NORTHFIELD, Minn. – The fourth-ranked St. Olaf College men's soccer team will open the NCAA Division III Men's Soccer Championship by hosting a four-team pod in the first two rounds on Saturday and Sunday, Nov. 15-16.
After earning an at-large bid into the NCAA Tournament, St. Olaf also earned the right to host games on the opening weekend by virtue of its No. 3 ranking according to the NCAA Power Index (NPI). The Oles will match up with UW-Superior in the first game of the day on Saturday at 11 a.m., followed by a meeting between Lake Forest College and Luther College at 1:30 p.m. The two advancing teams will play for a spot in the sectional rounds ("Sweet 16) at 1 p.m. on Sunday.
FAN INFORMATION
Tickets for each of the games this weekend will be sold on-site on the day of the games only. Ticket prices are $6 for adults, $3 for students (with ID) and seniors, and $2 for children ages 3-12. Children two and under are free. Tickets may be purchased with cash or credit card. The St. Olaf Athletic Department will cover the cost of tickets for St. Olaf students/faculty/staff (must present ID) throughout the weekend.
All parking is on a first-come, first-served basis in the lots surrounding Skoglund Center and Tostrud Fieldhouse. Limited seating will be available in metal bleachers on the west side of the field, but spectators may also bring lawn chairs or sit/stand on the hill surrounding the field. No spectators will be permitted on the goal lines or on the east side of the field. No pets are allowed inside the venue (except identified service animals) and no alcoholic beverages are permitted.
Live video and live statistics links will be available throughout the weekend and are posted on the
fan information page.
HOW THEY GOT HERE / NCAA TOURNAMENT HISTORY
St. Olaf (16-2-3) received one of 21 at-large bids into the field for the 12th NCAA Tournament berth in program history (1984, 1992, 1998-99, 2009, 2011, 2015, 2021-25). The Oles won their 10th MIAC regular-season title (1984, 1992, 1998, 2004, 2011, 2014, 2021, 2023-25) with a 9-0-1 mark in conference play before falling to second-seeded Macalester College, 4-1, in the championship game of the MIAC Playoffs in their quest for an unprecedented four-peat of playoff titles. The 2023 national champions are 13-7-2 all-time in the NCAA Tournament after bowing out to UW-Superior – its first-round opponent this season – in penalty kicks in the second round last season.
UW-Superior (16-6-0) locked up an automatic bid into the NCAA Tournament after winning its ninth UMAC Tournament title – all in the last nine seasons – with a 2-1 overtime victory over Bethany Lutheran College on Saturday. The Yellowjackets, who went 12-0-0 in UMAC play to win the regular-season crown, are 3-6-2 all-time in the NCAA Tournament and advanced to the "Sweet 16" for the first time last season before falling in double overtime to eventual national champion Amherst College. UW-Superior, which was ranked No. 75 in the NPI, had not qualified for the NCAA Tournament prior to 2017.
Lake Forest (19-1-0) won Midwest Conference regular-season and tournament titles en route to landing the ninth NCAA Tournament berth in program history (1975, 1980, 2013, 2015, 2017, 2022-25). The Foresters, who are ranked No. 19 in the latest United Soccer Coaches national poll, enter the national tournament with a NCAA Division III-leading 19 victories and were ranked No. 14 in the NPI. Lake Forest cruised to a 4-0 victory over Grinnell College in the Midwest Conference title game on Saturday after going 8-0-0 to win the regular-season crown.
Luther (9-2-7) earned an automatic berth into the NCAA Tournament after defeating Wartburg College, 1-0, in the American Rivers Conference Tournament title game on Saturday for the program's 11th tournament title. The Norse also won the A-R-C regular-season crown, marking the first time the program did the double since 2002. Luther is in the NCAA Tournament for the 12th time (1996, 1998-99, 2001-02, 2011, 2013, 2016, 2018-19, 2022, 2025) and is 14-9-4 all-time in the national tournament. The Norse were ranked No. 35 in the most recent NPI update.
