2023 NAIA Men’s Soccer National Championship Qualifiers Announced
Nov 13, 2023
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – [Watch Video Announcement | First & Second Round Schedule] The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) has officially announced the teams and pairings for the 2023 NAIA Men’s Soccer National Championship. The 40-team field will begin with the NAIA National Championship First & Second Rounds presented by Select Sport America, at 16 campus sites from November 16-18.
The 2023 NAIA National Championship Second Round winners will head to Wichita, Kan. at the NAIA National Championship final site. Scheels Stryker Sports Complex will be the host for final site action from November 27 – December 4, 2023, hosted by Visit Wichita.
This year’s championship field includes 27 automatic qualifiers and 13 at-large selections. Automatic berths were given to teams that either won their respective conference tournament title, regular-season championship, or finished runner-up at the conference tournament or regular season as determined by each conference qualification plan. The at-large bids were determined by the NAIA Men’s Soccer National Selection Committee. This committee consists of one representative from each geographical area, a representative from the National Administrative Council, the president of the NAIA Men’s Soccer Coaches Association, and three at-large members. The committee evaluated teams throughout the year on various criteria.
All championship first and second round matches will be video streamed by the host.
The NAIA Network – the association’s official video streaming home – will broadcast 14 matches live at the NAIA Men’s Soccer National Championship final site in Wichita, Kan., and the championship match will be on ESPN3. The NAIA Network, powered by Presto Sports, allows users access to live video, statistics, and social interaction on a number of devices, including mobile. Single-day passes can be purchased for $9.95, while an all-championship tournament package is available at $34.95. For more information and to pre-register, click HERE.
Qualifier Highlights
Ottawa (Kan.) ends a 51-year drought after last qualifying in 1971.
Twenty-four teams in the 2023 field played in the national championships a year ago.
Lindsey Wilson (Ky.) leads the way with nine total Red Banners. Seven total institutions in the field have won a Red Banner before.
The Blue Raiders have the most appearances (30) and have played the most games (86).
Mobile (Ala.) and Rio Grande (Ohio) are each into the fray for the 23rd time and have played a combined 112 games.
The Mid-South Conference boasts four qualifiers while the Appalachian, Crossroads, Heart of America, and Southern States have three each.
Hope International (Calif.), Louisiana Christian, and Westcliff (Calif.) are reaching the tournament for the first time in program history.
Institution Qualification Method Season Record Last Qualified Appearances Championship Record Titles
Aquinas (Mich.) Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference Regular Season Champion 14-3-3 2012 3 0-2-0 –
Bellevue (Neb.) Continental Athletic Conference Tournament Champion 12-5-3 2022 10 7-9-0 –
Bethel (Ind.) Crossroads League Tournament Champion 16-2-3 2022 13 8-12-2 1
Bethel (Tenn.) At-Large 13-4-1 2020 10 10-7-1 1
Briar Cliff (Iowa) Great Plains Athletic Conference Regular Season Champion 13-2-3 2020 2 1-1-0 –
College of Idaho Cascade Collegiate Conference Tournament Champion 12-3-4 2000 2 0-1-0 –
Columbia (Mo.) American Midwest Conference Tournament Champion 12-4-4 2022 13 16-11-12 –
Cumberland (Tenn.) Mid-South Conference Tournament Champion 12-4-3 2021 4 0-3-0 –
Cumberlands (Ky.) At-Large 7-3-5 2022 5 3-3-1 –
Dalton State (Ga.) At-Large 12-2-3 2022 5 3-4-0 –
Florida National At-Large 11-2-5 2022 3 1-2-0 –
Governors State (Ill.) Chicagolands Collegiate Athletic Conference Regular Season Runner-Up 8-9-1 2021 2 0-1-0 –
Grace (Ind.) At-Large 14-4-2 2022 5 0-4-0 –
Hope International (Calif.) Golden State Athletic Conference Tournament Champion 15-3-2 – 1 0-0-0 –
Indiana Tech Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference Tournament Champion 11-4-5 2022 7 6-6-1 –
Indiana Wesleyan At-Large 12-3-4 2022 5 2-3-2 –
Keiser (Fla.) The Sun Conference Tournament Champion 12-3-5 2022 10 11-4-4 1
Lindsey Wilson (Ky.) At-Large 12-3-3 2022 30 61-18-7 9
Louisiana Christian Red River Athletic Conference Tournament Champion 13-3-4 – 1 – –
LSU Shreveport (La.) Red River Athletic Conference Regular Season Champion 15-5-1 2022 2 0-2-0 –
Menlo (Calif.) At-Large 9-1-5 2019 2 0-2-0 –
Mid-America Christian (Okla.) Sooner Athletic Conference Tournament Champion 17-0-3 2022 5 5-5-0 –
MidAmerica Nazarene (Kan.) Heart of America Athletic Conference Tournament Runner-Up 12-4-4 2022 12 14-11-3 –
Milligan (Tenn.) Appalachian Athletic Conference Regular Season & Tournament Champion 16-2-3 2022 5 2-4-0 –
Missouri Valley Heart of America Athletic Conference Regular Season & Tournament Champion 13-5-0 2022 13 25-10-1 1
Mobile (Ala.) Southern States Athletic Conference Tournament Champion 14-2-2 2022 23 37-21-4 1
Northwestern (Iowa) Great Plains Athletic Conference Tournament Champion 15-4-2 2021 2 0-2-0 –
Oklahoma Wesleyan Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference Regular Season & Tournament Champion 16-1-3 2022 13 19-8-4 –
Olivet Nazarene (Ill.) Chicagolands Collegiate Athletic Conference Regular Season & Tournament Champion 12-3-3 2022 10 1-7-2 –
Ottawa (Kan.) Appalachian Athletic Conference Tournament Runner-Up 15-4-1 1971 4 5-4-0 –
Rio Grande (Ohio) At-Large 14-1-3 2022 23 29-18-3 2
Southern Oregon Cascade Collegiate Conference Regular Season Champion 18-3-0 2018 2 1-2-0 –
St. Thomas (Fla.) At-Large 16-1-2 2022 8 7-6-1 –
Tennessee Wesleyan Appalachian Athletic Conference Tournament Runner-Up 11-4-5 2021 5 0-7-0 –
UC Merced (Calif.) California Pacific Conference Tournament Runner-Up 12-3-3 2022 7 1-6-1 –
Union (Ky.) At-Large 15-2-2 2019 4 2-2-2 –
Westcliff (Calif.) California Pacific Conference Regular Season & Tournament Champion 17-1-0 – 1 – –
William Carey (Miss.) At-Large 16-4-1 2022 17 20-18-4 –
William Penn (Iowa) At-Large 11-4-4 2022 5 1-4-1 –
WVU Tech (W.Va.) River States Conference Tournament Champion 13-4-3 2020 6 2-4-0 –
Championship Information
men’s soccer
65TH ANNUAL
MEN’S SOCCER
NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP
Nov. 27 – Dec. 4, 2023
Scheels Stryker Sports Complex
Wichita, Kansas
First & Second Round
Nov. 16 – 18, 2023
Campus Sites
Visitor’s Guide
First & Second Round Schedule
Final Site Schedule
Tournament Bracket
Championship Program
Watch Live
Championship Final Site Tickets
Final Site Credential Application – SID/Photographer
Final Site Credential Application – Media
SELECTION SHOW
Soccer Sports Rules