2018 NAIA Women's Soccer National Championship Qualifiers Revealed
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – [Qualifier Reveal | Bracket] The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) has officially announced the teams and pairings for the 2018 NAIA Women’s Soccer National Championship Opening Round. The 30-team NAIA Opening Round event at 15 campus locations will occur on Nov. 17.
The 2018 NAIA Opening Round winners and host Mobile (Ala.) will meet up in Orange Beach, Ala., at the NAIA National Championship final site event. The 35th annual championship takes place at the Orange Beach Sportsplex from Nov. 26 – Dec. 1.
This year’s opening round field includes 25 automatic qualifiers, five at-large selections and one host berth. Automatic berths were given to teams that either won their respective conference tournament title, regular-season championship, regular season runner-up, or finished runner-up at the conference tournament. The at-large bids were determined by the Soccer National Selection Committee utilizing overall winning percentage, Modified Ratings Percentage Index, area ratings and the top 25 of the final NAIA Women’s Soccer Coaches’ Top 25 poll,
The NAIA Network – the association’s official video streaming home – will broadcast all 15 matches live at the 2018 NAIA Women’s Soccer National Championship final site in Orange Beach, Ala. The video platform, powered by Stretch Internet, allows users access to live video, statistics, and social interaction on a number of devices, including mobile. Single day passes can be purchased for $9.95, while an all-championship tournament package is available at $29.95. For more information and to pre-register, click HERE.
The 2018 national championship final site bracket will be announced late on Nov. 17 on NAIA.org.
Qualifier Highlights
- Aquinas (Mich.), Hope International (Calif.), LSU-Shreveport (La.), Midland (Neb.), and Truett McConnell (Ga.) are all newcomers to NAIA Women’s Soccer Championship play.
- The Southern States Athletic Conference leads the way with three teams in the 2018 opening round. 11 other conferences have two representatives.
- Lindsey Wilson (Ky.) leads the field in number of appearances in the championship field with its 20th this season.
- Lindsey Wilson’s four national titles are the most among the 2018 opening round qualifiers.
- Spring Arbor (Mich.) will attempt to become the first team since 2011 to win back-to-back national championships. Former member institution Lee (Tenn.) won four-in-a-row from 2008 through 2011.
- 21 teams from the 2017 national championship field will return in 2018.
- Benedictine (Kan.), Grace (Ind.) and Mertin Methodist (Tenn.) lead all teams with 18 wins on the season.
- Missouri Baptist is snapping the longest absence from championship play with its last appearance coming in 2009.
Opening Round Pairings | November 17, 2018 | Campus Host Sites
Game 1 – Asbury (Ky.) at No. 1 Spring Arbor (Mich.)
Game 2 – Missouri Baptist at No. 2 William Carey (Miss.)
Game 3 – LSU Shreveport (La.) at No. 3 Martin Methodist (Tenn.)
Game 4 – Tennessee Wesleyan at No. 4 Keiser (Fla.)
Game 5 – Northwest (Wash.) at No. 5 Vanguard (Calif.)
Game 6 – Truett McConnell (Ca.) at No. 6 Southeastern (Fla.)
Game 7 – Columbia (Mo.) at No. 7 Georgia Gwinnett
Game 8 – Ottawa (Kan.) at No. 8 Benedictine (Kan.)
Game 9 – Hope International (Calif.) at No. 9 Embry Riddle (Ariz.)
Game 10 – Aquinas (Mich.) at No. 10 Lindsey Wilson (Ky.)
Game 11 – Kansas Wesleyan at No. 11 John Brown (Ark.)
Game 12 – Cardinal Stritch (Wis.) at No. 12 Northwestern Ohio
Game 13 – Central Methodist (Mo.) at No. 13 Hastings (Neb.)
Game 14 – Midland (Neb.) at No. 14 Science & Arts (Okla.)
Game 15 – Eastern Oregon at No. 15 Grace (Ind.)
Don’t miss a minute of any NAIA Championship this season. Buy your All-Championship Pass today.
2018 NAIA Women’s Soccer National Championship Qualifiers (Listed Alphabetically)
| School |
Conference |
Qualifying Method |
Record |
Championship Appearances |
Championship Record |
| Aquinas (Mich.) |
Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference |
Tournament Championion |
16-4-1 |
1st |
0-0-0 |
| Asbury (Ky.) |
River States Athletic Conference |
Tournament Championion |
10-7-2 |
4th |
0-3-0 |
| Benedictine (Kan.) |
Heart of America Athletic Conference |
Regular Season Champion |
18-1-2 |
7th |
10-5-2 |
| Cardinal Stritch (Wis.) |
Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference |
Tournament Champion |
15-3-0 |
2nd |
0-1-0 |
| Central Methodist (Mo.) |
Heart of America Athletic Conference |
Tournament Runner-Up |
16-5-0 |
2nd |
0-1-0 |
| Columbia (Mo.) |
American Midwest Conference |
Tournament Champion |
14-4-2 |
6th |
2-4-2 |
| Eastern Oregon |
Cascade Collegiate Conference |
Regular Season Champion |
15-2-2 |
3rd |
0-2-0 |
| Embry-Riddle (Ariz.) |
California Pacific Conference |
Tournament Champion |
17-2-0 |
4th |
1-3-0 |
| Georgia Gwinnett |
A.I.I. |
Tournament Champion |
15-3-0 |
3rd |
0-2-0 |
| Grace (Ind.) |
Crossroads League |
At-Large |
18-3-0 |
2nd |
1-1-0 |
| Hastings (Neb.) |
Great Plains Athletic Conference |
Tournament Champion |
16-0-3 |
9th |
4-8-2 |
| Hope International (Calif.) |
Golden State Athletic Conference |
Tournament Champion |
13-5-2 |
1st |
0-0-0 |
| John Brown (Ark.) |
Sooner Athletic Conference |
At-Large |
15-4-1 |
5th |
0-4-0 |
| Kansas Wesleyan |
Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference |
Regular Season Champion |
17-2-2 |
7th |
2-6-2 |
| Keiser (Fla.) |
The Sun Conference |
Tournament Champion |
16-2-2 |
13th |
13-12-0 |
| Lindsey Wilson (Ky.) |
Mid-South Conference |
Tournament Champion |
11-3-2 |
20th |
41-15-3 |
| LSU-Shreveport (La.) |
Red River Athletic Conference |
Tournament Champion |
13-4-2 |
1st |
0-0-0 |
| Martin Methodist (Tenn.) |
Southern States Athletic Conference |
Tournament Champion |
18-1-1 |
15th |
21-9-5 |
| Midland (Neb.) |
Great Plains Athletic Conference |
Regular Season Runner-up |
13-2-3 |
1st |
0-0-0 |
| Missouri Baptist |
American Midwest Conference |
Regular Season Champion |
10-5-3 |
2nd |
0-1-0 |
| Mobile (Ala.) |
Southern States Athletic Conference |
Host Berth |
12-7-0 |
13th |
13-10-1 |
| Northwest (Wash.) |
Cascade Collegiate Conference |
Tournament Champion |
11-8-2 |
3rd |
2-2-1 |
| Northwestern Ohio |
Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference |
Regular Season Champion |
13-4-3 |
5th |
15-3-0 |
| Ottawa (Kan.) |
Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference |
Regular Season Runner-up |
15-4-1 |
7th |
2-5-1 |
| Science & Arts (Okla.) |
Sooner Athletic Conference |
Tournament Champion |
16-4-1 |
4th |
0-3-0 |
| Southeastern (Fla.) |
The Sun Conference |
At-Large |
17-1-2 |
2nd |
2-1-0 |
| Spring Arbor (Mich.) |
Crossroads League |
Tournament Champion |
17-1-1 |
10th |
19-6-2 |
| Tennessee Wesleyan |
Appalachian Athletic Conference |
Tournament Champion |
12-5-1 |
4th |
0-1-0 |
| Truett McConnell (Ga.) |
Appalachian Athletic Conference |
Regular Season Champion |
16-2-0 |
1st |
0-0-0 |
| Vanguard (Calif.) |
Golden State Athletic Conference |
At-Large |
14-2-0 |
8th |
6-4-4 |
| William Carey (Miss.) |
Southern States Athletic Conference |
At-Large |
16-3-0 |
10th |
11-9- |