U-M Earns First NCAA Berth, Second-Round Host Role
11/17/2003 12:00:00 AM | Men's Soccer
INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. -- The University of Michigan men's soccer team earned its first bid to the NCAA Tournament Monday afternoon (Nov. 17) as the NCAA selection committee seeded the Wolverines No. 12 with a first-round bye. The Wolverines (13-6, 5-1 Big Ten) will face the winner of Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference champion Saint Peter's College (17-4-2) and Ivy League champion Brown (10-3-3) at 2 p.m. next Wednesday (Nov. 26) on the U-M Soccer Field.
The Maize and Blue has only faced Brown once, with the teams battling to a 3-3 tie last year at the Brown Invitational (9/13/02). Michigan has never faced Saint Peter's College.
U-M is one of two Big Ten Conference teams in the field of 48. Big Ten regular-season and tournament champion Indiana (12-3-5) is the eighth seed and will also receive a bye into the second round. Four other Michigan opponents received first round byes -- Loyola Marymount (12-6-1), North Carolina (12-3-4), Washington (12-4-2) and Akron (14-4-2).
The Wolverines are enjoying their best season in their four-year history as they have posted a program-best 13 wins, including five in Big Ten play. Michigan also received its first national ranking when it debuted No. 11 in the NSCAA rankings for the week of Oct. 20, 2003.
The Wolverines will be without 2003 Big Ten Athlete of the Year Knox Cameron (Bronx, N.Y./Cardinal Spellman HS), who will be playing with the U.S. U-20's Youth Soccer Team in the 2003 FIFA World Youth Championship Nov. 27-Dec. 19 in the United Arab Emirates. A junior, Cameron scored a program-best 33 points on a 12 goals and nine assists this season.
Should the Wolverines win, they will either travel to No. 5 seed Notre Dame, or host Wisconsin-Milwaukee (15-5-1) or Western Michigan (12-6-2) in the third round of the NCAA Tournament on Saturday or Sunday, Nov. 29-30.
Contact: Gene Skidmore (734) 763-4423
