COLLEGE STATION, Texas – The Texas A&M Aggies will host the Houston Baptist Huskies in an NCAA Division I Championship first round match at Ellis Field on Friday, November 14, the NCAA announced on Monday. First kick is slated for 7 pm. The match-up features two squads that are both undefeated in their last 10 matches.
The Maroon and White earned their first-ever No. 1 seed, joining UCLA, Stanford and Florida State. The No. 1 seeding gives Texas A&M the opportunity to host matches through the first four rounds of the tournament.
Texas A&M received an automatic bid to the NCAA Championship by winning the SEC Tournament, keeping their streak alive at 20 consecutive years. The Aggies are one of five teams to make it to every NCAA Tournament since 1995. The other schools include North Carolina (1982-2014), Notre Dame (1993-2014), Virginia (1994-2014) and Penn State (1995-2014). A&M head coach G Guerrieri and North Carolina's Anson Dorrance are the only two head coaches to appear in every NCAA Tournament since 1995.
The Aggies are 18-2-2 on the season and enter the NCAA Championship as SEC regular-season champion and SEC Tournament champion, becoming the first team since Florida in 2001 to claim the SEC double in back-to-back seasons. Texas A&M is 9-0-1 in their last 10 matches and boasts six All-SEC performers, including first-teamers Bianca Brinson, Shea Groom, Annie Kunz and Meghan Streight and second-teamers Janae Cousineau and Kelley Monogue, as well as SEC All-Freshman Team performer McKayla Paulson.
Houston Baptist is 10-6-5 on the season and registered a 7-1-3 record in the Southland Conference to finish third in the league. HBU started the season 2-6-3, but has gone 8-0-2 in the last 10 matches. The Huskies are defensive-minded side, registering a 0.88 goals-against average and seven shutouts on the season.
The only common opponent to face A&M and HBU is Stephen F. Austin. The Aggies defeated the Lady Jacks, 2-1, in the season opener. Houston Baptist played SFA twice, losing 2-0 in the regular-season and toppling the Lady Jacks, 2-0, in the Southland Conference title game to earn the automatic bid.
Texas A&M owns a 1-0 edge in the all-time series against Houston Baptist, winning the lone meeting, 6-2, in 2008.
Tickets can be purchased online at www.12thMan.com, in person at the Zone at Kyle Field box office, or over the phone at 1-888-99-AGGIE. Tickets purchased on-line or over the phone will be delivered via Flash Seats. The card used for purchase of tickets will be swiped at the gate for admission. Fans may purchase reserved tickets for $18 (West Midfield), $15 (West Sideline) or $9 (West Goal Line), or can buy general admission tickets for $7 (Adult) or $3 (Youth or Student). Children two-and-under will be admitted free.
The winner of Friday's match will face the winner of the Stillwater match between Oklahoma State and Arizona. A&M would host through the Elite Eight round as long as they kept advancing. The Women's College Cup will be played on December 5 & 7 in Boca Raton, Florida.
Soccer Earns Historic No. 1 Seed in NCAA Tournament
The SEC Champion Texas A&M Soccer team earned a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament for the first time in program history. The Aggies host Houston Baptist on Friday.