INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. -- Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference tournament champion Trinity University (15-1-3) earned its 17th-straight bid into the 62-team NCAA Div. III Men’s Soccer Tournament, while Southwestern University (12-5-0) received it’s first-ever bid into the championship field after receiving one of the 19 at-large bids. This year marks the first year since 2012 the SCAC will be represented by two teams in the national field. Interactive bracket | Printable bracket
Trinity claimed its seventh SCAC Men’s Soccer Tournament Championship title on Sunday outlasting Southwestern in a penalty shootout. After 110 minutes of action couldn’t break a 1-1 tie, the Tigers defeated Pirates in penalty kicks (4-2).
Trinity will host Chapman (11-7-1) for its NCAA opening round contest, the automatic qualifier out of the Southern California Intercollege Athletic Conference (SCIAC), on Saturday in San Antonio, Texas. On the other side of the bracket, Southwestern, takes on the American Southwest Conference champion, University of Mary Hardin-Baylor (12-5-3). The winners of Saturday's matches play on Sunday with a trip to the sectionals on the line.
28th-year head coach Paul McGinlay leads Trinity, which is making its 22nd national tournament appearance. The Tigers got strong performances this season from Austin Michaelis and Brady Johnston as the duo combined for 19 of Trinity’s 70 goals and dished out six total assists for 44 total points. On the defensive side of the ball, Blake Lieberman corralled 50 saves and allowed just 10 goals in 1569 minutes of action with a 0.57 goals against average. Trinity, which won the 2007 national title and finished as the runners-up in 2003, is 42-20-3 all-time in NCAA postseason play.
First-year head coach Dustin Norman will guide Southwestern into its first-ever NCAA appearance. Senior Jake Swonke leads the Pirates in nearly every offensive category as he has netted eight goals and dished out two assists for 18 total points. On the defensive side of the ball, Alan Carr collected 72 saves and allowed just 10 goals in 1292 minutes of action with a 0.70 goals against average.
Forty-two conferences were awarded automatic qualification for the championship. One team was selected from Pool B, which consists of independent institutions, as well as members of conferences that do not meet the requirements for automatic qualification. The final 19 berths were reserved for Pool C, which includes institutions from automatic-qualifying conferences that did not win their conference championship and any remaining Pool B teams.
All tournament games leading up to the national semifinals will be played on the campuses of the competing institutions. Two sites will host three teams for first- and second- round competition Nov. 9 and 10 or 10 and 11. Fourteen sites will host four teams for first-and second-round competition Nov. 9 and 10 or 10 and 11.
Second-round winners will advance to one of four sectional sites Nov. 16 and 17 or 17 and 18. Winners of the four sectionals will advance to the national semifinals, which take place Nov. 30 at UNCG Soccer Stadium in Greensboro, North Carolina, with UNC Greensboro and Greensboro Sports Commission serving as hosts. The national championship game will be played Dec. 1. The Division III women’s soccer national semifinals and championship games will also be held at UNCG Soccer Stadium Nov. 30 and Dec. 1.
