Rice soccer is NCAA Tournament bound. After winning the Conference USA Tournament, the Owls now have their opponent and destination set.
For the fifth time in program history, Rice soccer is headed to the NCAA Tournament. The Owls formally punched their ticket on Saturday, defeating Charlotte at Holloway Field to secure Conference USA’s automatic bid. The victory capped off a tremendous regular season for the Owls, who one-upped the preseason polls, which tabbed them to finish second in the West.
Rice landed four players on the All-Tournament team, led by tournament Offensive MVP Delaney Schultz and Defensive MVP Mijke Roelfsema. Caleigh Boeckx and Rebecca Keane were also honored.
The tournament accolades served as subtle reminders of the Owls’ progress this season. Prior to the start of the week, Rice earned a No. 25 ranking in the United Soccer Coaches Poll. Everything seemed to be coming together at the right time.
With the hard work done, Rice soccer waited over the weekend to find out who and where they’ll be playing next. Complete brackets were announced on Monday.
Rice will face Furman in the first round, the alma mater of current Owls’ head coach Brian Lee. The game is scheduled for Wednesday, April 28 at 3 p.m. The winner will advance to play 5-Seed West Virginia.
In light of COVID-19 concerns, all tournament games will take place in the state of North Carolina this year. Local universities like Campbell, East Carolina, UNC Wilmington, UNC Greensboro and Wake Forest will serve as host sites with additional off-campus facilities available as well. The Tournament kicks off on April 27 and will run through the national championship game on May 17.
