NCAA Division II men's soccer tournament explained

Men's Division II
Men's Soccer Championship
Organiser:NCAA
Region:United States
Number Of Teams:40
Champion:Franklin Pierce
(3rd title)
Most Successful Club:Southern Connecticut
(6 titles)
American:yes

The NCAA Division II Men's Soccer Championship is the annual tournament held by the NCAA to determine the top men's Division II College soccer program in the United States. It has been played annually since 1972; prior to that, all teams competed in a single class.[1]

The most successful program has been Southern Connecticut State, with six national titles.

Franklin Pierce are the two-time defending champions, winning their third national title in 2023. In a rematch of the 2022 final, the Ravens defeated CSU Pueblo in the final, 4–0, which was rematch of the 2022 final.

Format

The Division II tournament is structured around four unbalanced Super Regionals from the eight NCAA regions (Atlantic, Central, East, Midwest, South, South Central, Southeast, and West). At least two and as many as six teams from each region are selected with no automatic qualifiers given. The selection criteria used is similar to that used in Division I, although one difference is that the RPI is replaced with the Quality of Winning Percentage Index, a more subjective measure. In 2016, the tournament field consisted of a 38-team, single-elimination tournament.

The first two rounds are played on campus sites with the highest seed usually hosting the regional semis and finals. The winners of each region meet in the third round and/or quarterfinals, with the host being determined by specific criteria or, failing that, geographical rotation. The final two rounds are played at a predetermined site. The 2016 semifinals and final, for example, were held at Swope Soccer Village in Kansas City, Missouri and hosted by the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association and the Kansas City Sports Commission.[2]

Results

Sources:

Year by year

Sources:

Ed.Year Host cityChampionshipThird place match / Semifinalists
ChampionScoreRunner-UpThird PlaceScoreFourth Place
SIU Edwardsville
UMSL Cal State FUAdelphiBaltimore
1974Adelphi
Baltimore Seattle PacificAdelphiUW–Green Bay
Seattle, WALoyola Maryland New HavenChico StateUMSL
Alabama A&M Seattle Pacific New Haven UW–Green Bay
University Park, FLSeattle Pacific Alabama A&M Eastern Illinois Southern Connecticut
University Park, FLAlabama A&M Eastern IllinoisSeattle PacificSouthern Connecticut
University Park, FLLock Haven FIUCal State Chico Southern Connecticut
New Haven, CT Tampa Cal State LASouthern ConnecticutUMSL
University Park, FL FIU
Seattle Pacific (2)TampaOakland and Southern Connecticut
Seattle, WA FIU Seattle PacificNew Haven and UMSL
University Park, FL Seattle Pacific FIUNYIT and Davis & Elkins
Seattle, WA Seattle Pacific OaklandBridgeport and Davis & Elkins
Tampa, FL Southern Connecticut Cal State NOUMSL and Tampa
Florida Tech Cal State NOSouthern Connecticut and Oakland
SNHU UNC Greensboro
Southern Connecticut Seattle Pacific
Melbourne, FL Florida Tech Sonoma StateCal Poly Pomona and Franklin Pierce
Tampa, FL Southern Connecticut Tampa
Melbourne, FL Seattle Pacific Southern ConnecticutFlorida Tech and Gannon
Tampa, FL Tampa OaklandSeattle Pacific and Southern Connecticut
Southern Connecticut USC Spartanburg
Grand Canyon OaklandLynn and Southern Connecticut
Cal State Bakersfield LynnTruman State and Southern Connecticut
1998Spartanburg, SC Southern Connecticut USC Spartanburg
Southern Connecticut Fort Lewis
Miami Shores, FL Cal State DH Barry
Tampa, FL Tampa Cal State DHDowling and SIU Edwardsville
Virginia Beach, VASonoma State SNHUCentral Arkansas and Mercyhurst
Virginia Beach, VALynn Chico StateFindlay and Dowling
Wichita Falls, TXSeattle SIU EdwardsvilleUNC Pembroke and Dowling
Wichita Falls, TXFort Lewis Franklin PierceLynn and SIU Edwardsville
Pensacola, FLDowling Fort Lewis
Orange Beach, ALFranklin Pierce Lincoln Memorial
2008 Tampa, FL Cal State DH Dowling
2009 Tampa, FLFort Lewis Lees-McRaeLe Moyne and Lewis
2010Louisville, KYNorthern Kentucky RollinsDowling and Midwestern State
2011Pensacola, FLFort Lewis LynnFranklin Pierce and Millersville
Evans, GALynn Saginaw Valley StateSimon Fraser and Mercyhurst
Evans, GASNHU Carson–NewmanRockhurst and Simon Fraser
Louisville, KY Lynn Charleston (WV)Colorado Mesa and Quincy
Pensacola, FL Pfeiffer Cal Poly POCharleston (WV) and Rockhurst
2016[Kansas City, Missouri|Kansas, MO]]Wingate Charleston (WV)
2017 Kansas, MOCharleston (WV) LynnCal Poly Pomona and Rockhurst
Pittsburgh, PABarry West ChesterCal Poly Pomona and Fort Hays State
Pittsburgh, PACharleston (WV) Cal State LAIndianapolis and Lynn
2020 bgcolor=#efefef
2021Colorado Sp, COCal State LA Charleston (WV)Indianapolis and Nova Southeastern
2022Franklin Pierce CSU PuebloBarry and Lake Erie
2023Franklin Pierce 4–0CSU PuebloFlorida Tech and Lewis
2024 East Ridge, TN
2025
2026
2027
Notes

Champions

Team Titles Years
style=1987, 1990, 1992, 1995, 1998, 1999
style=1978, 1983, 1985, 1986, 1993
style=2007, 2022, 2023
style=2003, 2012, 2014
style=2005, 2009, 2013
style=1981, 1994, 2001
style=2000, 2008
style=2017, 2019
style=1988, 1991
style=1989, 2013
style=1974
style=2018
style=2021
style=1980
style=1973
style=2002
style=2016

Finals hosting history

From 1982 through 2002, the highest seeded finalist or semifinalist school was designated as the host for the finals. The University of Tampa has hosted the finals seven times, more than any other school. Florida International is the only school to have hosted four championships in a row. The championship final has been played in the state of Florida on 22 occasions, 18 more time than any other state. On seven occasions the host team has won the championship.

Source:[3] [4]

School/
Conference
Hosted YearsVenues
Tampa1983, 1987, 1992, 1994, 2001, 2008, 2009Plant Field (5), Pepin Stadium (2)
Florida International1977, 1978, 1979, 1980, 1982, 1985Sunblazers Stadium
West FloridaAshton Brosnaham (3), Orange Beach (1)
Seattle PacificMemorial Stadium
Florida Tech1990, 1991, 1993FIT Varsity Field (2), Panther Stadium (1)
Slippery Rock2018, 2019Highmark Stadium
2016, 2017Swope Village
Peach Belt Conference2012, 2013Blanchard Woods Park
Bellarmine2010, 2014Owsley Frazier
Midwestern State2004, 2005MSU Soccer Field
2002, 2003Virginia Beach Sportsplex
Barry1999, 2000Buccaneer Field
USC Spartanburg1995, 1998Rifle Field
Lynn1997McCusker Sports Complex
Grand Canyon1996GCU Stadium
UNC Greensboro1989Campus Field
Cal State Northridge1988North Campus Stadium
Southern Connecticut1981Reese Stadium
UM–St. Louis1974Don Dallas Soccer Field
Springfield (MA)1973Benedum Field
SIU Edwardsville1972Cougar Field

Former programs

Team Titles Years
style=1977, 1979
style=1982, 1984
style=1975
style=1997
style=2006
style=1996
style=1976
style=2010
style=2015
style=2004
style=1972

Schools ranked by number of appearances

See also: NCAA Division II men's soccer tournament appearances by school.

Schools indicated in pink no longer compete in Division II.

RankSchool
35
Southern Connecticut31
Tampa24
SNHU (N.H. College)22
East Stroudsburg19
Franklin Pierce19
UMSL17
Lynn15
Mercyhurst
Rollins
bgcolor=pink align=left Oaklandbgcolor=pink align=center 14
Cal State Dominguez Hills13
Dowling

Former Division II Champions now in Division I

Source: [5]

Conference affiliations are current for the ongoing 2024 NCAA men's soccer season.

SchoolChampionshipYear movedCurrent Conference
SIU Edwardsville19721973, 2008Ohio Valley Conference
Loyola (Maryland)19761979Patriot League
Alabama A&M1977, 19791999Southwestern Athletic Conference
FIU (Florida International)1982, 19841987American Athletic Conference
Grand Canyon19962013Western Athletic Conference
CSU Bakersfield19972006Big West Conference
Seattle20042008Western Athletic Conference
Northern Kentucky20102012Horizon League

See also

Notes and References

  1. Web site: DIVISION II MEN’S SOCCER CHAMPIONSHIPS RECORDS BOOK . NCAA.org . NCAA . 3 July 2024.
  2. Web site: Division II Men's Soccer Championship field announced . NCAA & Turner Sports Interactive, Inc.. December 4, 2016 . November 8, 2016.
  3. Web site: Division II Men's Soccer Championship History . . February 24, 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160304041319/http://fs.ncaa.org/Docs/stats/m_soccer_champs_records/2012/D2/champs.pdf . March 4, 2016 . April 21, 2013.
  4. Web site: DII Men's College Soccer. NCAA.com.
  5. Web site: NCAA Sports Sponsorship . January 28, 2013 . https://web.archive.org/web/20170308022601/http://web1.ncaa.org/onlineDir/exec2/sponsorship . March 8, 2017 . dead .
  6. Web site: Alabama A&M to drop men's program. Soccer America. August 17, 2010. August 5, 2013. registration.
  7. Web site: Adelphi Men's Soccer To Reclassify To Division II Beginning Fall 2013. Adelphi Panthers. August 16, 2012. March 2, 2013.