http://miac-online.org/news/2011/11/7/MIAC_1107113026.aspx
ST. PAUL, Minn. --
The Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC) received
good news and even a few surprises Monday as the NCAA announced the
2011 Playoff fields for the volleyball, women's soccer and men's
soccer National Championships. The MIAC will send four volleyball
teams to the tournament, two women's soccer teams and one men's
soccer team to compete for a Division III title.
VOLLEYBALL
The volleyball field
features the MIAC's regular-season co-champion and Playoff
champion, Concordia College (25-3), as well as regular season
co-champion University of St. Thomas (29-4), Bethel University
(22-9) and the College of Saint Benedict (18-12). Thanks to its
postseason title and outstanding season, Concordia has been
selected to host one of the eight-team Regionals this weekend,
which will feature all four MIAC teams in action with quarterfinals
Friday, semifinals Saturday and the Regional final on Sundayfor a
trip to the national quarterfinals.
Concordia opens with UW-Stevens Point, St. Thomas will face UW-Eau
Claire, Bethel takes on Northwestern and Saint Benedict will meet
St. Scholastica in the single-elimination, 64-team tournament. The
only match times set thus far is Concordia's 8 p.m. start time on
Friday, and the 4 p.m. championship match on Sunday.
The winner of the Regional will advance to the Elite 8 and the
national quarterfinals, which will be held in St. Louis, Mo., on
Nov. 18, with the semifinals and championship matches following on
Nov. 19 and 20, respectively. Last year, St. Thomas won its
regional and advanced to the national quarterfinals.
WOMEN'S
SOCCER
Saint Benedict (12-6-2)
claimed the MIAC's automatic bid to the Division III Women's Soccer
tournament after sharing the league's regular-season championship
and winning the Playoff title Saturday in overtime, but the Blazers
will also be joined in the field by the team they beat in the
postseason championship game, Concordia (12-3-5). Regular season
co-champ Carleton College (11-6-2) did not receive an at-large
bid.
Saint Benedict will hit the road for a first-round game Saturday
against Carroll College (Wis.) at Rock Bowl Stadium in Dubuque,
Iowa. The winner will play the winner of Loras and Hanover Sunday
for a spot in the Sweet 16. Meanwhile the Cobbers will travel west
for a first-round matchup with Puget Sound Satruday at William
Rolland Stadium in Thousand Oaks, Calif. That winner will advance
to Sunday's matchup with the winner of Cal Lutheran and UC-Santa
Cruz, with another spot in the Sweet 16 on the line.
The third and fourth rounds of the women's soccer playoffs will be
held the following weekend, Nov. 18-20, with the Final Four set for
Dec. 2 and 3 in San Antonio, Texas.
MEN'S
SOCCER
Men's soccer was the
only fall sport where the MIAC did not receive any at-large bids.
St. Olaf College (16-3-1) - the MIAC's regular season co-champ and
Playoff champion - received the league's automatic bid and will
represent the conference. Regular season co-champ Carleton (12-6-2)
and nationally-ranked Gustavus Adolphus College (14-2-3) did not
receive at-large bids. The Oles will head to Decorah, Iowa, where
it will meet Carroll College (Wis.) in a first-round matchup on
Saturday. The winner will face the winner of Luther College and
North Park University for a spot in the Sweet 16 on Sunday.
Like the women's field, the third and fourth rounds of the women's
soccer playoffs will be held the following weekend, Nov. 18-20,
with the Final Four set for Dec. 2 and 3 in San Antonio, Texas.
Use the links below to re-watch Monday's selection shows, read the
NCAA's press releases regarding the postseason selections, or view
interactive or printable brackets to follow the action. The MIAC
Web site will provide updates on the progress of the conference's
teams throughout the postseason.
NCAA
Fall Championships Selection page
Press Releases: Volleyball
| Women's
Soccer | Men's
Soccer |
Interactive Brackets: Volleyball
| Women's
Soccer | Men's
Soccer |
Courtesy of
MIAC