Bracket
GREENSBORO, N.C. (TheACC.com) – Ten ACC programs earned invitations to the 2019 NCAA Men’s Soccer Championship, as the brackets for the 48-team field were announced Monday by the NCAA. That marks the most bids ever for one conference in the men’s soccer tournament. All 10 ACC programs also will host matches to open their tournament runs.
ACC schools claimed four of the 16 national seeds, including three of the top four seeds. ACC champion Virginia earned the top seed, while conference runner-up Clemson notched the No. 2 seed. Wake Forest picked up the No. 4 seed, while Virginia Tech claimed the No. 10 seed. The 16 seeded teams in the tournament earn first-round byes on Thursday and open play at home on Sunday.
Virginia (17-1-1) picked up the top seed in the tournament for the second time in program history and the first since 1995. In the 26 seasons the NCAA has seeded teams (since 1994), this is the 18th time an ACC has landed the top seed.
Virginia is making its 41st tournament appearance, including its 39th straight, which is the longest active streak in Division I men’s soccer. The Cavaliers will play host to the James Madison-Campbell winner Sunday.
Making its 32nd appearance in the field, Clemson (16-2-1) plays the Charlotte-Mercer winner in the second round. Wake Forest (13-4-2) is making its 23rd tournament appearance, including its ninth straight, and opens with the Maryland-Iona winner. Virginia Tech (9-5-3) earned its fourth straight NCAA appearance and eighth in program history and will battle the New Hampshire-Fairleigh Dickinson winner.
Boston College (8-5-3) is making its 15th NCAA appearance, including its first since 2016, and plays host to Yale in the first round. NC State (9-6-3) has earned its third straight appearance and 16th all-time and welcomes Coastal Carolina to Raleigh on Thursday.
Louisville (8-7-2) is making its 12th NCAA appearance, all in the last 13 years, and entertains South Florida Thursday. Notre Dame (10-7-1) is appearing in its 22nd NCAA Tournament and welcomes Wright State in the opening round.
Pitt (9-7-2) earned its third NCAA bid all-time and its first since 1965. The Panthers will play host to Lehigh Thursday. Making its seventh all-time NCAA Tournament appearance, Syracuse (7-6-5) entertains Rhode Island Thursday.
The ACC now holds five of the six highest bid totals in a year in tournament history, with 10 this season, nine in 2016, 2017 and 2018, and eight in 2005. It marks the seventh straight year that the ACC has placed the most teams in the tournament, and it is the 19th consecutive year that at least five league teams have earned a bid.
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, North Carolina.
An ACC team has won the national championship 17 times, including in seven of the past 14 years. At least one ACC squad has reached the College Cup in 17 of the last 18 seasons, with 10 different league programs reaching the sport’s highest stage.
Thursday, Nov. 21 – NCAA First Round
Lehigh at Pitt, 7 p.m.
Rhode Island at Syracuse, 7 p.m.
Coastal Carolina at NC State, 7 p.m.
Wright State at Notre Dame, 7 p.m.
USF at Louisville, 7:30 p.m.
Yale at Boston College, TBA
Sunday, Nov. 24 – NCAA Second Round
James Madison/Campbell at Virginia, 1 p.m.
New Hampshire/Fairleigh Dickinson at Virginia Tech, 4 p.m.
Maryland/Iona at Wake Forest, 5 p.m.
Charlotte/Mercer at Clemson, 6 p.m.
All times Eastern