Bruins get rematch with MACU in Opening Round

NAIA Release
NAIA Opening Round Schedule

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- On Monday the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics announced the 40-team Men's Soccer National Tournament Field.

Bellevue (7-10-3) is making its third-consecutive and ninth appearance overall in the NAIA National Tournament. The Bruins qualified by winning the Continental Athletic Conference Tournament for the third-straight year and securing one of two bids allotted to the CAC.

The Bruins will be the No. 4 seed in the Oklahoma City Bracket where they will meet host and No. 2-ranked Mid-America Christian University (17-1-2). The Evangels won the Sooner Athletic Conference regular-season and Tournament titles. In their earlier meeting this season, MACU defeated Bellevue 3-0 but the game was scoreless before BU had a man sent off in the 71st minute.

Owing much of the record to an incredible schedule that featured nine games against team in the National Tournament field, Bellevue has played well of late, winning their last three games with conceding a goal. Joining BU and MACU in Oklahoma City will be second-seeded Oklahoma Wesleyan University (14-5-2) and third-seeded Corban University (16-3-1).

The 40-team NAIA Opening Round event at 10 campus locations will occur from November 17-19.

The 2022 NAIA Opening Round winners will meet up in Decatur, Ala., at the NAIA National Championship final site event. The 39th annual championship takes place at the Jack Allen Soccer Complex November 29 – December 5, 2021.

This year's opening round field includes 27 automatic qualifiers and 13 at-large selections. Automatic berths were given to teams that either won their respective conference tournament title, regular-season championship, or finished runner-up at the conference tournament or regular season as determined by each conference qualification plan. The at-large bids were determined by the NAIA Women's Soccer National Selection Committee. This committee consists of one representative from each geographical area, a representative from the National Administrative Council, the president of the NAIA-Women's Soccer Coaches Association, and three at-large members. The committee evaluated teams throughout the year on various criteria.

The NAIA Network – the association's official video streaming home – will broadcast all 10 matches live at the  NAIA Men's Soccer National Championship final site in Decatur, Ala. The video platform, powered by Stretch Internet, allows users access to live video, statistics, and social interaction on a number of devices, including mobile. Single day passes can be purchased for $9.95, while an all-championship tournament package is available at $34.95. For more information and to pre-register,

click HERE.