University of Iowa player grabs Michigan State University graduate student defender Celia Gaynor (15) at DeMartin Soccer Complex on Oct. 29, 2023.
The Michigan State women’s soccer team will be hosting the Ohio Bobcats in the first round of the NCAA tournament Friday at 6 p.m. The Spartans finished the regular season ranked No. 20 in the United Soccer Coaches poll and were the Big Ten regular season champions alongside Nebraska to punch their ticket to the NCAA tournament for the second year in a row.
For the second year in a row, we're dancing! 💃
We'll host Ohio this weekend in the 2023 NCAA Tournament First Round at DeMartin Stadium. Game date and time to be announced. #GoGreenpic.twitter.com/tJNiWXcQSY
The team, staff and fans gathered in Jenison Field House on Monday afternoon for a selection show watch party that would decide the structure of the tournament and which teams made the cut.
MSU is seeded No. 5 in their Provo region of the tournament including No. 6 BYU, Utah State, Grand Canyon, No. 22 Southern California, Maine, Harvard, No. 13 North Carolina, Towson, Western Carolina and No. 24 Alabama.
Teams that make it through the first four rounds of the 64-team tournament will move on to the NCAA Women’s College Cup which will be held in Cary, NC, from Dec. 1 to Dec. 4.
“I think we have the ability to make a deep run. This is a team that’s got depth at all positions,” head women's soccer coach Jeff Hosler said. “We’ve really kind of hit our stride and over the last four weeks we’ve been in great form. We have one loss to speak of in the past month.”
MSU's first match of the NCAA tournament will be held at home at DeMartin Stadium at 6 p.m. If the Spartans advance, they will face off against the winner of the Maine and Harvard game.
