NCAA Division II men's soccer tournament

The NCAA Division II men's soccer tournament (formerly the NCAA College Division soccer tournament) is an annual event organized by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) to determine the national champions of men's collegiate soccer among its Division II members in the United States and Canada. It has been held every year since 1972; prior to that, all teams competed in a single tournament.^[1]

NCAA Division II men's soccer tournament

NCAA logo
Association	NCAA
Sport	Men's college soccer
Founded	1972; 53 years ago (1972)
Division	Division II
No. of teams	42
Country	United States  Canada
Most recent champion(s)	Lynn (4th)
Most titles	Southern Connecticut (6)
Official website	ncaa.com/soccer

The most successful program has been Southern Connecticut State, with six national titles.

Lynn are the defending champions, winning their fourth national title in 2024.

Format

The Division II tournament is structured around four unbalanced Super Regionals from the eight NCAA regions (Atlantic, Central, East, Midwest, South, South Central, Southeast, and West). At least two and as many as six teams from each region are selected with no automatic qualifiers given. The selection criteria used is similar to that used in Division I, although one difference is that the RPI is replaced with the Quality of Winning Percentage Index, a more subjective measure. In 2016, the tournament field consisted of a 38-team, single-elimination tournament.

The first two rounds are played on campus sites with the highest seed usually hosting the regional semis and finals. The winners of each region meet in the third round and/or quarterfinals, with the host being determined by specific criteria or, failing that, geographical rotation. The final two rounds are played at a predetermined site. The 2016 semifinals and final, for example, were held at Swope Soccer Village in Kansas City, Missouri and hosted by the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association and the Kansas City Sports Commission.^[2]

Results

Sources:^[3][4]

Year by year

Sources:^[3][4]

Keys

• (a.e.t.) – match went to extra time
• (p) – match result defined on penalties

Ed.	Year	Host city		Championship				Third place match / Semifinalists
				Champion	Score	Runner-Up		Third Place	Score	Fourth Place
1	1972	Edwardsville, IL		SIU Edwardsville (1)	1–0	Oneonta State		Chico State and Baltimore [n 1]
2	1973	Springfield, MA		UMSL (1)	3–0	Cal State Fullerton		Adelphi	1–0	Baltimore
3	1974	St. Louis, MO		Adelphi (1)	3–2	Seattle Pacific		UDC	5–3	Eastern Illinois
4	1975	Seattle, WA		Baltimore (1)	3–1	Seattle Pacific		Adelphi	9–1	UW–Green Bay
5	1976	Seattle, WA		Loyola Maryland (1)	2–0	New Haven		Chico State	2–2 (4–2 p)	UMSL
6	1977	University Park, FL		Alabama A&M (1)	2–1	Seattle Pacific		New Haven	2–2 (5–3 p)	UW–Green Bay
7	1978	University Park, FL		Seattle Pacific (1)	1–0 (a.e.t.)	Alabama A&M		Eastern Illinois	2–1	Southern Connecticut
8	1979	University Park, FL		Alabama A&M (2)	2–0	Eastern Illinois		Seattle Pacific	1–0 (a.e.t.)	Southern Connecticut
9	1980	University Park, FL		Lock Haven (1)	1–0 (a.e.t.)	FIU		Cal State Chico	2–1 (a.e.t.)	Southern Connecticut
10	1981	New Haven, CT		Tampa (1)	1–0 (a.e.t.)	Cal State LA		Southern Connecticut	3–1	UMSL
11	1982	University Park, FL		FIU (1)	2–1	Southern Connecticut		UMSL and Oakland [n 2]
12	1983	Tampa, FL		Seattle Pacific (2)	1–0	Tampa		Oakland and Southern Connecticut
13	1984	Seattle, WA		FIU (2)	1–0 (a.e.t.)	Seattle Pacific		New Haven and UMSL
14	1985	University Park, FL		Seattle Pacific (3)	3–2	FIU		NYIT and Davis & Elkins
15	1986	Seattle, WA		Seattle Pacific (4)	4–1	Oakland		Bridgeport and Davis & Elkins
16	1987	Tampa, FL		Southern Connecticut (1)	2–0	Cal State Northridge		UMSL and Tampa
17	1988	Northridge, CA		Florida Tech (1)	3–2	Cal State Northridge		Southern Connecticut and Oakland
18	1989	Greensboro, NC		SNHU (1)	3–1	UNC Greensboro		Cal State Hayward and Gannon
19	1990	Melbourne, FL		Southern Connecticut (2)	0–0 (4–3 p)	Seattle Pacific		Gannon and Florida Tech
20	1991	Melbourne, FL		Florida Tech (2)	5–1	Sonoma State		Cal Poly Pomona[n 3] and Franklin Pierce
21	1992	Tampa, FL		Southern Connecticut (3)	1–0	Tampa		Oakland and Seattle Pacific
22	1993	Melbourne, FL		Seattle Pacific (5)	1–0	Southern Connecticut		Florida Tech and Gannon
23	1994	Tampa, FL		Tampa (2)	3–0 (a.e.t.)	Oakland		Seattle Pacific and Southern Connecticut
24	1995	Spartanburg, SC		Southern Connecticut (4)	2–0	USC Spartanburg		Mercyhurst and Cal State Bakersfield
25	1996	Phoenix, AZ		Grand Canyon (1)	3–1	Oakland		Lynn and Southern Connecticut
26	1997	Boca Raton, FL		Cal State Bakersfield (1)	1–0	Lynn		Truman State and Southern Connecticut
27	1998	Spartanburg, SC		Southern Connecticut (5)	1–0	USC Spartanburg		Mercyhurst and Seattle Pacific
28	1999	Miami Shores, FL		Southern Connecticut (6)	2–1 (a.e.t.)	Fort Lewis		Charleston (WV) and Barry
29	2000	Miami Shores, FL		Cal State DH (1)	2–1 (a.e.t.)	Barry		East Stroudsburg and Lewis
30	2001	Tampa, FL		Tampa (3)	2–1	Cal State DH		Dowling and SIU Edwardsville
31	2002	Virginia Beach, VA		Sonoma State (1)	4–3	SNHU		Central Arkansas and Mercyhurst
32	2003	Virginia Beach, VA		Lynn (1)	2–1	Chico State		Findlay and Dowling
33	2004	Wichita Falls, TX		Seattle (1)	2–1	SIU Edwardsville		UNC Pembroke and Dowling
34	2005	Wichita Falls, TX		Fort Lewis (1)	3–1	Franklin Pierce		Lynn and SIU Edwardsville
35	2006	Pensacola, FL		Dowling (1)	1–0	Fort Lewis		Lincoln Memorial and West Florida
36	2007	Orange Beach, AL		Franklin Pierce (1)	1–0	Lincoln Memorial		Montevallo and Midwestern State
37	2008	Tampa, FL		Cal State DH (2)	3–0	Dowling		Tampa and Northern Kentucky
38	2009	Tampa, FL		Fort Lewis (2)	1–0	Lees-McRae		Le Moyne and Lewis
39	2010	Louisville, KY		Northern Kentucky (1)	3–2	Rollins		Dowling and Midwestern State
40	2011	Pensacola, FL		Fort Lewis (3)	3–2	Lynn		Franklin Pierce and Millersville
41	2012	Evans, GA		Lynn (2)	3–2	Saginaw Valley State		Simon Fraser and Mercyhurst
42	2013	Evans, GA		SNHU (2)	2–1	Carson–Newman		Rockhurst and Simon Fraser
43	2014	Louisville, KY		Lynn (3)	3–2	Charleston (WV)		Colorado Mesa and Quincy
44	2015	Pensacola, FL		Pfeiffer (1)	4–0	Cal Poly Pomona		Charleston (WV) and Rockhurst
45	2016	Kansas City, MO		Wingate (1)	2–0	Charleston (WV)		Rockhurst and UC San Diego
46	2017	Kansas City, MO		Charleston (WV) (1)	2–2 (a.e.t.)	Lynn		Cal Poly Pomona and Rockhurst
47	2018	Pittsburgh, PA		Barry (1)	2–1	West Chester		Cal Poly Pomona and Fort Hays State
48	2019	Pittsburgh, PA		Charleston (WV) (2)	2–0	Cal State LA		Indianapolis and Lynn
–	2020	–		(tournament canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic)				–
49	2021	Colorado Springs, CO		Cal State LA (1)	1–0	Charleston (WV)		Indianapolis and Nova Southeastern
50	2022	Seattle, WA		Franklin Pierce (2)	2–0	CSU Pueblo		Barry and Lake Erie
51	2023	Matthews, NC		Franklin Pierce (3)	4–0	CSU Pueblo		Florida Tech and Lewis
52	2024	Matthews, NC		Lynn (4)	3–2	Charleston (WV)		CSU Pueblo and McKendree
53	2025	Matthews, NC
54	2026	Kansas City, MO
55	2027	Huntsville, AL

Notes

1. No third place match held.
2. No third place match has been played since this edition.
3. Later vacated by NCAA.

Champions

CSU LA

UMSL

Sonoma State

Adelphi

Lock Haven

Wingate

Barry

Charleston

SNHU

FIT

FPU

CSUDH

Tampa

Fort Lewis

Lynn

Seattle Pacific

SCSU

National Championships by school: 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1

Active programs

Team	Titles	Years
Southern Connecticut	6	1987, 1990, 1992, 1995, 1998, 1999
Seattle Pacific	5	1978, 1983, 1985, 1986, 1993
Lynn	4	2003, 2012, 2014, 2024
Franklin Pierce	3	2007, 2022, 2023
Fort Lewis		2005, 2009, 2013
Tampa		1981, 1994, 2001
Cal State Dominguez Hills	2	2000, 2008
Charleston (WV)		2017, 2019
Florida Tech		1988, 1991
SNHU (New Hampshire College)		1989, 2013
Adelphi	1	1974
Barry		2018
Cal State Los Angeles		2021
Lock Haven		1980
UMSL		1973
Sonoma State		2002
Wingate		2016

Former programs

Team	Titles	Years
Alabama A&M	2	1977, 1979
FIU		1982, 1984
Baltimore	1	1975
Cal State Bakersfield		1997
Dowling		2006
Grand Canyon		1996
Loyola (MD)		1976
Northern Kentucky		2010
Pfeiffer		2015
Seattle		2004
SIU Edwardsville		1972

Finals hosting history

From 1982 through 2002, the highest seeded finalist or semifinalist school was designated as the host for the finals. The University of Tampa has hosted the finals seven times, more than any other school. Florida International is the only school to have hosted four championships in a row. The championship final has been played in the state of Florida on 22 occasions, 18 more times than any other state. On seven occasions the host team has won the championship.

Source:^[4][3]

Key

• Schools in italics are no longer Division II members.
• Venues: number of matches hosted, indicated in brackets
• Years in bold indicate when the host school won championship

School/ Conference	Hosted	Years	Venues
Tampa	7	1983, 1987, 1992, 1994, 2001, 2008, 2009	Plant Field (5), Pepin Stadium (2)
Florida International	6	1977, 1978, 1979, 1980, 1982, 1985	Sunblazers Stadium
West Florida	4	2006, 2007, 2011, 2015	Ashton Brosnaham (3), Orange Beach (1)
Seattle Pacific	4	1975, 1976, 1984, 1986	Memorial Stadium
Florida Tech	3	1990, 1991, 1993	FIT Varsity Field (2), Panther Stadium (1)
Slippery Rock	2	2018, 2019	Highmark Stadium
Mid-America IAA	2	2016, 2017	Swope Village
Peach Belt Conference	2	2012, 2013	Blanchard Woods Park (Evans, GA)
Bellarmine	2	2010, 2014	Owsley Frazier
Midwestern State	2	2004, 2005	MSU Soccer Field
	2	2002, 2003	Virginia Beach Sportsplex
Barry	2	1999, 2000	Buccaneer Field
USC Spartanburg	2	1995, 1998	Rifle Field
Lynn	1	1997	McCusker Sports Complex
Grand Canyon	1	1996	GCU Stadium
UNC Greensboro	1	1989	Campus Field
Cal State Northridge	1	1988	North Campus Stadium
Southern Connecticut	1	1981	Reese Stadium
UM–St. Louis	1	1974	Don Dallas Soccer Field
Springfield (MA)	1	1973	Benedum Field
SIU Edwardsville	1	1972	Cougar Field

Former programs in Division I

Source:^[5]

Conference affiliations are current for the ongoing 2024 NCAA men's soccer season.

School	Championship	Year moved	Current Conference
SIU Edwardsville	1972	1973, 2008[a]	Ohio Valley Conference
Loyola (Maryland)	1976	1979	Patriot League
Alabama A&M	1977, 1979	1999	Southwestern Athletic Conference
FIU (Florida International)	1982, 1984	1987	American Athletic Conference
Grand Canyon	1996	2013	Western Athletic Conference[b]
CSU Bakersfield	1997	2006	Big West Conference
Seattle	2004	2008	Western Athletic Conference (West Coast Conference in 2025)
Northern Kentucky	2010	2012	Horizon League

Schools ranked by number of appearances

See also: NCAA Division II men's soccer tournament appearances by school

Schools indicated in pink no longer compete in Division II.

Rank	School	App.
1	Seattle Pacific	35
2	Southern Connecticut	31
3	Tampa	24
4	SNHU (N.H. College)	22
5	East Stroudsburg	19
6	Franklin Pierce	19
7	UMSL	17
8	Lynn	15
	Mercyhurst
	Rollins
9	Oakland	14
10	Cal State Dominguez Hills	13
	Dowling

1. SIUE returned to Division II from 1996 through 2007.
2. Grand Canyon's men's soccer affiliation beyond the 2024 season is uncertain. It initially announced a 2025 move to the West Coast Conference, but reneged on the move in favor of joining the Mountain West Conference, which sponsors soccer only for women.

• In addition to the above schools, Alabama A&M moved to Division I after winning Division II titles in 1977 and 1979. However, it discontinued its men's soccer program after the 2010 season.^[6]
• Adelphi also moved to Division I in 1976, after winning the Division II title in 1974, but returned to Division II in 2013.^[7]

See also

• List of NCAA Division II men's soccer programs
• NCAA Division II men's soccer tournament appearances by school
• NCAA men's soccer tournaments (Division I, Division III)
• NCAA women's soccer tournaments (Division I, Division II, Division III)
• NAIA national men's soccer championship
• Intercollegiate Soccer Football Association