UPEI to host second annual Mulligan Cup

UPEI is proud to host the second annual Mulligan Cup, an exhibition soccer tournament held August 30-September 2, at the UPEI. This is an opportunity for both UPEI Panther teams to finish training camp and prepare for the upcoming AUS season which begins at home on September 8.

Both Mount Allison University and Holland College teams are back to play in the tournament, in addition to the Cape Breton University men's team. The tournament kicks off with the UPEI women's Panthers taking on the Holland College Hurricanes on Thursday, August 30, at 4 pm.

The tournament is named in honour of former UPEI soccer coach and Panther sport builder, Vince Mulligan, who was one of the first to recognize the global popularity of soccer and its potential for growth on PEI. Mulligan started the UPEI men's soccer program in 1969, coaching the team through to 1982, and including its first game in the AUAA in 1977. Under his guidance, the Panthers reached the 1981 AUAA finals, and in 1982, he led them to a fifth-place ranking in the country. For his efforts, he was named AUAA Coach of the Year.

In the fall of 1983, Mulligan switched his cleats for skates, taking over as bench boss for the UPEI men's hockey team. In five years, Mulligan won three AUAA championships, another AUAA Coach of the Year award, and a coaching record of 115 wins against 27 losses. He then turned his attention to women's hockey, starting the UPEI program in 1978, and in 1990, he did the same for women's soccer, reaching the playoffs three times in the program's first four years.

Admission to the games will be $5 per day, and 2012-13 soccer season passes include admission to the Mulligan Cup. UPEI will continue to offer students free admission to all Panthers regular season home games. A full schedule of the Mulligan Cup is listed below.