It was a rough Sunday night for Tufts Athletics as the NCAA selection committees passed over the field hockey, soccer and volleyball teams when setting the Div. III NCAA championship field. In addition to the four automatic bids granted to the winners of the NESCAC tournaments (which went to four different NESCAC teams), the NCAA recognized the strength of the league in several sports, and awarded six at-large bids to NESCAC teams. Here's a look at the teams who will be making a run for a Div. III title.
Field Hockey: Bowdoin took the automatic qualifier with its second straight NESCAC title, a 1-0 win over Middlebury in the conference championship game on Sunday. Arguably the strongest conference in Div. III field hockey, NESCAC raked in two of the eight at-large bids up for grabs around the nation. Middlebury was rewarded for a month spent in the national top five with an at-large bid, and Williams edged out Tufts to sneak in with NESCAC's third and lowest NCAA seed. Bowdoin and Middlebury both earned first-round byes.
First Round, Nov. 8Williams (12-3) v. Maine-Farmington (15-2)Second Round, Nov. 11Middlebury (14-3) v. winner of Williams Smith (16-3) and Eastern (17-4)Bowdoin (15-1) v. winner of Wellesley (15-4) and Keene State (18-4)
Men's Soccer: Williams earned one of 36 automatic bids to the NCAA Tournament with a penalty-kick win over Middlebury on Sunday. But the NESCAC earned three at-large bids in a field of 57 total teams, as Amherst, Wesleyan and Middlebury all have the chance to keep their seasons going.
First Round, Nov. 8Wesleyan (10-2-3) v. Baruch (12-6-1)First Round, Nov. 11Amherst (11-2-2 ) v. Westfield State (11-8-0)Middlebury (11-5-1) v. St. Lawrence (11-5-2)Williams (11-1-1) v. winner of Keene State (14-5-1) and LaSalle (15-5-0)
Women's Soccer: As in 2005, two NESCAC teams will be making an appearance in the NCAA Tournament. But neither of last year's performers - Tufts and Bates - are in the 2006 bracket. Instead, Middlebury earned the conference's automatic bid with with a 1-0 overtime win over Amherst in the NESCAC title game. The Lord Jeffs got the at-large nod, however, and will play on Saturday to keep their season alive.
First Round, Nov. 11Middlebury (13-2-1) v. Scranton (12-6-2)Amherst (12-2-1) v. Kean (12-4-2)
Volleyball: Amherst is the lone NESCAC representative in the tournament, as regional power MIT ate up an at-large bid. Season-long frontrunner Williams (23-7) missed out with a 3-1 loss to the Lord Jeffs in Sunday's NESCAC Championship.
First Round, Nov. 9Amherst (26-6) v. Emmanuel (20-10)
