The 48-team field and bracket for the 2023 NCAA Division I Men’s Soccer Championship were announced today by the NCAA Division I Men’s Soccer Committee. Here's a deeper look at a few of the most interesting takeaways.
BRACKET: Click or tap here to explore the interactive bracket
Not one seeded team is undefeated— or close to it
A handful of seeded teams have a two-loss record but the lack of zeroes in that middle column is reflective of the high level of competition among this season’s top-ranked teams. As we saw late in the season, no top-ranked team was unreachable. West Virginia snapped Marshall’s 12-game win streak with Kentucky doing the same immediatley after. The same Kentucky who turned around and handed then-No. 2 West Virginia their first loss of the season. Oh, and let’s not forget about the previously ranked top-two teams, UCF and Notre Dame falling in conference tournament play just last week. If we’ve learned anything from these thrilling upsets it’s to expect to be surprised.
SIU Edwardsville (16-0-3) is the only undefeated team in the bracket and the nation
The Ohio Valley Conference champions secured their 14th DI NCAA tournament berth with a 1-0 win over Incarnate Word Saturday night extending a nine-game win streak and tallying 16 victories overall — the most wins in the country and currently the longest streak in men’s Division I. Goalkeeper Sam Gomez ranks third in the nation allowing only ten goals on the season. The last Cougar squad to go undefeated was the 1972 national championship team. SIU Edwardsville will travel to play Memphis in the first round with a chance to play No. 3 North Carolina in the second.
One-loss teams flying under the radar:
Western Michigan | 15-1-3
The Broncos dominated their first year in the Missouri Valley Conference winning the regular season title and beating then No. 10 Missouri State to claim the conference tournament championship. The recent victory extends the program-best no-loss streak since dropping their first match of the season at the then-ranked, No. 12 Vermont. Since then, leading goal scorer Charlie Sharp (15) has developed the nation's second-highest goals-per-game average (.88) while teammate Dylan Sing who has 14 goals on the season tallies a .517 shots on goal percentage. The Broncos will host Horizon League champs Green Bay with a chance to play No. 15 seed Duke in the second round.
🚨GOALLLL🚨@WMUMensSoccer get their 2nd goal making the score 2-1 by Charlie Sharp‼️ Sharp has tied the MVC tournament record for 4 goals scored in the tournament‼#MVCSoccer pic.twitter.com/hrsdvYdlxz
— Missouri Valley Conference (@MVCsports) November 11, 2023
Bryant | 16-1-2
The Bryant Bulldogs will make their first-ever NCAA tournament appearance as America East Conference champions after taking down No. 8 seed New Hampshire 1-0 in double overtime. The Bulldogs’ single loss dates back to Sep. 23 against Vermont in a narrow 1-0 defeat. A huge part of Bryant's success can be traced to the backline and GK Antreas Hadjigavriel who have recorded 14 shutouts and lead the country with a .266 goals-against average.
🚨GOALLLL🚨@WMUMensSoccer get their 2nd goal making the score 2-1 by Charlie Sharp‼️ Sharp has tied the MVC tournament record for 4 goals scored in the tournament‼#MVCSoccer pic.twitter.com/hrsdvYdlxz
— Missouri Valley Conference (@MVCsports) November 11, 2023
The reigning national champs will face an uphill battle
The 2022 national champions Syracuse received an unranked selection into this year's tournament and will need to outplay a tough couple of competitors to at least reach the quarterfinals. The Orange are 8-4-7 on the season and are led by offensive sparkplug Jeorgio Kocevski who is tied with a handful of others for the most assists in the nation (12). Syracuse will open by hosting first-time Patriot League Conference champs Boston University (12-3-4) in the two programs' first matchup since 2000.
