The 48-team field was announced for the 2011 NCAA Men's Soccer Tournament, and as is the case every year, there were some surprises as well as some surprising omissions.
Central Florida, Wake Forest and Georgia State were among the teams to grab the final at-large berths in this year's NCAA Tournament Field, a field that features seven Big East teams and six ACC teams.
Here is how the field breaks down (seeded teams have first-round byes, first-round games to be played on Nov. 17th):
BRACKET 1
(1) North Carolina vs 1st-round winner of Elon vs. Coastal Carolina
(16) Indiana vs. w/o Liberty vs. Old Dominion
——–
(9) St. John's vs. w/o Fairfield vs. Brown
(8) UC-Irvine vs. St. Mary's vs. Cal State-Bakersfield
BRACKET 2
(4) Boston College vs. w/o Colgate vs. Rutgers
(13) UCLA vs. w/o Delaware vs. Virginia
——–
(5) Maryland vs. w/o Xavier vs. West Virginia
(12) Louisville vs. w/o Loyola-Chicago vs. Bradley
BRACKET 3
(3) UConn vs. w/o Stony Brook vs. Monmouth
(14) James Madison vs. Wake Forest vs. South Carolina
——–
(6) SMU vs. w/o Akron vs. Northwestern
(11) UAB vs. w/o Furman vs. UNC-Charlotte
BRACKET 4
(7) South Florida vs. w/o Florida Gulf Coast vs. Central Florida
(10) New Mexico vs. w/o Duke vs. Georgia State
——–
(2) Creighton vs. w/o Western Illinois vs. Northern Illinois
(15) UCSB vs w/o Dartmouth vs. Providence
=====
Second-round match-ups take place on Nov. 20th, with the Round of 16 slated for Nov. 27th.
The NCAA College Cup Final Four is set for Dec. 9th, with the Championship Final set for Dec. 11th in Hoover, Alabama.
What do you think of the field? Who do you see winning the NCAA Championship this year? Which match-ups are you most looking forward to seeing?
Share your thoughts below.
So…SBI Bracket Challenge?
(SBI-If someone has a suggestion for a website that can run a bracket challenge please let me know. Not sure we can do it manually.)
Fair enough… As far as what is more impressive, there’s an argument for both teams to be seeded in the top 4. Clearly they’re both among the nation’s elite. There’s no question that Maryland plays in a tougher conference, and no question Creighton went out and challenged themselves more out of conference. Both did well. I watched the head-to-head game on TV, and Creighton controlled the second half as much as Maryland did the first half. Perhaps a rematch will be in order, for the national title!
One of biggest snub of the entire tournament has to be Marquette University from Milwaukee. They beat Rutgers, Providence, and West Virginia convincingly along with Notre Dame and quality draw with Wisconsin. Not to mention that this team won the Big East Blue Division the toughest half of the conference in the country. After a slow start due to several reasons this team proved that they are one of the top 48 teams in the country.
You forgot to mention that Maryland outshot Creighton 9-0 in the first half of that game(11-6 overall) and thoroughly dominated possession. And speaking about the strength of schedule, the highest ranked team that Creighton played against is Maryalnd (No. 5) and Creighton lost. On the other hand Maryland played against three of the top 4 seeds in the tournament beating Creighton (no. 2) 1-0, splittng games against Boston College (no. 4) 4-0 and 1-2, and tying North Carolina (No.1) 1-1. For me, this record is more impressive that Creighton’s 1-0 wins against the likes of Bradley or St. Mary’s.
I would take Washington and Wisconsin over West Virginia and Fordham
I would take Washington and Wisconsin over West Virginia and Fordham
Maybe the fact Maryland won just 2 road games all season, while Creighton won 7, had something to do with it. Both teams have 5 wins vs. the RPI top-25. Creighton has 12 wins vs. the top-100, while Maryland has 9. Granted, Maryland beat Creighton 1-0… on their home field of course, since they refuse to play at Creighton unless it’s an exhibition.
So the teams that got snubbed for the tournament are Notre Dame, Ohio State, University of Washington and University of Wisconsin? Who should they have made the tournament instead of? (Some teams automatically qualify for the tournament by winning a season ending conference cup or by winning their conference during the regular season.)
Let’s go Loyola University of Chicago Ramblers. Third appearance in five years for the Lake Michigan Jesuits.
let the festivities begin!!!!
I don’t understand how the Huskies didn’t get in? half their losses are to UCLA and they have a great signature win over UAB. They clearly got stronger as the season progressed. I think their snub is worse than Wisconsin’s
I thought UW was in after first round conference win. Good win over Indiana and finished ahead of them in the conference. I had Ohio State in the tourney as well. Badgers are probably going to be really strong next year in a really strong conference
Props to Providence and good luck in the first round. Tough trip in the second out west. Playing the Gauchos at home is a huge ask. They pack the stands every home game. Definitely one of the hardest places to play in the country. Look out for flying tortillas when UCSB scores…not joking
Someone please explain how Indiana got seeded? They lost to everyone seeded higher than them and have no signature wins against teams in the tourney as far as I can tell. Finished fourth out of seven teams in their conference and knocked out in the tourney semifinals.
I am also not sure that playing the winner of Liberty and Old Dominion this year is the hardest second round match up (as it should be for the worst seeded team).
Northwestern hasn’t lost since Sept.28th. Beat Michigan, tied Michigan State (both of whom beat Akron). All other common opponents are the same (both beat Northern Illinois and Penn State). Akron is probably really lucky to get a home game here (although may be just rewards from two years ago when home game at Akron was moved to NU due to field conditions, leading to upset).
Both teams have resumes that are arguably stronger then SMU in the second round.
most ridiculous insult is to Northwestern. Big Ten Champs (beat #16 Indiana on a neutral field) and are 8-0-3 in last 11 games get jobbed with away game in first round against the defending national champs. TopDrawer ranks NU #6 in the country due to late season form. Of course both Akron and Northwestern got hosed. They should be meeting later in the tourney. Lobos also clearly shafted. If they had a high seed I would like to see who beats them in NM prior to the college cup.
Creighton ranked No. 2 while UMD is ranked No. 5? What are they smoking?
Let’s go, you Bruins!
Brackets don’t make a lot of sense to me. The NCAA’s own rankings have my UAB at #14 overall, but they get an 11 seed?
Looking forward to the Final Four in my back yard, almost literally. Regions Park is about three miles from my house. My club has practice fields in its shadow. And since I work for Regions Bank, the corporate box is definitely on the cards. So long as I’m not refereeing any games in the soccer festival going on at the same time, that is.
I’m surprised that Charlotte isn’t seeded higher… I think the Niners will surprise people this year… and make it far in the tournament
Clark is going to turn that into a powerful program.
Get your stuff straight Dinho. NM traditionally has a killer non-conference schedule to make up for the weak MPSF.
Maybe the NCAA committee felt that denying Jamie Clark’s team a bid would make it more likely he would return to UW next year.
Ives, what’s up with a “Pick-Em” Tourney Challenge????
I’m pretty shocked that the Washington Huskies didn’t make the tournament. 2nd in the Pac-6, with a 12-4-3 record. Good work by Jamie Clark turning this team around as quickly as he did, but definitely a let down to not get “selected” by the “committee”… I’ve never seen so many <10-win teams in the tournament.
UW not making the field is bigest snub.
The SMU rain out really hurt them.
Sh*t!!!
UC Irvine home game on 11/20 is at the same time as the MLS Cup…. WTF!
New Mexico didnt have that weak of a schedule. Tied Akron away, beat Cal State twice, one a 2 nil shutout in Cal States Stadium. And as the above stated UNM went to the finals no more than 5 years ago losing only on an own goal. a #10 seed is bogus
Providence Friars make the field in a rebuilding year with a very young team. They have a great coach.
ND didn’t make it!
how do you really feel about it, vincent?
🙂
New Mexico traditionally has a weak schedule, but I agree that a 10 seed is too low if you go undefeated. Who did they draw?
Lobos a 10 seed?????????? Wait let me get this straight nobody beat them and they win their conference and they are “rewarded” with a ten seed? whats the point if you do all that and the NCAA committee says, “neat, now you go be a good sport and play here.” im ready to rid the world of the NCAA. and dont give me this crap about SOS and Computer that. reward a team and if they cant defend their seed and too bad on them. i do recall the lobos making it to a final this century so its not like they are a flash in the pan…….booooooo
I would just like to take a second to give some props to the administration, coaches and players at IL universities for getting 5 teams into the tournament! Go Huskies!
Any predictions for the defending champs Zips? I hope they make it to the 3rd round at least…but they’ll have to follow a win vs their 1st round match with Northwestern with wins over likely winners SMU & UAB?
That’s what I said… I was thinking “Man my Bruins got a short end of the stick ranked at 13” but seeing the 4th & 5th teams ranked with them is even worst not to mention the 12th team as well..
Oh well I will hope Rowe and company can make the same surprising deep run as last year but this year finish a game when leading 3-0 in the region/bracket final 3-0 and go to the Final Four to take on someone of their same caliber
Just to clarify, home team is last?
Agreed. That’s pretty lame.
The potential for a Louisville/Maryland matchup is very exciting!
yeah just figured winner of…just not all the games had w/o beside them
Gotta beat the best to be the best…. Come on ‘Eaters!!!! ZOT ZOT ZOT!!!
winner of…DOLT!
Winner Of
Wow. Maryland, Louisville, UCLA and BC in the same bracket…..tough draw for those schools.
can someone explain what w/o means…usually that means a walk over (forfeited game)
UNM 10 seed? No respect.