No. 20/17 USF Welcomes the Great Danes for NCAA Preliminary Round
TAMPA, Nov. 9, 2018 – No. 20/17 USF will begin its NCAA tournament run for the fifth time in program history on Saturday when it faces Albany at 7 p.m.
USF received an at-large bid to the tournament and was granted hosting duties for the first round of play after an impressive season including the team's first American Athletic Conference regular season title. The team suffered just one loss during its regular season conference slate, and clinched the title with a rivalry win over UCF.
With the win, USF secured the home field advantage for The American tournament where it went on to defeat ECU in the semifinals, 2-0. The Bulls faltered in the championship game, falling 3-0 to No. 19/18 Memphis.
Last season, the Bulls clinched their berth to the NCAA tournament when they won The American tournament title. USF went on to defeat FGCU in the opening round of the NCAA tournament at home, advancing to the second round for just the second time in program history. The Bulls traveled to Gainesville for the second round where a 1-0 loss ended their season.
USF's motto this year, "rise up," has been a call to go further this season. The Bulls' 2017 campaign was historic, but the season left them wanting more. Head coach
Denise Schilte-Brown's squad aims to take this team to new heights in their postseason journey.
This season will mark the fourth time USF has hosted the preliminary round of the NCAA tournament, all within the last five years. The Bulls hosted Louisville in 2014, and hosted FGCU in 2015 and 2017.
University at Albany (14-6-2, 5-2-1)
The Great Danes visit USF in their third NCAA appearance, but the group has never advanced past the first round. This season, UAlbany broke its program record of wins in a season previously set at 11.
The Great Danes are led by America East Striker of the Year, Mariah Williams (17 goals, four assists), Defender of the Year Caroline Kopp (1,992 minutes, two goals, 13 assists) and Rookie of the Year Jasmine Colbert (two goals, one assist).
Notables
- USF leads the nation in scoring offense (2.82) and points per game (7.82)
- USF ranks 10th in total goals (48)
- Viens leads the nation goals per game (1.12) and total points (43)
- Viens is just one point away from breaking the program record for points in a season (43)
- Viens ranks second nationally in total goals (19)
- The Bulls have won eight of their last nine games and 15 of their past 16 home games
About USF Women's Soccer
Be sure to follow USF women's soccer on social media (Twitter / Instagram/Facebook) and visit GoUSFBulls.com for the most up-to-date information.
The USF women's soccer team has posted six consecutive seasons of 10-plus wins and eight in the last nine years under head coach Denise Schilte-Brown. The Bulls made their first NCAA tournament appearance in 2010 and returned in 2014, 2015 and 2017.
-#GoBulls-
