WASHINGTON - Coming off the best season in program history, Georgetown University Head Women's Soccer Coach Dave Nolan announced the team's schedule for the 2017 season, which starts in early August.

Georgetown finished the 2016 season with a 20-3-3 overall record, advanced to the NCAA College Cup for the first time in program history and won the BIG EAST Tournament Championship for the first time. The Hoyas, who set program records for wins (20, shutouts (17) and goals scored (61), have made the NCAA Tournament in five-straight years and seven times in the last 10 seasons.

The Blue & Gray will return to the Hilltop in early August for preseason camp and start the season with a pair of exhibition games, first at home on Wednesday, Aug. 9 against Quinnipiac (4 p.m.) and then at Maryland on Friday, Aug. 11 (7 p.m.).

The regular season kicks off in earnest on Friday, Aug. 18 when the Hoyas host rival West Virginia, who advanced to the national championship game last year, at Shaw Field (4 p.m.). The Mountaineers, who were ranked No. 1 in the country for part of the 2016 season, suffered only one regular season loss last year, a 1-0 win by the Hoyas on Sept. 19.

"This is another extremely difficult schedule for us as we look to position ourselves for another deep run in the national tournament," Nolan said. "We are very excited to open up by hosting West Virginia on opening day. This game has emerged as a top rivalry on the East Coast and will probably be the top game in college soccer opening day. It will give both teams a chance to lay down a marker for the season."

"It doesn't get easier with a trip out West to play perennial national contender Stanford and San Jose State. We face key regional rivals in George Washington, Delaware and Towson and have another epic battle with Big 10 power Rutgers. Then it's on to the BIG EAST and what promises to be the most wide-open conference race in years with DePaul, Marquette and St. John's among others looking to take our crown."

The home weekend continues on Sunday, Aug. 20 when the team hosts George Washington (1 p.m.). Other non-league games at Shaw Field include contests against Loyola (Md.) on Sunday, Aug. 27 (1 p.m.), against St. Francis (Pa.) on Friday, Sept. 8 (4 p.m.) and Rutgers on Sunday, Sept. 18 (1 p.m.).

The team's first non-league game away from home is on Thursday, Aug. 24 at Delaware (7 p.m.). The Hoyas travel to the west coast to play at Stanford on Friday, Sept. 1 (5 p.m.) and then at San Jose State on Sunday, Sept. 3 (1 p.m.). The final non-league road game is on Sunday, Sept. 17 at Towson (1 p.m.).

BIG EAST Conference play starts at home on Sunday, Sept. 24 against St. John's (1 p.m.). Other conference home dates include Seton Hall on Sunday, Oct. 1 (1 p.m.), Creighton on Thursday, Oct. 5 (3 p.m.), Marquette on Thursday, Oct. 19 (3 p.m.) and Xavier on Thursday, Oct. 26 (2 p.m.).

League road games include games at DePaul on Thursday, Sept. 28 (3 p.m.), at Villanova on Sunday, Oct. 8 (1 p.m.), at Providence on Sunday, Oct. 15 (1 p.m.) and at Butler on Sunday, Oct. 22 (1 p.m.).