Men's Soccer

Tufts Garners No. 1 Seed in NESCAC Men's Soccer Championship

HADLEY, Mass. – The Tufts Jumbos are the No. 1 seed in the 2024 NESCAC Men's Soccer Championship following a 2-2 draw versus Bowdoin on the final day of the regular season.
 
The 2024 tournament begins with quarterfinal action on Saturday, November 2 at the higher seeds. The four quarterfinal winners will square off in the semifinal round on Saturday, November 9 at the highest remaining seed. The championship game is set for Sunday, November 10 at the site of the semifinal host.

Tiebreakers
Tufts and Middlebury both finished with 24 points. In head-to-head competition, the teams tied during the regular season. Both teams also had identical league win percentages and conference wins after finishing with 7-0-3 records marking just the second time since 2012 that two teams finished unbeaten in the conference. In comparing results against the top four teams including all teams at the fourth spot (Tufts, Middlebury, Amherst, and Williams), Tufts went 2-0-1 and Middlebury went 1-0-2. Tufts earned the No. 1 seed and Middlebury is the No. 2 seed.
 
Connecticut College and Hamilton both finished with 14 points. In head-to-head competition, the teams tied. In comparing league win percentage (ties count as half a win), Connecticut College finished with a .550 win percentage and Hamilton finished with a .500 win percentage. Connecticut College earned the No. 6 seed and Hamilton is the No. 7 seed.

No. 1 Tufts Jumbos (11-0-4, 7-0-3 NESCAC) vs. No. 8 Bowdoin Polar Bears (7-4-4, 2-4-4 NESCAC)
  • Tufts is the No. 1 seed for the first time since 2018 and the third time in program history.
  • The Jumbos will square off against No. 8 Bowdoin for the second time in four days following the 2-2 tie on Tuesday, the final day of the regular season.
  • Tufts, the 2023 NESCAC Runners-Up, owns three NESCAC crowns, the last coming in 2021.
  • Tufts and Bowdoin also squared off in last year's quarterfinal round with the Jumbos posting a 2-1 win to move to 3-2-1 against the Polar Bears in the NESCAC postseason series.
  • Bowdoin and Tufts rank 2-3 in the conference in goals scored with the Polar Bears netting 32 markers while the Jumbos have scored 30 times.
  • Bowdoin has qualified for the NESCAC Championship for the fourth straight season.
  • The Polar Bears are the No. 8 seed for the first time since 2008.
  • Bowdoin owns two NESCAC titles (2014, 2015) and is looking to advance to the semifinals for the first time since 2017.
No. 2 Middlebury Panthers (12-0-3, 7-0-3 NESCAC) vs. No. 7 Hamilton Continentals (7-5-3, 4-4-2 NESCAC)
  • Middlebury has qualified for every NESCAC Championship (24) and is the No. 2 seed for the first time since 2015.
  • The Panthers, who have won three titles (last: 2019), have reached the semifinals 20 times in program history, including the last three tournaments.
  • Middlebury has scored a conference-best 38 goals while giving up six to opponents (4 in NESCAC play) this season.
  • Hamilton has qualified for the NESCAC Tournament for the third straight year and the eighth time in program history since becoming a full-playing member of the NESCAC in 2011.
  • The Continentals are the No. 7 seed for the first time since 2019.
  • Hamilton's last semifinal appearance was in 2018 and the Continentals have reached the championship game once (2016).
  • Middlebury earned a 3-1 win over Hamilton on Sept. 7.
  • The NESCAC postseason series record stands at 1-1-0. The teams last met in the 2022 quarterfinals with the Panthers posting a 2-0 victory.
 No. 3 Amherst Mammoths (11-2-2, 7-2-1 NESCAC) vs. No. 6 Connecticut College Camels (8-2-5, 3-2-5 NESCAC)
  • Amherst is the No. 3 seed for the second time in three years and will host a quarterfinal match for the 18th consecutive tournament when it faces Conn. College.
  • The Mammoths have qualified for all 24 NESCAC Tournaments dating back to 2000.
  • The two-time defending NESCAC Champions own seven titles in program history.
  • Amherst has conceded just five goals in conference play this season.
  • Conn. College is the No. 6 seed for the first time since 2011.
  • The Camels are making their 13th consecutive appearance in the NESCAC Tournament and have advanced to the semifinals the last three seasons.
  • Conn. College has allowed seven goals in NESCAC action this season.
  • Amherst posted a 1-0 win over Conn. College in the second game of the season on Sept. 7
  • ?The Mammoths own a 3-0-0 edge in the NESCAC Championship series which includes a 2-1 win in last year's semifinal round.
No. 4 Williams Ephs (9-3-3, 5-3-2 NESCAC) vs. No. 5 Wesleyan Cardinals (7-3-5, 4-3-3 NESCAC)
  • The Ephs will host No. 5 Wesleyan in a quarterfinal match.
  • Williams has qualified for every NESCAC Championship (24 straight) and is the No. 4 seed for the first time since 2019.
  • The Ephs are looking to return to the semifinals for the second time in three years and the 16th time in program history.
  • The Williams defense has allowed only seven goals in conference play this year.
  • Wesleyan grabbed the No. 5 seed with a 3-1 win over Conn. College in the regular season finale. The Cardinals are the No. 5 seed for the first time since 2021.
  • Wesleyan is making its fifth consecutive appearance in the NESCAC Tournament.
  • The Cardinals won the NESCAC title in 2005 and last played in the semifinals in 2015.
  • Williams and Wesleyan played to a 0-0 draw on Oct. 12 and the Ephs are 4-2-0 against the Cardinals in the NESCAC Tournament series.
  • ?The team's last NESCAC postseason match was the 2013 NESCAC Semifinals with the Ephs recording a 1-0 win.