Buffalo State's men's and women's soccer teams will each get an early jump on the 2016 season, when the teams travel abroad to train and compete in England in early August.  The teams are taking advantage of the NCAA's foreign tour exemption to kick off the year with a once in a lifetime opportunity for their student-athletes.

Although both teams will be in England at the same time, their student athletes will enjoy very different experiences.

The men's team will visit four cities while competing in three matches during its nine-day trip.  Fourth-year head coach and native Englishman Mark Howlett has assembled a comprehensive training trip that will allow his players to get a glimpse of some of the nation's top professional clubs and facilities. 

The Bengals will depart from Toronto on Aug. 7 and begin their stay in Howlett's home town of Portsmouth the following day.  The team will also visit Reading, Bournemouth, Southampton and London during its stay before returning home on Aug. 15.

On the competition docket for the Bengals are exhibition matches against AFC Wembley, AFC Bournemouth U18's, and Moneyfields FC U21's. 

The trip will also feature a number of stadium visits, including a tour of Wembley Stadium, home of the England National Team. 

The Bengals will also enjoy a pair of professional matches with pitch-side seats to watch Reading FC vs. Plymouth FC in the EFL cup, and will attend opening day of the Premier League season at Southampton when the Saints host Watford.

Buffalo State's players and coaches will also take part in a number of training sessions, tour London and spend an afternoon at the beach in Bournemouth.

Head women's coach Nicholas DeMarsh contracted with Global Team Travel to assemble the women's team's tour that will visit Manchester, Liverpool and London.

Departing from Toronto on Aug. 4 and returning on Aug. 12, the Bengals will begin their stay in Manchester, enjoying a tour of the city, including a stop at Warwick Castle, one of the world's largest standing medieval castles.   They will also engage in site seeing tours of Liverpool and London, including a cruise down the Thames, visit the beautiful Camden Town Markets, and tour Old Trafford and Wembley stadiums. 

The team will also compete in a pair of friendly matches against local competition, participate in training sessions, including a Futsal session at St. George's Park National Football Centre, and will attend a professional match between the Blackburn Rovers and Norwich.

When the teams return, the men will commence official practices on Aug. 20 and the women will begin on Aug. 22.  The men will officially open their season at RIT on Sept. 2, while the women will take on Western Connecticut at the Farmingdale State tournament on Sept. 3.