KALAMAZOO -- The Western Michigan women's soccer team and second-year head coach Nate Norman have announced the schedule for the upcoming 2013 season. This season's slate will feature eight regular-season home games and one exhibition home game.

The team officially kicks off the preseason on Aug. 10 and hosts the University of Michigan on Aug. 13 at 3 p.m. for its first preseason match. WMU wraps up exhibition play at IPFW on Aug. 17th.

The Broncos open up the regular season with two away games at Saint Louis and Iowa before their home-opener on Sept. 1 against Cleveland State. The lone other non-conference home game is on Sept. 22 against Western Illinois at 2:30 p.m.

"We have put together a very challenging schedule that will help us prepare for our always difficult conference schedule," said Norman.  "Our goal is to get better every game and every practice. We believe this schedule is set up to challenge us in a lot of different areas as prepare for our conference season."

Six of WMU's 11 Mid-American Conference games will be played at the WMU Soccer Complex. The conference season begins with a road trip to Toledo on Sept. 27 and then hosting Northern Illinois just two days later on the 29th at 1 p.m.

The Broncos also host Miami, Ball State, Akron, Buffalo and Eastern Michigan.