2023 WAC Men's Soccer Release - 2023 NCAA Championship First Round

TWO WAC TEAMS RETURN TO THE NCAA CHAMPIONSHIP
For the third time in four seasons, multiple WAC men’s soccer teams have qualified for the postseason as California Baptist and Seattle U are each bound for the 2023 NCAA Division I Men’s Soccer Championship. WAC tournament champion CBU will face San Diego at 7 p.m. PT and at-large selection Seattle U travels to Oregon State at 6 p.m. PT for first-round action on Nov. 16. 

THE WAC IN THE NCAA MEN’S SOCCER CHAMPIONSHIP
The 2023 edition of the NCAA Championship marks the ninth time in conference history that the WAC has been represented by two or more men’s soccer members in a given national tournament. WAC programs have previously reached the NCAA quarterfinals on two occasions (Fresno State in 1996, SMU in 1997) and the third round twice (Seattle U in 2015, Air Force in 2018). WAC programs have advanced at least one round in nine prior NCAA Men’s Soccer Championships.

CBU THE FIRST TO SUCCESSFULLY DEFEND WAC TITLE
California Baptist became the first WAC program to successfully defend the men’s soccer tournament championship thanks to a 2-1 win over UNLV in the 2023 tournament final on Nov. 11 in Las Vegas. The Lancers are one of only two teams from the WAC to even reach back-to-back men’s soccer finals, with the other being San José State in 2017 and 2018. CBU has now qualified for the NCAA Championship in each of its first two eligible seasons at the Division I level.

SIGNATURE TOURNAMENT PERFORMANCES FOR LOPEZ, MUELLER
Both UNLV’s Nico Lopez and California Baptist’s Luis Mueller put their talents on full display during the 2023 WAC Men’s Soccer Tournament in Las Vegas, leaving their mark on the conference tournament record book. Lopez became the first player in tournament history with a hat trick after scoring all three UNLV goals in a 3-2 opening round win in overtime against Utah Valley. Lopez finished as the leading scorer in a single WAC tournament with four goals after tallying the tying score against CBU in the championship match. Mueller compiled three goals and an assist over just two starts on his way to the tournament Most Outstanding Player award.

NEXT ROUND OF THE NCAA CHAMPIONSHIP
California Baptist would advance to face national top seed Marshall and Seattle U would advance to take on national No. 11 seed Portland in the second round of the 2023 NCAA Championship.