MEN’S SOCCER

The #RV Huntington University men’s soccer team learned Monday afternoon they will be packing their bags for Rio Grande (Ohio) to compete in the 2019 NAIA Men’s Soccer National Championship Opening Round slated for November 22-23 at the University of Rio Grande’s Evan Davis Soccer Field.

For the second straight year, HU received the conference’s automatic bid to the big dance as the Crossroads League Tournament Champions. Lawson and crew will face Cardinal Stritch (Wis.) on Friday at noon.

Huntington enters the opening round with a record of 15-4-2. This is the fifth time the Foresters have advanced to an NAIA postseason tournament. HU is one of 19 teams returning from 2018.

Cardinal Stritch, receiving votes in the latest national poll, earned a spot in the tourney as the
Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference regular season champs. The Wolves claim an overall record of 16-4 which includes a 1-0 loss to Crossroads League foe Bethel University. This will be CSU’s fifth trip to nationals.

The 2019 Opening Round field includes 27 automatic qualifiers, 18 at-large selections and one host berth. The 15 NAIA Opening Round winners will join Westmont (Calif.) in Irvine for NAIA National Championship Final Site play, beginning on December 2nd. The 16-team single-elimination event runs from Dec. 2-7 at the Orange Country Great Park Soccer Stadium.