The NCAA Division III men's soccer tournament is an annual event organized by the

National Collegiate Athletic Association The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) is a nonprofit organization that regulates College athletics in the United States, student athletics among about 1,100 schools in the United States, and Simon Fraser University, 1 in Canada. ...

to determine the national champions of men's collegiate soccer among its Division III members in the

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. It has been held every year since 1974.

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have been the most successful program, with 11 titles. Amherst are the reigning champions, winning their second championship in 2024.

History

It has been held each year since 1974, except 2020, when the Division III championship was established for universities that do not award athletics scholarships. The 2020 tournament was cancelled due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Division III teams had previously competed as part of the NCAA College Division Men's Soccer Championship (now Division II). A total of 64 teams participate, making it the largest of the

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's men's soccer tournaments. Traditionally, the tournament is held in November and December at the end of the regular season. The tournament finals were initially held on the campus of one of the teams participating in the semifinals. Since 2004, however, they have been held at the same pre-determined neutral site as the

NCAA Division III Women's Soccer Championship The NCAA Division III women's soccer tournament is an annual event organized by the National Collegiate Athletic Association to determine the national champions of women's collegiate soccer among its Division III members in the United States ...

(added in 1986).

Selection format

Of the three

divisions, Division III has the most complicated selection process. In 2012, the tournament was a 62-team, single-elimination tournament. Teams are divided into three pools. Pool A consists of the 36 conference champions, who all receive automatic bids to the tournament. Pool B consists of all teams which are not in conferences or which are in conferences that do not meet the requirements to be awarded an automatic bid. Four teams are selected from Pool B. Pool C consists of all the other teams, plus those Pool B teams not already selected. The remaining teams in the field are selected from Pool C. Two teams received first round byes, and the rest of the bracket was filled by geographical proximity. The early rounds of the championship were played at campus sites with the higher seeded team hosting the match. The semifinals and finals are played at a predetermined campus site. The 2012 Division III final rounds were held at Blossom Soccer Complex in

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Results

Champions

Former programs

* All of the above schools have reclassified their athletic programs from NCAA Division III. UC San Diego and UNC Greensboro are now Division I, and Lock Haven is Division II.

References

External links

* {{College soccer in the United States Recurring sporting events established in 1974