Full National Bracket

The Carthage College men's soccer team (14-5-2, 5-1-1 College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin), ranked 23rd in the Nov. 8 National Soccer Coaches Association NCAA Division III poll and third in the Nov. 8 NSCAA Central Region poll, opens play in the NCAA Division III Men's Soccer Championship on Friday, Nov. 11 versus Calvin College (15-5-1, ranked fourth in the Nov. 8 NSCAA Central Region poll) at the Loras College Rock Bowl in Dubuque, Iowa, beginning at 5 p.m. 

No. 12 Loras (16-3-2, ranked second in the Nov. 1 NSCAA North Region poll) will take on Minnesota-Morris (11-4-4) in the other first-round game, beginning at 7:30 p.m.  The two winners will play a Saturday, Nov. 12 second-round contest at 6 p.m.  Carthage is making its second NCAA appearance.  The 2007 team lost to Washington University (Mo.), 2-1, in a first-round game.

Looking at the NCAA First and Second-Round Games:  Chris Hughes (149-47-21, 10 years) coaches the Calvin College Knights (15-5-1), who lost to Olivet College, 1-0, in the semifinals of the Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association Men's Soccer Tournament.  Calvin leads the Carthage series, 2-0.  The Knights are making their 11th NCAA appearance, with the 2009 team reaching the national-championship game before losing to Messiah College…the Minnesota-Morris Cougars (11-4-4) are coached by Scott Turnbull (21-11-8, 2 years).  Minnesota-Morris played the College of St. Scholastica to a 2-2 tie in double-overtime in the title game of the Upper Midwest Conference Men's Soccer Tournament, and the Cougars advanced, 6-5, in a shootout.  This would be the first meeting between Carthage and Minnesota-Morris, the latter making its first-ever NCAA appearance…Dan Rothert (212-82-17, 14 years) coaches the No. 12 Loras College Duhawks (16-3-2), who won the Iowa Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Men's Soccer Tournament with a 1-0 win over Luther College.  Loras leads the Carthage series, 3-1, and the Duhawks are making their seventh NCAA appearance.