Already Craving March Madness? Try The Soccer Version
Are you a soccer and college basketball fanatic like I am? Well, if you are and you are already craving the excitement of March in late November, then I have the perfect way to quench your March Madness thirst.
The NCAA Men’s and Women’s Soccer Tournaments are in full swing, and they have not disappointed. Yes, I know that these tournaments are a far cry from the spectacle that is the NCAA Tournament and yes, I am aware of the difference in level that exists between the Premier League and college soccer.
I am a college soccer player myself, so believe me, I know that this is not the most high-level soccer out there. But if you crave the craziness that is March Madness and like watching soccer, then you need to give the NCAA Men’s and Women’s Soccer Tournaments a try.
The women’s tournament is already approaching the College Cup (college soccer’s final four), with the No. 1 overall seed Florida State Seminoles and the two-seeded Stanford Cardinal already booking their spots as I am writing this.
While the women’s tournament has been rather chalk this year, UC Irvine did upset No. 1-seeded UCLA and found themselves making a run to the Sweet 16. The women’s tournament has offered up plenty of intriguing matchups and incredible plays, and although it is reaching its end, the 2023 Women’s College Cup on December 1 and 4 is definitely something you should check out.
The men’s tournament, on the other hand, has been nothing short of pure entertainment. An upset here and a crazy play there has been the story of the tournament so far. Yale beat Bryant in the last two minutes of the game after a Yale midfielder picked up the ball in midfield and chipped the Bryant keeper from 50 yards out. James Madison–the school that seems to be winning in all sports at the moment– upset both the Pittsburgh Panthers and the No. 4-seeded Georgetown Hoyas on their way to a Sweet 16 bid.
Western Michigan, a team that I had the misfortune of playing on my senior day this year, upset Duke in Durham last weekend, and Loyola Marymount knocked off the highly-touted UCLA Bruins to advance to this weekend’s slate of games.
The Sweet 16 for the men begins Saturday with Vermont traveling to West Virginia, and if you have not been watching the action so far, then you need to tune in to the Sweet 16 matchups this weekend.
Again, I know that the Men’s and Women’s Soccer Tournaments cannot replace March Madness. Nothing can. But if you are a soccer fan, like me, who is already itching for March to come around, then please listen to me: These college soccer tournaments are your answer to quenching that March Madness thirst.
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