KANSAS CITY, Mo. – (Bracket - PDF) I (Video Announcement- Later Today) The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) has officially revealed the Opening Round pairings and bracket for the 2014 NAIA Women’s Soccer National Championship Opening Round. The 31-team championship is set to kick off with the National Championship Opening Round at 15 campus locations on Saturday. The 15 winners of the National Championship Opening Round tilts – as well as host Mobile (Ala.) – will advance to the national championship final site at the Orange Beach Sportsplex in Orange Beach, Ala. The 16-team, single-elimination tournament takes place Dec. 1-6, with the national championship final slated for 3 p.m. CST on Dec. 6.
For more information on the 2014 NAIA Women’s Soccer National Championship Opening Round and final site, click here.
This year’s 31 teams include 24 automatic qualifiers – awarded to conference, association of independent institutions, and unaffiliated group tournament and regular-season champions – and seven at-large bids.
The seven at-large teams were selected based on the final NAIA Women’s Soccer Modified Ratings Percentage Index (MRPI), released on Sunday, Nov. 16. The MRPI consists of the team’s modified winning percentage, their opponents’ winning percentage and the cumulative ratings points from the NAIA Women’s Soccer Coaches’ Top 25 Poll. To view the final MRPI, click here.
Leading the talented field is defending national champion Concordia (Ore.). The Cavaliers hoisted their first banner in program history after defeating Westmont (Calif.), 1-0, in 2013. Last year’s victory snapped a three-match losing streak in the national final for Concordia, who has played in four championship matches since 2004 (04-08-11-13). In his 18th season at the helm, current NAIA Coach of the Year Grant Landy and his squad have now won 15-straight Cascade Collegiate Conference (CCC) championships and booked 14-consecutive trips to the national championship.
Since host sites began for the Opening Round in 2008, the Cavaliers are a perfect 6-0-0 when hosting the first match. Lindsey Wilson (Ky.) joins the Cavaliers as the only other school in the field to host and win every contest of the Opening Round. Martin Methodist (Tenn.) is next with at 5-1-0.
Joining Concordia as Opening Round hosts are: Benedictine (Kan.), Concordia (Calif.), Cumberland (Tenn.), Embry-Riddle (Fla.), Lindsey Wilson, Martin Methodist, Northwestern Ohio, Northwood (Fla.), Olivet Nazarene (Ill.), Spring Arbor (Mich.), The Master’s (Calif.), Vanguard (Calif.), Westmont (Calif.) and William Carey (Miss.).
The host institution was 10-3-2 in the Opening Round last year. Overall, teams who play the Opening Round match at home are 70-13-9 since 2008.
Five of this year’s qualifiers have made double-digit national championship appearances, led by Westmont with 17. Lindsey Wilson is second with 16 trips to the event, while Concordia (Ore.) is third with 14. Embry-Riddle (Fla.) and Martin Methodist (Tenn.) have 11 all-time appearances each.
Last year’s runner-up Westmont leads all schools in the competition with five banners to its name. Lindsey Wilson is second with three titles and Martin Methodist owns a pair of championships. Mobile joins Concordia (Ore.) as teams in the field with one crown apiece.
The Golden State Athletic Conference (GSAC) has the most schools in the national championship with four. Westmont, the postseason GSAC tournament champion, headlines the foursome. The three GSAC at-large programs are Concordia (Calif.), The Master’s (Calif.) and Vanguard (Calif.).
Seven teams will be getting their first taste of national championship action – AIB (Iowa), Concordia (Neb.), Menlo (Calif.), Northwestern Ohio, Oklahoma Baptist, Rio Grande (Ohio) and William Woods (Mo.). Only two programs were new faces in the national championship a season ago – Columbia (Mo.) and Our Lady of the Lake (Texas) – and both squads are back again in 2014.
NAIANetwork.com, the NAIA’s official video-streaming home, will broadcast all 15 matches live at the 2014 Women’s Soccer National Championship final site in Orange Beach. The video platform, powered by Stretch Internet, will include live statistics, social media interaction and be available on mobile-friendly devices. Single-championship packages can be purchased for $20, while an all-season pass (up to 17 championships during the 2014-15 season) is available for $75. For more information and to pre-register, click here.
2014 NAIA Women’s Soccer National Championship Opening Round Pairings (Full Championship Schedule)
Match 1 - Reinhardt (Ga.) (15-3-2) at Embry-Riddle (Fla.) (16-1-0)
Match 2 - Hastings (Neb.) (16-4-1) at Olivet Nazarene (Ill.) (16-3-1)
Match 3 - Concordia (Neb.) (15-2-4) at Benedictine (Kan.) (18-1-0)
Match 4 - AIB (Iowa) (12-6-2) at Spring Arbor (Mich.) (18-1-1) \
Match 5 - William Woods (Mo.) (12-6-3) at Northwestern Ohio (18-1-1)
Match 6 - Trinity International (Ill.) (14-3-2) at The Master’s (Calif.) (12-5-1)
Match 7 - Cal State San Marcos (11-2-4) at Vanguard (Calif.) (16-3-1)
Match 8 - Menlo (Calif.) (12-6-2) at Concordia (Ore.) (16-1-2)
Match 9 - Our Lady of the Lake (Texas) (12-7-1) at William Carey (Miss.) (17-2-1)
Match 10 - Westminster (Utah) (15-3-2) at Northwood (Fla.) (14-5-2)
Match 11 - Oklahoma Baptist (15-5-1) at Martin Methodist (Tenn.) (12-5-1)
Match 12 - Ottawa (Kan.) (12-2-6) at Westmont (Calif.) (15-3-0)
Match 13 - Columbia (Mo.) (11-6-1) at Lindsey Wilson (Ky.) (13-3-3)
Match 14 - Bellevue (Neb.) (16-1-0) at Concordia (Calif.) (11-7-1)
Match 15 - Rio Grande (Ohio) (12-5-0) at Cumberland (Tenn.) (15-3-1)