2017 NIRSA National Soccer Championship


The 2017 'NIRSA national soccer championship' was the 24th NIRSA National Soccer Championships, the annual national championships for United States-based, collegiate club soccer teams organized by NIRSA. It took place at Reach 11 Sports Complex, in Phoenix, Arizona from Thursday, November 16 to Saturday, November 18, 2017.

Overview

Men's championship

In the finals, the most successful club in the division, BYU, made their NIRSA return after a 15-year hiatus after participating in USL League Two where they would face finals debutants Cal Poly. Prior to this, in the group stage, BYU would defeat 2012 champions Michigan State 3–1 in the opener then UPenn 5–0 to top their group while Cal Poly would tie region II tournament champions NC State 0–0 but a 7–1 win over UConn would be enough to top the group over NC State who beat UConn 6–1.
In the knockout round, BYU would defeat 2015 champions North Carolina 2–0 in the round of 16 then would defeat NC State 1–0 in the quarterfinals, to face Wisconsin, who defeated reigning champions Virginia in the round of 16, in the semifinals. Meanwhile, Cal Poly would defeat 2010 champions Colorado 3–0 in the round of 16 then defeat Michigan State 2–1 in the quarterfinals to face 2009 runners-up Florida. BYU would defeat 3–1 to advance to their 7th national title game while Cal Poly would defeat Florida 1–0 to advance to their first national title game.
In the finals, BYU started early with a goal in the 19th minute, then continued to control the game by scoring three more uncontested goals, including a brace from eventual MVP Tanner Whitworth, in a 4–1 victory and would claim their 6th national title in their first year back in the league. This is the most in the men's division and the second most across all 4 divisions, only behind UC-Santa Barbara who would claim their 8th national title this tournament.

Women's championship

In the finals, the division's most successful club, UC-Santa Barbara, would make their 10th national championship game to face Texas in a rematch of the 2010 national title that UC-Santa Barbara won in penalties. Prior to this, in the group stage, UC-Santa Barbara would tie 1–1 to region II tournament finalist, Florida but a 3–0 win over Ohio would be enough to top their group. Meanwhile, Texas would defeat both teams in their group 2–1, first UC-Davis then Vermont.
In the knockout round, UC-Santa Barbara would defeat Vermont 1–0 in the round of 16 then would defeat Cal Poly 1–0 in the quarterfinals to face 2001 champions Penn State while Texas would defeat Florida 1–0 in the round of 16 then Wisconsin 2–1 in the quarterfinals to face 2004 co-champion Colorado. UC-Santa Barbara would defeat Penn State 4–0 while Texas would defeat Colorado 1–0 to set up a rematch of the 2010 national title.
In the finals, eventual MVP Mariela Cisneros of UC-Santa Barbara opened the scoring 20 minutes into the game in an eventual 3–0 win. This was UC-Santa Barbara's 8th, and second consecutive, title; the most titles across all four divisions.

Men's open

In the finals, debutants Arizona faced 1995 men's championship winner, Texas, making their 4th finals appearance and the first open finals appearance as the main team. A first half goal would be enough to see Arizona win 1–0 for their first men's open title in their first title game. Karai Keil of Arizona would be named men's open MVP.

Women's open

In the finals, Colorado's "Black" team would face Oregon. Oregon took an early lead but Colorado tied the game in the second half. A late goal from Meghan Schroeder of Oregon would see Oregon win their first ever title in their 3rd finals appearance.

Format

The competition consisted of 96 teams: 48 men's teams and 48 women's teams. Each of these divisions were further divided into two 24-team divisions: the championship and open. The championship division divided teams into eight groups of three while the open division divided teams into six groups of four, both engaging in a round-robin tournament that determined teams able to advance to a knockout stage. Pool play games were two 40-minute halves, separated by a seven-minute halftime and utilized the three points for a win system. In the championship division, the two highest ranked teams from each group advanced to their knockout stage, with the third placed team advancing to a consolation bracket. In the open division, the top team from each group as well as the two best second placed teams advanced to their knockout stage.
Tie-breaking criteria for group play
The ranking of teams in each group was based on the following criteria in order:
  1. Highest number of points
  2. Winner of head-to-head competition
  3. Greatest goal difference
  4. * Maximum ± 5 goal difference per match
  5. Most goals scored
  6. Most shutouts
In a tie breaking scenario involving more than 2 teams, the tiebreaker procedure would begin. If one team is identified as different and both remaining teams are still tied, the tie breaker procedure is restarted.
If a tie still remained after the first 5 criteria, the following was used to break a tie:
  1. NCAA kicks from the mark
  2. * If there was a three-way tie, a coin-flip would be conducted. The two teams that chose the same outcome would compete in kicks from the mark between each other. The winner would compete with the last remaining team in kicks from the mark
  3. * If there's a four-way tie, a drawing of lots would be conducted
Knockout stage games also consisted of two 40-minute halves. The round of 16 and quarterfinals were separated by a seven-minute halftime while the semifinals and finals had a ten-minute halftime. Knockout stage games needed to declare a winner. If a knockout-stage game was tied at the end of regulation, overtime would begin. Overtime consisted of one, 15-minute, golden-goal period. If still tied after overtime, kicks from the mark would determine the winner.

Qualification and selection

Each of the six regions received three automatic bids for both the men's and women's championship that they award to its members. The final six bids are considered "at-large", and are given out by NIRSA to teams, typically based on the regional tournament results and RPI.
The 48 remaining teams participating in the open division were selected via a lottery draw that aired on on October 3, 2017, at 1pm PST. Any team with membership in a NIRSA-affiliated league or with a minimum of four games played prior to the tournament were able to enter their name into the lottery. If a selected team qualified for the championship division, an alternate would take their spot. 62 men's teams and 67 women's were selected.

Men's championship

Source:

Men's open

RegionTeamSelection TypeBid result
IUConnAutomatic
IVillanovaAutomatic
ICornellWaitlistAccepted from waitlist
IFordhamWaitlistAccepted from waitlist
IIMiami Automatic
IIUNC-GreensvilleAutomatic
IIMiami WaitlistAccepted from waitlist
IIJMUWaitlistAccepted from waitlist
IIIOhioAutomatic
IIIXavierAutomatic
IIIIllinoisAutomatic
IIIMinnesotaAutomatic
IVHouston CCAutomatic
IVTexasAutomatic
IVSt. Edward'sWaitlistAccepted from waitlist
IVMissouriWaitlistAccepted from waitlist
VColorado MinesAutomatic
VColorado SpringsAutomatic
VColoradoAutomatic
VDenverAutomatic
VISan Diego StateAutomatic
VIArizonaAutomatic
VICal State FullertonAutomatic
VIUCLAAutomatic

Women's open

RegionTeamSelection TypeBid result
IVillanovaAutomatic
ITowsonAutomatic
IThe College of New JerseyWaitlistAccepted from waitlist
IUConnWaitlistAccepted from waitlist
IIMiami Automatic
IIUCFAutomatic
IIVanderbiltAutomatic
IIJMUWaitlistAccepted from waitlist
IIIGrand Valley StateAutomatic
IIINotre DameAutomatic
IIIIllinoisAutomatic
IIIDaytonAutomatic
IVMissouriAutomatic
IVRiceAutomatic
IVMissouri StateWaitlistAccepted from waitlist
IVKansasWaitlistAccepted from waitlist
VAir ForceAutomatic
VIowa StateAutomatic
VMinnesotaWaitlistAccepted from waitlist
VColoradoWaitlistAccepted from waitlist
VIOregonAutomatic
VIUCLAAutomatic
VIGrand CanyonWaitlistAccepted from waitlist
VISan Diego StateWaitlistAccepted from waitlist

Group stage

Men's championship

PosTeamPldWDLGFGAGDPtsQualification
1Virginia211020+24Advanced to knockout stage
2Minnesota20202202Advanced to knockout stage
3UC San Diego201124−21Consolation

PosTeamPldWDLGFGAGDPtsQualification
1Stanford220060+66Advanced to knockout stage
2Wisconsin210121+13Advanced to knockout stage
3Kansas200207−70Consolation

PosTeamPldWDLGFGAGDPtsQualification
1Cal Poly211071+5'4Advanced to knockout stage
2NC State211061+54Advanced to knockout stage
3UConn2002213−10'0Consolation

Notes:

PosTeamPldWDLGFGAGDPtsQualification
1Ohio State211041+34Advanced to knockout stage
2North Carolina211031+24Advanced to knockout stage
3Colorado Mines200205−50Consolation

PosTeamPldWDLGFGAGDPtsQualification
1Florida211042+24Advanced to knockout stage
2Michigan210143+13Advanced to knockout stage
3Boston College201114−31Consolation

PosTeamPldWDLGFGAGDPtsQualification
1UC-Santa Barbara220081+76Advanced to knockout stage
2Illinois210123−13Advanced to knockout stage
3SIUE200217−60Consolation

PosTeamPldWDLGFGAGDPtsQualification
1BYU220081+76Advanced to knockout stage
2Michigan State201124−21Advanced to knockout stage
3Penn201116−51Consolation

Women's championship

PosTeamPldWDLGFGAGDPtsQualification
1North Carolina220062+46Advanced to knockout stage
2Penn State210154+13Advanced to knockout stage
3SMU200227−50Consolation

PosTeamPldWDLGFGAGDPtsQualification
1Gonzaga211041+34Advanced to knockout stage
2Ohio State210153+23Advanced to knockout stage
3Ithaca201116−51Consolation

PosTeamPldWDLGFGAGDPtsQualification
1UC-Santa Barbara211041+34Advanced to knockout stage
2Florida211021+14Advanced to knockout stage
3Ohio200204−40Consolation

PosTeamPldWDLGFGAGDPtsQualification
1Northeastern211032+14Advanced to knockout stage
2Virginia Tech211021+14Advanced to knockout stage
3Texas A&M200235−20Consolation

PosTeamPldWDLGFGAGDPtsQualification
1Colorado State220040+46Advanced to knockout stage
2Delaware210132+13Advanced to knockout stage
3Georgia200205−50Consolation

PosTeamPldWDLGFGAGDPtsQualification
1Colorado220042+26Advanced to knockout stage
2Michigan21013303Advanced to knockout stage
3Wash U200202−20Consolation

PosTeamPldWDLGFGAGDPtsQualification
1Wisconsin220041+36Advanced to knockout stage
2Cal Poly210143+13Advanced to knockout stage
3Colorado Mines200204−40Consolation

Men's open

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PosTeamPldWDLGFGAGDPtsQualification
1Texas321053+27Advanced to knockout stage
2Ohio31114404-
3Fordham310223−13-
4Denver302134−12-

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PosTeamPldWDLGFGAGDPtsQualification
1Illinois "Blue"330071+69Advanced to knockout stage
2Minnesota "B"31113304-
3Cal State Fullerton310257−23-
4UConn "White"301248−41-

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PosTeamPldWDLGFGAGDPtsQualification
1Xavier312052+35Advanced to knockout stage
2Missouri312021+15-
3Villanova311132+14-
4Mines "B"301227−51-

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PosTeamPldWDLGFGAGDPtsQualification
1San Diego State330070+79Advanced to knockout stage
2JMU31113304-
3Colorado "Black"302112−12-
4Houston CC301217−61-

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PosTeamPldWDLGFGAGDPtsQualification
1Arizona3300142+11'9Advanced to knockout stage
2Miami 320165+16Advanced to knockout stage
3Colorado Springs310235−23-
4St. Edward's3003112−10'0-

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----Notes:

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Women's open

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PosTeamPldWDLGFGAGDPtsQualification
1San Diego State321051+47Advanced to knockout stage
2Notre Dame311163+34-
3Towson310237−43-
4Missouri310214−33-

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PosTeamPldWDLGFGAGDPtsQualification
1Illinois3300100+8'9Advanced to knockout stage
2Kansas311132+14-
3UCLA311132+14-
4Miami 3003113−10'0-

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----Notes:

PosTeamPldWDLGFGAGDPtsQualification
1Oregon321053+27Advanced to knockout stage
2Iowa State31115504-
3UConn310265+13-
4Dayton310258−33-

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PosTeamPldWDLGFGAGDPtsQualification
1Grand Valley321042+27Advanced to knockout stage
2Cal312082+5'5Advanced to knockout stage
3Air Force31112204-
4UCF300319−7'0-

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----Notes:

PosTeamPldWDLGFGAGDPtsQualification
1JMU321082+67Advanced to knockout stage
2Minnesota321061+57Advanced to knockout stage
3Rice310234−13-
4Villanova3003010−100-

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