AUBURN, Ala. – The Auburn soccer team earned its fifth straight and 16th overall NCAA Tournament appearance Monday afternoon and will take on Minnesota in the first round Friday. The contest between the Tigers and Gophers is scheduled for 3 p.m. CT at the Auburn Soccer Complex.
"When our name came up and the asterisk was next to it we were thrilled," head coach Karen Hoppa said. "We felt confident we were going to get in with our resume, RPI and everything we did in the regular season, but we weren't sure about hosting. You never know, so that was the part I was most thrilled about was to give this team and our seniors one more home game."
Auburn enters the tournament with a 12-5-2 overall record and 4-5-1 mark in conference play. The Tigers are one of a record-matching nine Southeastern Conference teams to punch its ticket to the NCAA Tournament. It marks the second straight season nine SEC teams have made the big dance.
The Tigers are 9-6 in the NCAA Tournament and have advanced to the second round in each of its six appearances since 2011, including a record four straight seasons. During that span, the team advanced to its first ever Sweet 16 in 2015 and Elite 8 the following year.
Auburn is also 6-2 all-time in NCAA Tournament contests on The Plains, including 4-0 in its last four home tournament contests. This postseason will mark the Tigers' seventh year overall and fourth straight hosting a first-round match.
"We're super excited to host," senior captain Gianna Montini said. "It's an amazing feeling. We know Minnesota is going to be a great challenge, but we're excited to have another game here on The Plains."
Minnesota enters the NCAA Tournament as the automatic qualifier from the Big Ten Conference, having defeated Penn State in penalty kicks in the Big Ten Championship Sunday. The Gophers enter the postseason with an 11-8-2 overall record and went 5-5-1 in conference play.
Friday's match will mark the third all-time meeting between the Tigers and Gophers (1-1-0).
Tickets are now on sale through the Auburn Ticket Office. Fans can purchase tickets online by clicking here or call the main ticket office at 334-844-4040.
Prices are $8 for the general public, and $3 for seniors ages 65 and up. Children 12 & under and all Auburn students who show their Auburn Ignited card will receive free admission.
Fans who have purchased tickets may pick up their order at the ticket office located at the Auburn Arena between the hours of 7:45 a.m. and 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. All tickets purchased in advance will be moved to will call, which opens at the Auburn Soccer Complex one hour prior to kickoff.
Tigers to Host Minnesota in NCAA Tournament Friday
