Cougar Sports Services

The Dana Dimel era will officially begin Sept. 2 at Rice Stadium against the Owls, according to the 2000 football schedule that was released this week.

UH will play four home games at Robertson Stadium in addition to the Rice game a few miles away. Army, old rival Southern Methodist University, Southern Mississippi and Louisville will be visiting O'Quinn Field this year.

Seven official road games are on the slate; four of them are within driving distance for UH commuters. The Cougars will battle Louisiana State in Baton Rouge on Sept. 9, Texas in Austin on Sept. 23 and Tulane in New Orleans on Nov. 4.

The Conference USA schedule features seven games, one more than the customary number played since 1996.

Soccer to open up at home

UH's new Track and Soccer Complex will see its first action Aug. 25 when the Cougars open up the 2000 schedule against Texas Christian University.

Nine home games are on the slate, including C-USA rivals Cincinnati, Louisville, Saint Louis, Alabama-Birmingham and Memphis.

The road schedule also boasts nine games, with the C-USA Tournament to be held Nov. 2-5.