SALISBURY, N.C. – For the first time in program history, the Catawba College men's soccer team will host the first and second rounds of the NCAA Division II Men's Soccer Tournament at Frock Field on Friday, November 13, and Sunday, November 15.
Seventh-seeded North Georgia (13-3-5, 6-2-4 PBC) will take on tenth-seeded West Alabama (9-6-4, 4-3-3 GSC) at 3 p.m. on Friday to kick off Super Region 2 action in Salisbury, with the winner advancing to the second round to face the two-seed Catawba Indians (14-2-2, 8-1-1 SAC) on Sunday at 3 p.m.
North Georgia earned an at-large bid into the big dance with a pair of ranked wins over Palm Beach Atlantic and Auburn Montgomery. The Nighthawks made a run to the Peach Belt Conference Tournament Championship before falling to the Super Region's top seed, Flagler, 1-0.
West Alabama claimed an automatic qualifier by winning the Gulf South Conference Tournament Championship after entering as the league's six seed. The Tigers defeated the conference's top three teams, first Alabama Huntsville 4-3, Auburn Montgomery 2-0 and Trevecca Nazarene 3-2 in the finals to punch their ticket to Salisbury.
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Catawba by the numbers
Catawba makes its fourth NCAA Division II Men's Soccer Tournament appearance in program history and the first since 2006, hosting the first and second rounds at Frock Field for the first time.
The Catawba Indians enter as the No. 2 seed in Super Region 2, the program's best seeding since entering the 2005 Appalachian Regional as the second qualifier, when it beat Tusculum 2-1 in Jefferson City, Tenn., in the program's lone tournament victory.
Catawba earned an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament after finishing the regular season with a 14-2-2 record, including a program-record 14 unbeaten matches to start the year. The Catawba Indians made a run to the South Atlantic Conference (SAC) Tournament Championship before falling in dramatic fashion to Emory & Henry 4-3 in double overtime.
Second-year head coach Alex Morais led Catawba to new heights, becoming the second coach in program history to earn the SAC Coach of the Year honor. Under Morais' leadership, the Catawba Indians enter the big dance tied for the fifth-best goal differential in the country at +32.
Senior midfielder João Magalhães earned the conference's Offensive Player of the Year honor after the Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, native scored eight goals and delivered five assists. The midfielder's best performance came on October 3, when he scored two goals and dished out an assist in a 3-1 comeback victory over Wingate.
Guilherme Quintas took home both the SAC Defensive Player of the Year and Freshman of the Year honors. The São Paulo, Brazil, native anchored Catawba's backline, which allowed just 16 goals on the season. Quintas led the unit with 1,583 minutes played and went the distance in 16 of 18 matches.
Alex Payton is Catawba's leading goal scorer with 11, including two in the conference tournament and six game-winners. The Sayama, Japan, native generated three assists and 21 shots on goal across 17 matches. Payton earned October's United Soccer Coaches Forward of the Month and a spot on the SAC First Team after his impressive sophomore campaign. His 11 goals are the most by a Catawba Indian since 2009.
Junior defender Luis Rodrigues is a fellow SAC First Teamer. The Bom Despacho, Brazil, native impressed in the conference tournament, scoring goals in both the semifinal and final rounds as a key component of the tenacious Catawba back line.
