Orange Earns #9 Seed for 2014 NCAA Tournament

SYRACUSE, N.Y. – For the third time in school history, and the second time in three years, Syracuse has earned a berth in the NCAA Division I Men's Soccer Championship.

NCAA Bracket: Interactive | Printable
More: NCAA Selection Release | Championship Info

The Orange received the No. 9 seed and a first-round bye in this year's national tournament. Syracuse will host either Hartwick or Penn State in the second round Sunday, Nov. 23 at 2 p.m. at the SU Soccer Stadium. Tickets are $8 for adults and $5 for youth, seniors and students with a valid university ID.

Syracuse is one of seven ACC teams to make the 48-team field, which was announced Monday afternoon on NCAA.com. The Orange earned one of the 24 at-large invitations on the strength of a 15-3-1 record and an appearance in the ACC Championship semifinals.

"We're delighted. Any time you see your team's name pop up on the screen it's a special moment," Orange head coach Ian McIntyre said. "For us to enjoy that together was important and now we will prepare for two quality teams in Penn State and Hartwick. Either one will be a real test for us. The fact that we've got a home game … As you are looking to build a program you want postseason games at home, so this will be a special occasion for us."

This is the first time Syracuse has earned one of the 16 national seeds, and Sunday's second-round contest will be the first home NCAA match in program history.

Penn State (12-5-1) and Hartwick (6-9-4) square off Thursday in State College, Pa. The Orange is 2-30-4 all-time against the Nittany Lions, but the two teams have played only once since 1960. Syracuse won that matchup, 4-0, at the 2007 Wolstein Soccer Classic in Columbus, Ohio. Hartwick owns a 17-12-5 advantage in the series with the Orange. Syracuse defeated the Hawks in a preseason scrimmage this year, 4-1.

The Orange coaching staff is certainly familiar with the Hartwick program. McIntyre, associate head coach Jukka Masalin and assistant coach Matt Verni all previously coached there and McIntyre and Verni are Hartwick alums.

McIntyre posted a 71-36-25 record in seven seasons (2003-09) as the Hawks' head coach before taking over at Syracuse in 2010. He guided the Hawks to the NCAA Tournament in 2005, Hartwick's last NCAA appearance prior to this year.

Syracuse is 2-1-1 all-time in NCAA Tournament play. The Orange's last NCAA appearance was in 2012 when the team reached the Round of 16 before being eliminated on penalty kicks by eventual national finalist Georgetown. Syracuse made its first NCAA trip in 1984, losing at Hartwick in the opening round.

This year's tournament gets underway Thursday with 16 first-round matches, while second-round games are scheduled for Sunday. Third-round games are slated for Nov. 30 and the quarterfinals will take place Dec. 5-6.

The 2014 NCAA College Cup will be held at WakeMed Soccer Park in Cary, N.C. The national semifinals are scheduled for Dec. 12 and the championship match will be played on Dec. 14. The semifinals and final will be broadcast live on ESPNU.

Syracuse University Athletics

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