NCAA Division I men's soccer tournament

(Redirected from NCAA College Cup)

The NCAA Division I men's soccer tournament, sometimes known as the College Cup, is an American intercollegiate soccer tournament conducted by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), and determines the Division I men's national champion. The tournament was formally held in 1959, when it was an eight-team tournament. Since then, the tournament has expanded to 48 teams, in which every Division I conference tournament champion is allocated a berth. Among the most successful programs, Saint Louis won 10 titles during dynasty years between 1959 and 1973. Indiana has won 8 titles beginning in 1982, whereas Virginia has won 7 titles beginning in 1989. Syracuse won its first national title in its first appearance in 2022.

Men's Division I soccer tournament
Organizing bodyNCAA
Founded1959
RegionUnited States
Number of teams48
Current champion(s)Clemson
(4th title)
Most successful team(s)Saint Louis
(10 titles)
Television broadcastersESPNU
ESPN+[1]
Websitencaa.com/soccer
2023

Although the tournament is frequently referenced as the "College Cup", the NCAA applies the title only to the semifinal and championship rounds of the tournament proper. Since the tournament began, the semifinal and final fixtures have been held at a neutral site predetermined by the NCAA before starting the regular season.

Format

The NCAA Division I men's soccer tournament is a 48-team, single-elimination tournament. Currently, 23 spots are reserved for the winners of automatic bids.

As of the current 2023 NCAA men's soccer season, the following conferences are expected to be granted automatic qualification:

Each conference determines the format for its conference championship, which determines the school that receives its automatic bid. Many use conference tournaments, although three conferences award the championship and automatic bid to the regular-season champion. The remaining 26 teams receive at-large bids. The at-large teams are selected by a committee consisting of representatives from each of the eight regions the NCAA has divided the country into. The committee uses a number of criteria, the most influential supposedly being the Ratings Percentage Index, a mathematical formula designed to objectively compare the results and strength of schedule of all Division I teams.[2]

The top 16 teams are seeded into the bracket and receive first round byes. The other 32 are grouped by geographical proximity. The first four rounds are played on campus sites, with matches being hosted by the higher seed. The College Cup, comprising the semifinal and final matches, is played at a predetermined site.

Syracuse is the current champion, defeating Indiana 7–6 on penalties following a 2–2 draw after extra time in the 2022 final.

List of champions

Below is a complete list of winning teams and finals held:[3]

NCAA Division I men's soccer tournament
Ed.YearFinalThird-place match/semifinalistsCityStadium
ChampionScoreRunner-up3rd PlaceScore4th Place
1
1959Saint Louis (1)
5–2
BridgeportCCNY
West ChesterStorrsMemorial Stadium
2
1960Saint Louis (2)
3–2
MarylandWest Chester
Connecticut [n 1]BrooklynBrooklyn College Field
3
1961West Chester (1)
2–0
Saint LouisBridgeport
RutgersSt. LouisPublic Schools Stadium
4
1962Saint Louis (3)
4–3
MarylandSpringfield
Michigan StateSt. LouisFrancis Field
5
1963Saint Louis (4)
3–0
NavyMaryland
ArmyPiscatawayRutgers Stadium
6
1964Navy (1)
1–0
Michigan StateSaint Louis
ArmyProvidenceBrown Stadium
7
1965Saint Louis (5)
1–0
Michigan StateNavy
ArmySt. LouisFrancis Field
8
1966San Francisco (1)5–2LIU [n 2]Michigan State
ArmyBerkeleyCalifornia Memorial
9
1967Michigan State (1)
Saint Louis (6)
[n 3]
0–0
Navy
LIU [n 2]St. LouisFrancis Field
10
1968Maryland (1)
Michigan State (2)
[n 4]
2–2
Brown
San Jose StateAtlantaGrant Field
11
1969Saint Louis (7)
4–0
San FranciscoMaryland
HarvardSan JoseSpartan Stadium
12
1970Saint Louis (8)1–0UCLAHartwick
Howard [n 5]EdwardsvilleCougar Field, SIUE
13
1971Howard (0) [n 5]3–2Saint LouisHarvard
San FranciscoMiamiOrange Bowl
14
1972Saint Louis (9)
4–2
UCLAHoward
CornellMiamiOrange Bowl
15
1973Saint Louis (10)
3–2 (a.e.t.)
UCLABrown
ClemsonMiamiOrange Bowl
15
1974Howard (1)
2–1 (a.e.t.)
Saint LouisHartwick3–1UCLASt. LouisBusch Memorial Stadium
16
1975San Francisco (2)4–0SIU EdwardsvilleBrown2–0HowardEdwardsvilleCougar Field
17
1976San Francisco (3)1–0IndianaHartwick4–3ClemsonPhiladelphiaFranklin Field
18
1977Hartwick (1)2–1San FranciscoSIU Edwardsville3–2BrownBerkeleyCalifornia Memorial
19
1978San Francisco (0) [n 5]2–0IndianaClemson6–2Philadelphia Textile [n 6]TampaTampa Stadium
20
1979SIU Edwardsville (1)3–2ClemsonPenn State2–1ColumbiaTampaTampa Stadium
21
1980San Francisco (4)
4–3 (a.e.t.)
IndianaHartwick
Alabama A&MTampaTampa Stadium
22
1981Connecticut [n 1] (1)
2–1 (a.e.t.)
Alabama A&MEastern Illinois [n 5]
Philadelphia Textile [n 6]Palo AltoStanford Stadium
23
1982Indiana (1)
2–1 (a.e.t.)
DukeConnecticut [n 1]
SIU EdwardsvilleFort LauderdaleLockhart Stadium
24
1983Indiana (2)
1–0 (a.e.t.)
ColumbiaConnecticut [n 1]
VirginiaFort LauderdaleLockhart Stadium
25
1984Clemson (1)2–1IndianaHartwick
UCLASeattleKingdome
26
1985UCLA (1)
1–0 (a.e.t.)
AmericanHartwick
EvansvilleSeattleKingdome
27
1986Duke (1)1–0AkronHarvard
Fresno StateTacomaTacoma Dome
28
1987Clemson (2)2–0San Diego StateHarvard
North CarolinaClemsonRiggs Field
29
1988Indiana (3)1–0HowardPortland
South CarolinaBloomingtonBill Armstrong
30
1989Santa Clara (1)
Virginia (1)
[n 4]
1–1 (a.e.t.)
Indiana
RutgersPiscatawayRutgers Stadium
31
1990UCLA (2)
0–0 (a.e.t.)
(4–3 p)
RutgersEvansville
NC StateTampaUSF Soccer Stadium
32
1991Virginia (2)
0–0 (a.e.t.)
(3–1 p)
Santa ClaraIndiana
Saint LouisTampaUSF Soccer Stadium
33
1992Virginia (3)
2–0
San DiegoDuke
DavidsonDavidsonRichardson Stadium
34
1993Virginia (4)2–0South CarolinaCal State Fullerton
PrincetonDavidsonRichardson Stadium
35
1994Virginia (5)1–0IndianaUCLA
RutgersDavidsonRichardson Stadium
36
1995Wisconsin (1)2–0DukeVirginia
PortlandRichmondRichmond Stadium
37
1996St. John's (1)
4–1
FIUCreighton
UNC Charlotte[n 7]RichmondRichmond Stadium
38
1997UCLA (3)2–0VirginiaIndiana
Saint LouisRichmondRichmond Stadium
39
1998Indiana (4)3–1StanfordMaryland
Santa ClaraRichmondRichmond Stadium
40
1999Indiana (5)1–0Santa ClaraConnecticut [n 1]
UCLACharlotteEricsson Stadium
41
2000Connecticut [n 1] (2)2–0CreightonIndiana
SMUCharlotteEricsson Stadium
42
2001North Carolina (1)2–0IndianaStanford
St. John'sColumbusColumbus Crew Stadium
43
2002UCLA (4)1–0StanfordMaryland
CreightonUniversity ParkGerald J. Ford Stadium
44
2003Indiana (6)2–1St. John'sMaryland
Santa ClaraColumbusColumbus Crew Stadium
45
2004Indiana (7)
1–1 (a.e.t.)
(3–2 p)
UC Santa BarbaraMaryland
DukeCarsonHome Depot Center
46
2005Maryland (2)1–0New MexicoSMU
ClemsonCarySAS Soccer Park
47
2006UC Santa Barbara (1)
2–1
UCLAWake Forest
VirginiaSt. LouisHermann Stadium
48
2007Wake Forest (1)2–1Ohio StateVirginia Tech
MassachusettsCarySAS Soccer Park
49
2008Maryland (3)1–0North CarolinaSt. John's
Wake ForestFriscoPizza Hut Park
50
2009Virginia (6)
0–0 (a.e.t.)
(3–2 p)
AkronWake Forest
North CarolinaCaryWakeMed Soccer Park
51
2010Akron (1)1–0LouisvilleNorth Carolina
MichiganSanta BarbaraHarder Stadium
52
2011North Carolina (2)1–0CharlotteUCLA
CreightonHooverRegions Park
53
2012Indiana (8)1–0GeorgetownMaryland
CreightonHooverRegions Park
54
2013Notre Dame (1)2–1MarylandNew Mexico
VirginiaChesterPPL Park
55
2014Virginia (7)
0–0 (a.e.t.)
(4–2 p)
UCLAProvidence
UMBCCaryWakeMed Soccer Park
56
2015Stanford (1)ClemsonAkron
SyracuseKansas CityChildren's Mercy Park
57
2016Stanford (2)
0–0 (a.e.t.)
(5–4 p)
Wake ForestDenver
North CarolinaHoustonBBVA Compass Stadium
58
2017Stanford (3)IndianaNorth Carolina
AkronChesterTalen Energy Stadium
59
2018Maryland (4)AkronIndiana
Michigan StateSanta BarbaraHarder Stadium
60
2019Georgetown (1)
3–3 (a.e.t.)
(7–6 p)
VirginiaStanford
Wake ForestCaryWakeMed Soccer Park
61
2020Marshall (1)IndianaNorth Carolina
PittsburghCaryWakeMed Soccer Park
62
2021Clemson (3)WashingtonNotre Dame
GeorgetownCaryWakeMed Soccer Park
63
2022Syracuse (1)
2–2 (a.e.t.)
(7–6 p)
IndianaPittsburgh
CreightonCaryWakeMed Soccer Park
64
2023Clemson (4)Notre DameOregon State
West VirginiaLouisvilleLynn Family Stadium
65
2024CaryWakeMed Soccer Park
66
2025CaryWakeMed Soccer Park
Notes

Most successful schools

Team titles

Akron
Duke
Hartwick
Marshall
Notre
Dame
Santa Clara
SIUE
St. John's
UCSB
Wake Forest
West Chester
Wisconsin
Saint
Louis
Indiana
Virginia
San Francisco
UCLA
Stanford
Clemson
Michigan
State
North Carolina
UConn
Syracuse
DC/Maryland schools
Maryland
Georgetown
Howard
Navy

Teams that have won the National Championship: 10, 8, 7, 4, 3, 2, 1
TeamTitlesYears won
Saint Louis
10
1959, 1960, 1962, 1963, 1965, 1967[n 1], 1969, 1970, 1972, 1973
Indiana
8
1982, 1983, 1988, 1998, 1999, 2003, 2004, 2012
Virginia
7
1989[n 2], 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 2009, 2014
Clemson
4
1984, 1987, 2021, 2023
Maryland
4
1968[n 2], 2005, 2008, 2018
UCLA
4
1985, 1990, 1997, 2002
San Francisco
4
1966, 1975, 1976, 1980
Stanford
3
2015, 2016, 2017
North Carolina
2
2001, 2011
UConn
2
1981, 2000
Michigan State
2
1967[n 1], 1968[n 2]
Syracuse
1
2022
Marshall
1
2020
Georgetown
1
2019
Notre Dame
1
2013
Akron
1
2010
Wake Forest
1
2007
UC Santa Barbara
1
2006
St. John's
1
1996
Wisconsin
1
1995
Santa Clara
1
1989[n 2]
Duke
1
1986
SIU Edwardsville
1
1979
Hartwick
1
1977
Howard
1
1974
Navy
1
1964
West Chester
1
1961
Notes

Appearances by team

Key

  •  CH  National Champion
  •  RU  National Runner-up
  •  SF  Semifinals
  •  QF  Quarterfinals
  •  16  Round of 16
  •  •  Second Round
  •  ◦  First Round
SchoolConference
(as of 2023)
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See also

Highest attendances

The highest recorded attendance for championship games are listed below:[4]

  • 22,512 – Saint Louis (5) vs. SIU Edwardsville (1), Busch Stadium, St. Louis Oct. 30 1980
  • 21,319 – Wisconsin (1) vs. Portland (0) / Duke (3) vs. Virginia (2), Richmond, Virginia (NCAA semifinals) Dec. 8, 1995
  • 20,874 – St. John's (NY) (4) vs. FIU (1), Richmond, Virginia (NCAA final) Dec. 15, 1996
  • 20,703 – Wisconsin (2) vs. Duke (0), Richmond, Virginia (NCAA final) Dec. 10, 1995
  • 20,269 – St. John's (NY) (2) vs. Creighton (1) / FIU (4) vs. Charlotte (0), Richmond, Virginia (NCAA semifinals) Dec. 13, 1996
  • 20,143 – UCLA (2) vs. Virginia (0), Richmond, Virginia (NCAA final) Dec. 14, 1997
  • 20,112 – Saint Louis (1) vs. SIU Edwardsville (0), Busch Stadium, St. Louis Nov. 9, 1973

Numbers in parentheses indicate goals scored by participating teams.

References