The No. 5 nationally ranked Trinity Men's Soccer team (15-1-1) has received an at-large bid to host the NCAA national tournament regionals. The Tigers will face off against the Hardin-Simmons Cowboys on Saturday, November 15th, in the first round of the tournament, with the winner of the tie progressing to the NCAA second round on Sunday, November 16th, to face the winner of the first round tie between Texas Lutheran University and Whitman College.
On Friday afternoon, the No. 5 Trinity University Men's Soccer team was eliminated from the SAA Tournament in the semifinals, falling 5-3 on penalties to eventual winners Berry College after a 1-1 draw. Berry took an early lead in the 19th minute via a penalty, but Trinity responded in the 69th minute when All-tournament team awardee Samuel Theiss (Boerne, Texas / Boerne) converted a spot kick to tie the game. The Tigers dominated possession and outshot Berry 19-3, creating multiple late chances, including efforts from Alex Baltov (Shreveport, Louisiana / Caddo Parish Magnet) and Adam Knutson (Dripping Springs, Texas / Dripping Springs), but Berry's goalkeeper made key saves. Overtime saw continued Trinity pressure, yet the score remained level, leading to the penalty shootout, where Trinity missed their first attempt. Despite the defeat, Trinity's strong 15-1-1 season and regular-season championship have secured them an at-large bid. 
NCAA Tournament First Round
The No. 5 Trinity Tigers kick off the NCAA Tournament with a match-up against the Hardin-Simmons Cowboys on Saturday, November 15th, at 4:00 p.m. 
 
On the Hardin-Simmons Cowboys: The Cowboys are a familiar opponent for Trinity, with the programs meeting 31 times in their history. The Tigers hold a 26-2-3 advantage in the all-time series, with the Cowboys' last win coming back in 2019. Since then, the Tigers have won two and drawn two, with their overall home record standing at 18-1-1. 

Earlier this season, the Tigers hit the road to face off against the Cowboys in a tie that ended in a solid 2-0 away victory for Trinity. The first half remained scoreless despite Trinity firing 11 shots, five on target, all saved by the HSU goalkeeper. The Tigers broke through early in the second half when SAA Offensive Player of the Year Knutson tapped in a cross from Luke Chandler (Glasgow, Scotland / Balfron) following a clever buildup from Max Salinas (Austin, Texas / Austin) and Jeremy Siau (Granite Bay, California / Granite Bay). Just 67 seconds later, Salinas added a second with a left-footed strike after a quick transition from Knutson. Goalkeeper Jayden Schell (Dallas, Texas / Plano) played the full match, directing a defense that allowed only three total shots all game, earning the fifth consecutive shutout and extending Trinity's all-time record over Hardin-Simmons to 26-2-3.

The Cowboys earned an automatic bid to the National Tournament after defeating Mary Hardin-Baylor in the ASC Championship final. Following their early-season loss to the Tigers, the Cowboys endured an up-and-down campaign, finishing 2-2-2 in conference play. During the regular season, their notable results included a loss and a draw against the UMHB Crusaders, a team Trinity later defeated 3-1. In the ASC Tournament, the Cowboys advanced with a 2-0 semifinal win over East Texas Baptist University before edging UMHB 5-3 on penalties after a 1-1 draw in regulation.

Players to watch: Key contributors for the Cowboys include sophomore forward James Webb, who leads the team with eight goals and one assist, midfielder Benny Lube, who has tallied three goals and eight assists, and sophomore midfielder Daniel Villagomez, who has also added three goals this season.

Potential NCAA Second Round opponents

Should the No. 5 Trinity Tigers progress from the NCAA first round, they will face off against the winner of the first-round tie between Texas Lutheran University and Whitman College in the NCAA second round on Sunday, November 16th, at 6:00 p.m. 
On the Texas Lutheran Bulldogs: The Bulldogs would be a familiar opponent for Trinity, with the programs meeting 45 times in their history. The Tigers hold a commanding 37-7-1 advantage in the all-time series, with the Bulldogs' last victory coming in 2023. Trinity has won the last two meetings and boasts a dominant 26-4-1 record at home.

Earlier this season, the Tigers hit the road to face off against the Bulldogs in a tie that ended in a dramatic 1-0 away victory for Trinity. The Tigers dominated possession throughout the night, outshooting Texas Lutheran 15-2 but struggling to break down a resilient Bulldog defense. With just four minutes remaining, freshman Salinas broke through on the end line and set up captain Zach Anderson (Davis, California / Davis) for the decisive finish. 

The Bulldogs earned an automatic bid to the National Tournament after defeating Colorado College in the SCAC Championship final. Following their early-season loss to the Tigers, the Bulldogs put together an impressive run, finishing 8-1-2 in conference play. Notable results from their campaign include a 2-1 win over St. Thomas University, a team the Tigers led 2-0 before their match was canceled, and a draw with Concordia University, whom Trinity later defeated 3-0. In the SCAC Tournament, the Bulldogs advanced with a 2-0 semifinal win over LeTourneau University before edging Colorado College 1-0 in the final.

Players to watch out for: Key contributors for the Bulldogs include All-SCAC Second Team midfielder Jesus Carrillo, who has tallied six goals and four assists, sophomore midfielder Evan Pacheco, who has recorded four goals and five assists, and All-SCAC First Team selections midfielder Evan Bremauntz, with two goals and three assists, and defender Alex Hart, who anchors the Bulldogs' back line.
 
On the Whitman College Blues: The Blues would be an unfamiliar opponent for Trinity, with the programs meeting just once in their history. This lone matchup occurred in the 2023 campaign and resulted in a 3-1 win at Paul McGinlay Field for the Tigers.
 
The 2023 clash between the Tigers and the Blues was an enticing matchup that resulted in a comfortable 3-1 win for the Tigers. After conceding the opening goal midway through the first half, Trinity responded with three unanswered goals in the second. Former captain and current Assistant Coach Pieter Blank (The Hague, The Netherlands / Dalton Voorburg) tied the match just minutes after the break, finishing off a corner-kick sequence. Graduate student Hunter Cain (Katy, Texas / Cinco Ranch) then drew and converted a penalty to give the Tigers the lead, and late in the match, the graduate Michael Meese (Williamsburg, Va. / Jamestown) added a close-range finish off an assist from Cameron Smith (Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands / Cayman Prep) to seal the win.

The Blues earned an automatic bid to the National Tournament after securing their first-ever Northwest Conference Championship with a 3-1 win over Pacific Lutheran University on the final day of the season. They completed an undefeated 13-0-3 conference campaign, highlighted by both a draw and a win against NWC powerhouse Pacific Lutheran. Earlier in the year, the Blues also recorded a 2-2 draw against Mary Hardin-Baylor, a team the Tigers defeated 3-1 this season.
Players to watch out for: Key contributors for the Blues include senior midfielder Lucas McAllister, who has posted 12 goals and 8 assists in 20 games, freshman forward Remy Marcks, who has tallied 8 goals and 6 assists in just under 700 minutes of play, and junior midfielder Fernando Lopez-Vega, who has added 9 goals and 1 assist this season.

Looking Ahead

The No. 5 Trinity Tigers are now fully in knockout territory, and should they advance to the NCAA Sweet 16, they will await the results of the other second-round matchups on their side of the bracket. Notable programs in Trinity's bracket include No. 2 Augsburg University, No. 3 University of Chicago, No. 9 Wheaton College, No. 12 Washington University-St. Louis, defending 2024 National Champion Amherst College, and several other highly ranked teams.