The 2014 NCAA Division III Men's and Women's Soccer Championships kick off on Friday, Dec. 5 with four semifinal match-ups. The winners will advance to play in the national championships on Saturday, Dec. 6. All matches will be played at Swope Soccer Village in Kansas City, Missouri and tickets are available by calling 816-389-4193.
FRIDAY, DEC. 5
Men's Semifinal #1: SUNY, Oneonta vs. Wheaton College at 11 a.m. CT
Men's Semifinal #2: Tufts University vs. Ohio Wesleyan University at 1:30 p.m. CT
Women's Semifinal #1: Lynchburg College vs. Illinois Wesleyan University at 5 p.m. CT
Women's Semifinal #2: Johns Hopkins University vs. Williams College at 7:30 p.m. CT
SATURDAY, DEC. 6
Men's NCAA Division III National Championship at 1:30 p.m. CT
Women's NCAA Division III National Championship at 5:30 p.m. CT
On the women's side, a first-time champion will be crowned in a Final Four that features three at-large bids looking to knock off No. 1 ranked Lynchburg College. The men's Final Four features a pair of two-time national champions in Ohio Wesleyan University (1998, 2011) and Wheaton College (1984, 1997) along with No. 3 ranked SUNY, Oneonta and unranked Tufts University.
The 2014 NCAA Division III Men's and Women's Soccer Championships at Swope Soccer Village in Kansas City, Missouri will be co-hosted by the Kansas City Sports Commission and Fontbonne University. This year's Final Four is the first of four consecutive years in which NCAA men's and women's soccer championships will be competed at the state-of-the-art complex (Division III in 2014 and 2015; Division II in 2016 and 2017).
2014 NCAA DIVISION III MEN'S SOCCER FINAL FOUR
SUNY, Oneonta (21-0-2) from Oneonta, New York
The Red Dragons -- ranked No. 3 nationally -- earned an automatic berth into the NCAA tournament as State University of New York Athletic Conference champions, their eighth overall conference championship in program history. One of only two unbeaten teams in Division III men's soccer this season, Oneonta State will make their second Final Four appearance in the last four years after allowing only one goal in this year's NCAA tournament. The team's 0.42 goals against average was the fourth best in the country leading into their fourth all-time NCAA appearance. Freshman forward Cory Santangelo leads the team with 14 goals and two assists in 2014.
Wheaton College (21-3-0) from Wheaton, Illinois
The Thunder -- ranked No. 8 nationally -- are in the midst of their 35th all-time NCAA tournament appearance and have reached the Final Four for the sixth time in their program's history, returning to the semifinals for the first time since 2006. The two-time national champions (1984, 1997) received an automatic bid into the NCAA tournament as champions of the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin. Offensively, the team is led by junior forward Stephen Golz with 20 goals and three assists. Defensively, the Thunder have allowed only one goal to date in the NCAA tournament.
Tufts University (14-2-4) from Medford, Massachusetts
The unranked Jumbos were recipients of an at-large berth into the NCAA tournament and capped their run to the Final Four with an upset of No. 1 ranked Messiah in the quarterfinals, snapping Messiah's 39-game unbeaten streak (38-0-1). Tufts has recorded three straight shutouts in the postseason and will now play in their first Final Four in school history during their fourth ever NCAA tournament appearance. The Jumbos went unbeaten with a 7-0-3 record in the NESCAC in 2014 and are led by senior forward Gus Santos with seven goals and two assists. Freshman midfielder Stephen McMillian hails from St. Louis, Missouri.
Ohio Wesleyan University (17-4-4) from Delaware, Ohio
The Battling Bishops -- ranked No. 14 nationally -- finished atop the North Coast Athletic Conference with an 8-0-1 record for their seventh consecutive title but needed an at-large bid into their 37th NCAA tournament (a Division III record). Ohio Wesleyan is making their 10th appearance in the Final Four and their trophy case includes two of the school's five national championships (1998, 2011). Head coach Jay Martin is the winningest coach in the history of college men's soccer with 657 wins and his squad is led by senior midfielder Colton Bloecher with 17 goals and four assists. Sophomore midfielder Nick Tobias is a Chesterfield, Missouri native.
2014 NCAA DIVISION III WOMEN'S SOCCER FINAL FOUR
Lynchburg College (25-0-1) from Lynchburg, Virginia
The Hornets -- ranked No. 1 nationally -- claimed their fifth straight Old Dominion Athletic Conference title to secure an automatic berth into this year's NCAA tournament, their 15th in program history but only the second to include a Final Four run. Lynchburg boasts the best defense in the country with a .151 goals against average to go along with the fourth best scoring offense in the nation (4.62 goals per game). Angela Bosco (29 goals) and Dessi Dupuy (28 goals) both ranked in among the nation's top 10 scorers. Bosco added 16 assists, fifth most in the country.
Illinois Wesleyan University (18-6-1) from Bloomington, Illinois
In their seventh NCAA appearance, the unranked Titans will compete in the Final Four for the first time after making the most of their at-large bid. Illinois Wesleyan is led by Skyler Tomko with 13 goals and three assists and their roster features two players born in Missouri or Kansas. Sophomore midfielder Kaitlin Springer joined the team from St. Louis, MO while freshman defender Hanna Heline is a product of Lawrence, Kansas.
Johns Hopkins University (19-3-2) from Baltimore, Maryland
The Blue Jays -- ranked No. 20 nationally - are also an at-large squad competing in their first Final Four after 12 previous NCAA tournament appearances. Senior forward Hannah Kronick has powered the offense with 17 goals and seven assists in 2014.
Williams College (20-1-1) from Williamstown, Massachusetts
The Ephs are ranked No. 5 nationally but required an at-large entry into the postseason for their 16th NCAA tournament appearance. Sophomore forward Kristi Kirshe is one to watch with 18 goals and five assists, while she's joined in the attack by senior forward and St. Louis, Missouri native Alison Magruder.
