The NCAA College Cup is in Santa Barbara this year and UCSB’s men’s soccer team just found out what it will take to get there. The Gauchos gathered in the Intercollegiate Athletics Building for Monday’s NCAA Tournament Selection Show and left with a much better idea of the path before them.
It starts on Thursday as the Gauchos will host the University of Denver at Harder Stadium in a first round matchup at 7 p.m. UCSB is 9-1-0 at home during the NCAA Tournament under head coach Tim Vom Steeg.
“I just don’t see us losing at home,” Vom Steeg said, but stopped short of guaranteeing a victory.
The Gauchos (13-4-3) hope to be one of the four teams battling for a National Championship in Harder Stadium in December, but the selection committee did not do UCSB any favors.
Not only did the Gauchos not get one of the top-16 seeds and a first-round bye, but UCSB’s draw was called “The Group of Death” by ESPN.
“If you had told me at the start of the year we would get to 13-and-4, and along the way beat UCLA and Duke and have those types of wins, I would think you might be looking at a top-8 seed,” Vom Steeg said. “That’s where the disappointment lays.”
“Looking at that road, we’re definitely going to have to do it the hard way.”
To reach the College Cup, UCSB will most likely have to go through Cal and Akron if they get by Denver.
Denver (9-6-4) was the regular-season champion of the MPSF, but was upset 3-1 by Sacramento State in the conference tournament.
In an added twist, the Gauchos have an inside look into the Pioneers’ program.
Sophomore Sam Garza was the MPSF’s Newcomer of the Year for Denver in 2008 before injuring his knee in 2009 and transferring to Santa Barbara.
“I’ll be hanging out with Sam here over the next couple of hours to break down every player, so that’s an advantage,” Vom Steeg said.
Tickets for Thursday’s game, which will be played at Meredith Field at Harder Stadium at 7 pm, can be purchased by calling (805) 893-UCSB, visiting the Ticket Office located inside the Intercollegiate Athletics building on campus or online by clicking here.
Fans are encouraged to purchase tickets online and print their ticket at home to skip lines at the ticket booth on game day. Tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for youth, high school and college students.
Denver is solid—should be an interesting game!