," said UNA head coach Chris Walker. "We would love to invite the Huntsville community and UNA alumni in the area to come out and enjoy a great night of women's college soccer."
Jax State is continuing its rebuild under second-year head coach Sean Fraser, who led the Gamecocks to a 6-9-2 record in his first campaign in 2023.
Jax State's Head Coach Sean Fraser stated, "We are thrilled to partner with UNA and our friends in Huntsville to provide this unique opportunity for our student athletes, families, alumni, and friends. I appreciate Joel and his team for all of their effort in making this happen."
The UNA-Jax State match starts a big fall season of soccer events in Huntsville. The Rocket City will host the Gulf South Conference championship in November, followed by the 24-team National Junior College Athletic Association Division II men’s and women’s soccer national championships.
“One of our goals is to continue building our soccer portfolio, and this match will start a big fall of events for Huntsville,” said Joel Lamp, Sports Development Manager for the Huntsville/Madison County Convention & Visitors Bureau. “We expect this to be the tip of the iceberg for more events at Joe Davis Stadium.”