NEWARK, DE -- The 2006-2007 University of Delaware athletics season officially kicks off Friday as three Blue Hen teams open their seasons, including home appearances by the volleyball and women’s soccer teams.

The Blue Hen volleyball team, led by fifth-year head coach Bonnie Kenny (at right), will host the annual Delaware Asics Invitational this weekend at Barbara Viera Court at Carpenter Sports Building, the UD women’s soccer team, led by 17th-year head coach Scott Grzenda, will host Saint Joseph’s Friday night at 7 p.m., and a new era for Delaware men’s soccer begins as first-year head coach Ian Hennessy takes his squad to the Towson University Tournament beginning Friday night.

The volleyball squad, which went 11-20 a year ago, will host the four-team Asics Invitational beginning Friday as Texas-Arlington takes on Seton Hall at 4:30 p.m. and Delaware faces Marist at 7 p.m. The tournament continues Saturday with Arlington playing Marist at 11 a.m., Delaware taking on Seton Hall at 5 p.m., Seton Hall squaring off against Marist at 1 p.m., and Delaware and Arlington closing out the festivities with a 7 p.m. start. Tickets to the tournament are available at the gate the day of the game and are $4 per session.

The Blue Hen women’s soccer squad, which advanced to the Colonial Athletic Association semifinals a year ago and posted a record of 10-6-4 , will open the season Friday at Delaware Mini-Stadium vs. Saint Joseph’s at 7 p.m. Delaware will continue play Sunday when its hosts Seton Hall at 1 p.m. Admission to all UD soccer games is free.

Hennessy, who took over as head coach this spring, will look to begin turning things around for the UD program as the Hens open the 2006 season at the Towson (MD) University Tournament. The Hens, who went 2-12-4 a year ago, will take on Loyola (MD) Friday at 2 p.m. and Adelphi on Sunday at 1 p.m.

The Delaware field hockey team, led by 14th-year head coach Carol Miller, will also open its 2006 season this weekend by competing at the Duke University Tournament. The Hens, who went 8-11 during the 2005 campaign, will play Michigan State in their opener Saturday at 11:30 a.m. and face either Duke or Louisville in the consolation or final round at either 11:30 a.m. or 2 p.m.