Owls to host NCAA Tournament’s opening rounds

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. – Monday afternoon the NCAA Division III Selection Committee unveiled the field of 64 teams that earned a spot to compete in the NCAA Division III Men’s Soccer Championship. The committee announced that the Kenyon College Owls will host first- and second-round matches, opening the NCAA Tournament with two games at Mavec Field on Saturday, Nov. 11, before the second-round game on Sunday, Nov. 12. 

It is Kenyon’s 10th consecutive NCAA Tournament berth, 19th overall appearance, and the first under head coach Travis Wall. The Owls earned an at-large bid after finishing the season with a 15-4 record. Kenyon won its eighth straight regular-season North Coast Athletic Conference (NCAC) title after going undefeated in regular-season conference play before making it to the NCAC Tournament Championship. In the NCAC bracket, Kenyon defeated DePauw University in the semifinal round before dropping the championship match to Denison University. Kenyon entered that NCAC finale ranked No. 17 in the United Soccer Coaches (USC) national Top-25 poll.

The Owls will open the 2023 NCAA Tournament against Dominican University (IL). The Stars compiled a 14-3-3 record and earned an automatic bid after winning the Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference (NACC) Championship for the 22nd time in program history with a 1-0 win over top-seeded Milwaukee School of Engineering. 

The other first-round matchup on Friday taking place at Mavec Field will feature Otterbein University and Washington College (Md.). Otterbein, ranked No. 25 by the United Soccer Coaches, will make the trip from nearby Westerville, Ohio. The Cardinals, who are 12-3-4, received an at-large bid after falling to Ohio Northern University in the Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC) Championship. The Shoremen of Washington College, ranked No. 18, will travel to Gambier from Chestertown, Maryland. The team owns an 11-2-5 record and also earned an at-large bid after losing in the semifinal match of the Centennial Conference Tournament to Johns Hopkins University. 

Saturday’s opening match between Kenyon and Dominican is set for an 11 a.m. kickoff on Mavec Field. Following that game, Otterbein and Washington will face off at 1:30 p.m. Sunday’s match will feature both winners from Friday and is scheduled for a 1 p.m. kickoff. Tickets for all matches will be available for purchase at Mavec Field and will cost $10 for adults, $5 for students and seniors, and $3 for children 18 and under.