For the third time in six years, the John Brown University women's soccer team is among the 31 teams that were selected Monday morning to compete in the 2018 NAIA Women's Soccer National Championships, the NAIA national office announced.
John Brown also learned that it was awarded one of 15 Opening Round host bids and will welcome Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference champion Kansas Wesleyan to Alumni Field. Game time is slated for 1:30 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 17, and will be streamed on JBUathletics.com and the NAIA Network app.
NAIA Women’s Soccer Championship
Saturday’s games
Game 1 — Asbury (Ky.) at No. 1 Spring Arbor (Mich.)
Game 2 — Missouri Baptist at No. 2 William Carey (Miss.)
Game 3 — LSU Shreveport (La.) at No. 3 Martin Methodist (Tenn.)
Game 4 — Tennessee Wesleyan at No. 4 Keiser (Fla.)
Game 5 — Northwest (Wash.) at No. 5 Vanguard (Calif.)
Game 6 — Truett McConnell (Ca.) at No. 6 Southeastern (Fla.)
Game 7 — Columbia (Mo.) at No. 7 Georgia Gwinnett
Game 8 — Ottawa (Kan.) at No. 8 Benedictine (Kan.)
Game 9 — Hope International (Calif.) at No. 9 Embry Riddle (Ariz.)
Game 10 – Aquinas (Mich.) at No. 10 Lindsey Wilson (Ky.)
Game 11 — Kansas Wesleyan at No. 11 John Brown (Ark.)
Game 12 — Cardinal Stritch (Wis.) at No. 12 Northwestern Ohio
Game 13 — Central Methodist (Mo.) at No. 13 Hastings (Neb.)
Game 14 — Midland (Neb.) at No. 14 Science & Arts (Okla.)
Game 15 — Eastern Oregon at No. 15 Grace (Ind.)
at Orange Beach, Ala.
Monday, Nov. 26
Second Round
Game 16 — Game 1 winner vs. Mobile (Ala.)
Game 17 — Game 8 winner vs. Game 9 winner
Game 18 — Game 5 winner vs. Game 12 winner
Game 19 — Game 4 winner vs. Game 13 winner
Tuesday, Nov. 27
Second Round
Game 20 — Game 2 winner vs. Game 15 winner
Game 21 — Game 7 winner vs. Game 10 winner
Game 22 — Game 6 winner vs. Game 11 winner
Game 23 — Game 3 winner vs. Game 14 winner
Wednesday, Nov. 28
Quarterfinals
Game 24 — Game 16 winner vs. Game 17 winner
Game 25 — Game 18 winner vs. Game 19 winner
Game 26 — Game 20 winner vs. Game 21 winner
Game 27 — Game 22 winner vs. Game 23 winner
Friday, Nov. 30
Semifinals
Game 28 — Game 24 winner vs. Game 25 winner
Game 29 — Game 26 winner vs. Game 27 winner
Saturday, Dec. 1
Championship
Game 30 — Game 28 winner vs. Game 29 winner
John Brown (15-4-1) is coming off its sixth-straight Sooner Athletic tournament final appearance as it padded its postseason resume with neutral site wins over No. 12 Mobile (Ala.) and No. 2 William Carey (Miss.) and added a road win over No. 10 Columbia (Mo.) and a home victory over No. 14 Oklahoma Wesleyan. The Golden Eagles are one of two Sooner Athletic teams that this year's NAIA National Championships field, joining SAC tournament champion, Science and Arts (Okla.).
This will be the Golden Eagles' fifth all-time appearance in the NAIA National Championships (2005, 2010, 2013, 2016), third under head coach Kathleen Paulsen. In its history, John Brown is 0-4-0 in tournament games, most recently dropping a 2-1 heartbreaker at Cumberland (Tenn.) in the 2016 Opening Round. Including SAC tournament games, JBU is 12-5-3 (.675) in postseason matches under Paulsen.
Kansas Wesleyan enters the NAIA National Championships at 17-2-2 on the year and won the KCAC tournament championship last week by defeating Oklahoma Wesleyan, 2-0. This will be the seventh appearance in program history for the Coyotes after claiming its first tournament title since 2014. It was the first time the program captured both the KCAC regular season and tournament titles in the same year since 2012.
The Coyotes are 2-6-2 all-time in its previous six trips (2007, 2008, 2010, 2012, 2015, 2016) to the big dance. In both draws, KWU advanced on penalty kicks.
Kat Benton mans the helm of Kansas Wesleyan and is currently in her second season. Last year, she coached the Coyotes to a 10-8-2 record and an appearance in the KCAC tournament title match, a 4-0 loss to Oklahoma Wesleyan.
Tickets will be available on site one hour prior to kick off. Tickets for everyone 10 and over are $5, while kids 9 and under are free with a paid adult. All John Brown University students, faculty and staff will be admitted free with the JBU ID, while family of faculty and staff will also be admitted free of cost. All patrons 10 and over in attendance must have a ticket.
Sports on 11/14/2018