NEW YORK – For the 16th time in men’s soccer history, the BIG EAST boasts four teams in the NCAA Tournament field, which was announced on Monday afternoon. Georgetown won the BIG EAST Championship on Sunday to earn the league’s automatic berth and the overall No. 3 seed in the NCAA bracket. Along with Georgetown, regular season runner-up St. John’s earned at at-large berth and the overall No. 16 seed. Tournament runner-up Providence and tournament semifinalist Butler also earned at-large bids.
The last time four BIG EAST teams were in the NCAA tournament was 2016. The BIG EAST also had four in in 2014.
Georgetown, the BIG EAST regular-season and tournament champion, earned its eighth tournament berth in the last 10 seasons, 10th overall. The Hoyas (15-1-3) received a first-round bye and will face the winner of Pitt at Lehigh on Sunday, Nov. 24 at noon. The Hoyas have been to the tournament on nine previous occasions with six trips to the Round of 16 (2018, 2015, 2014, 2013, 2012, 1997) and two to the quarterfinals (2014, 2012). Georgetown won its third straight BIG EAST tournament championship title on Sunday with a 3-1 come-from-behind victory over Providence. Only two other schools have won three-consecutive BIG EAST Championships, St. John's (1992-95) and Seton Hall (1986-88). The No. 3 seed ties the highest seed in program history. Georgetown was the No. 3 overall seed in both 2012 and 2015.
St. John’s returns to the NCAA tournament field for the 21st time in program history. As the national No. 16 seed, the Red Storm received a first-round bye and will host the winner of Syracuse-Rhode Island on Sunday, Nov. 24 at 5 p.m. Monday marked the ninth time in program history and the first time since 2011 that St. John's has earned a national seed. That year, the Red Storm secured a no. 9 overall ranking after claiming its league-record ninth BIG EAST Tournament title. The Red Storm returns to the NCAA field of 48 for the first time since 2013. That year, the Johnnies defeated Delaware in the opening round of action to secure its 26
th victory all-time in NCAA Tournament play. The Red Storm (13-4-1) lost to Providence, 2-1, in the BIG EAST Tournament semifinals. All four of the Red Storm's losses this season came to teams that will be hosting an NCAA Tournament game later this week. The Red Storm's 6-2-1 effort in BIG EAST play was good enough for second place in the final conference standings.
Providence will host New Jersey Institute of Technology in the NCAA First Round on Thursday, Nov. 21 at 7 p.m. at Chapey Field at Anderson Stadium. The Friars are making their 10th appearance all-time in the NCAA Tournament, and fourth under the direction of eighth-year Head Coach Craig Stewart. The Friars' last appearance was in 2016 and the team advanced to the Quarterfinals. The Friars' most notable run in the NCAA's came during the 2014 campaign, when the squad advanced to the College Cup Semifinal. Providence is 9-7-1 all-time in NCAA Tournament play, including a 6-3-1 mark with Stewart at the helm. Providence enters the NCAA Tournament with a 14-6 overall record. The team finished third (6-3-0) in the BIG EAST Conference final standings and was the BIG EAST tournament runner-up. The Friars came into the championship game on a six-game winning streak.
Butler is making its ninth trip to the NCAA tournament. The Bulldogs, who fell short of making the BIG EAST tournament finals on penalty kicks, will host West Virginia on Thursday at 6 p.m. at the Sellick Bowl. This is the program's third at-large selection. Butler is 11-6-2 on the season and receiving votes in the most recent United Soccer Coaches national poll. Butler ended the regular season ranked No. 25 nationally in the NCAA's RPI ratings.
The 48-team field is made up of champions from 24 conferences, who qualified automatically, in addition to 24 teams that were selected at-large. The top 16 teams were seeded and receive first-round byes. All first-round games will be played Thursday, Nov. 21, on campus sites, while all second-round action will take place Sunday, Nov. 24. The third round will be played Nov. 30 and Dec. 1, while the quarterfinals will be played Dec. 6 and 7.
ESPNU will provide live coverage of all three games at the College Cup on Dec. 13 and 15 at Sahlen’s Stadium at WakeMed Soccer Park in Cary, N.C. This will be the fifth time the College Cup has been to Cary with Maryland (2005), Virginia (2009, 2014) and Wake Forest (2007) winning previously.
Upcoming #BEfútbol Schedule
Thursday, Nov. 21
West Virginia at Butler, 6 p.m. ^
N.J.I.T. at Providence, 7 p.m. ^
Sunday, Nov. 24
Pitt/Lehigh at No. 3 Georgetown, Noon ^
Syracuse/Rhode Island at No. 16 St. John’s, 5 p.m.
^ Games will be streamed via the BIG EAST Digital Network presented by SoFi