Courtesy of Chad Waller, NAIA Director of Sports information & Media Services
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – (Scoreboard) The 2010 NAIA Men’s Soccer National Championship Opening Round will take place on Saturday with 15 matches played at on-campus sites. In the 30-team field, seven programs are repeat selections from the 2009 National Championship, while eight others are making their first appearance overall. The 15 opening round winners will join Mobile (Ala.) in Orange Beach, Ala., at the National Championship final site from Nov. 29 – Dec. 4.
Since the Opening Round format began in 2008, the hosts have combined for a record of 21-5-4 all-time. This year’s field includes 24 automatic qualifiers from each of the conferences/independent/ unaffiliated groups and seven at-large bids. One of the at-large selections, No. 8 Belhaven (Miss.) (15-1-3), is making its first trip since 1984.
Defending National Champion and No. 6-seed Lindsey Wilson (Ky.) enters the postseason with a 15-3-1 overall record and hosts Southern Poly State (Ga.) (15-3-1). With eight National Championships and 17 straight playoff trips, the Blue Raiders trail only Quincy (Ill.) for the most titles with 11. Head coach Ray Wells, who is in his 22nd season with over 400 wins, has his offense clicking. The offense ranks eighth nationally with 3.5 goals per match. The home game marks the third-straight year that the Blue Raiders have played an opening round home match. Lindsey Wilson is 2-0 all-time in the Opening Round and has outscored its opponents 8-0.
No. 1 Rio Grande (Ohio), a team ranked first in the last four Top 25 Coaches’ polls, is 21-0 on the season. The RedStorm host Bethel (Ind.) (14-7) for the second time in three years of Opening Round action. In 2008, Rio Grande was victorious, 2-1 in the same year that the RedStorm advanced to the title game. With a 16-6-2 National Championship record, Rio Grande is appearing in its 10th-straight postseason.
Simon Fraser (B.C.) is making its 23rd appearance, the most of any active school. The Clan (19-1), seeded fifth, hosts Great Falls (Mont.) (15-3-1). Simon Fraser is tied with Lindsey Wilson for the most wins in National Championship action with 40.
Four schools enter the postseason with an undefeated mark: No. 3 Hastings (Neb.) (20-0), No. 5 Maine-Fort Kent (21-0), No. 4 Notre Dame (Ohio) (19-0) and Rio Grande (21-0). All of these programs will host their Opening Round opponent.
Seven of the current teams this year hold at least one National Championship title, with two schools, Lindsey Wilson and Simon Fraser, claiming multiple rings. Five of the last seven National Champions will be playing on Saturday, Lindsey Wilson, Simon Fraser, Bethel (Tenn.), No. 13 Azusa Pacific (Calif.) and Rio Grande.
NeuLion is the NAIA’s Digital Media Partner and official video-streaming company of nine select NAIA National Championship events. All 15 matches from Orange Beach will be available via live video stream for $24.95 and any single day can be purchased for $9.95. Refer to the Championship schedule, which can be found by clicking here.
For more information on the National Championship Opening Round, click here.
For more information on the National Championship, click here.
For complete conference tournament breakdown, click here.
For information on Tickets at the National Championship final site, click here.
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