WARRENSBURG, Mo. – SWOSU Soccer claimed the Great American Conference Tournament Championship, which earned them an automatic bid into the NCAA Tournament. They came out of the selection show with the No. 8 seed in the Central Region. They will head to Warrensburg, Missouri to take on the host of the Central Region, No. 1 seeded Central Missouri.
The Bulldogs emerged from the GAC after a 9-4-7 overall record in 2022, but a 7-0-5 record in conference play. They won both the regular season and the tournament championships.
In the GAC Tournament, the Dawgs defeated NWOSU 1-0 in the semifinals, before beating the Bison of Oklahoma Baptist 2-0 in championship game. SWOSU is the only GAC representative in the NCAA Tournament.
Central Missouri is the host of the region after a 2022 season that saw them go 18-1-2 and 9-1-1 in the MIAA. The Jennies are currently ranked as the number four team in United Soccer Coaches DII women's soccer rankings. They won the MIAA championship, beating the Central Region four seed Fort Hays State 2-0, and defeating the Central Region five seed Emporia State 4-3 to take their conference trophy.
The story of the game is how well the SWOSU defense will counter the Jennies' offense. The UCM attack comes into the tournament as one of the best in DII. They are fourth in the country in total goals at 57 and twelfth in total points with 148. SWOSU and goalkeeper
Ashley Hughes are 27
th in the nation in save percentage at .852 percent. She has a multitude of good defenders patrolling the box in front of her, including reigning GAC Defender of the Year
Tianna Watkins and GAC Newcomer of the Year
Reece Gudelj-Cox. The UCM defense also has to figure out how to defend the GAC Offensive Player of the Year
Alimata Rabo and the SWOSU offense that ranks 29
th in shots per game at almost 17 a game.
All four of SWOSU's previous NCAA Division II National Tournament appearances have been ended by Central Missouri, who defeated the Bulldogs 3-0 in 2012 and 2017, 4-1 in 2019, and 1-0 in 2021. All four of those losses came in Warrensburg, Missouri.
Kickoff for this opening round matchup has been set for 1 pm on Friday, November 11. It is the second game of the day, following the first quarterfinal between (4) Emporia State and (5) Fort Hays State.
Tickets for Friday and Sunday's matches will be $5 for adults, $3 for seniors (62 years or older) and students, and children six (6) and under receive free admission.
2022 NCAA-II Central Regional, Warrensburg Bracket
Friday, Nov. 11
Match 1: (4) Emporia State vs. (5) Fort Hays State, 10 am
Match 2: (1) Central Missouri vs. (8) SWOSU, 1 pm
Sunday, Nov. 13
Match 3: Winner Match 1 vs. Winner Match 2, 1 pm
