Men’s Soccer Earns Top Overall Seed in 2022 NCAA Tournament
The Kentucky men’s soccer team (14-0-5, 5-0-3 Sun Belt) received the overall No. 1 seed for the 2022 NCAA Tournament. The Wildcats are undefeated so far through the 2022 campaign and have received a first-round bye. UK will face the victor of South Florida and Hofstra who will go head-to-head in Florida on Thursday. Kentucky will host the second-round match at the Wendell & Vickie Bell Soccer Complex Sunday. Kentucky makes history with its highest seed ever earned in the NCAA Tournament, as well as the highest seed the Sun Belt Conference has ever had announced as well. The tournament appearance will be the Cats’ 12th overall with the first ever taking place in 1999. Kentucky has seen nine NCAA Tournament appearances under the helm of head coach Johan Cedergren. Prior to 2022, Cedergren’s most successful season was 2018 which came to a close in the Elite Eight. The finish that season was the farthest Kentucky has advanced in the tournament. The Wildcats received an automatic bid to this year’s contest by winning the 2022 Sun Belt Conference Tournament with a 2-0 defeat over James Madison University on Sunday. Kentucky also earned the 2022 Sun Belt Conference Regular Season trophy late last month. Last season, the Wildcats won the 2021 C-USA Tournament Championship receiving an automatic bid to the tournament, falling to Clemson in the third round.
Cards Earn Second Straight NCAA Tournament Berth
The University of Louisville men’s soccer team has earned an at-large berth into the 2022 NCAA Division I Men’s Soccer Championship. Louisville will host Western Michigan on Thursday in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament at Dr. Mark & Cindy Lynn Stadium. This marks the 14th overall NCAA appearance for the Louisville program, all of which have come in the last 16 seasons. The Cardinals have qualified for the postseason in three of John Michael Hayden’s four seasons at the helm. Louisville is 16-12-2 all-time in the NCAA Tournament, including a 2-2-0 mark under Hayden. The Cardinals are 13-6-2 all-time in NCAA Tournament home matches and 6-4-1 inside Dr. Mark & Cindy Lynn Stadium. UofL has reached the NCAA quarterfinals on five occasions, tallying three straight trips from 2010-12 and consecutive appearances in 2016 and 2017. The Cardinals deepest tournament run concluded with a runner-up appearance in the College Cup in 2010. Louisville finished the 2022 regular season 9-5-3 and in third place in the ACC Atlantic Division. The Cardinals have been ranked as high as No. 9 this fall.