Aggies Earn First Round Hosting Duties at NCAA Tournament
Nov 06, 2023 | Soccer
INDIANAPOLIS – The Texas A&M Aggies host the Colorado Buffaloes in an NCAA Women's Soccer Division I Championship first round match Friday at Ellis Field. First kick is at 7 p.m.
The Aggies drew an at-large bid to the NCAA Championship, the 28th invitation for the Maroon & White in the last 29 years.
Texas A&M is 9-7-4 on the season and the squad is slotted at No. 49 in the RPI. The Aggies posted a 4-3-3 mark in SEC action and advanced to the semifinal round of the league tournament.
The Maroon & White are led into battle by All-SEC performers Carolyn Calzada and Mia Pante. Calzada, a first-team defender, also earned SEC All-Tournament Team honors. She has started 17 matches for a squad that boasts nine shutouts on the season. Pante earned second-team midfielder distinction for the second time. She has eight points on the year with two goals and four assists.
The Aggies are the No. 8 seed in the Florida State Quadrant. The other three seeds in the top half of the quadrant are No. 1 Florida State, No. 4 Wisconsin and No. 5 Texas.
Colorado is 13-4-3 on the season and posted a 5-3-3 mark in Pac-12 action. The Buffaloes enter the fray on a three-match win streak with victories over Arizona (2-0), then-No. 18 Arizona State (4-0) and Utah (3-2).
The teams share one common opponent on the season with both squads dropping a decision to Washington State. The Cougars topped the Aggies 3-2 at Ellis Field in August. Wazzou defeated Colorado 1-0 in Pullman on October 19.
The Aggies own a 17-2-2 edge in the all-time series between the two former Big XII Conference brethren. Texas A&M started the series with a 15-match unbeaten string including win streaks of six and eight matches. Colorado's wins came in 2006 at the Big XII Championship and in 2010 at Ellis Field, both overtime victories.
The teams have not met since the 2010 Big XII Championship when they played to a 0-0 draw and the Maroon & White advanced to the semifinal round with A&M netminder Kelly Dyer making a game-winning PK save. Mary Grace Schmidt, Rachel Shipley, Catalina Clavijo and Rachel Lenz each nailed shots as the shootout was tied 4-4 after four rounds. Dyer saved a shot by Taryn Vitacca and Merritt Mathias sealed it for the Aggies.
The SEC has eight teams selected to the 64-team field, including Arkansas as a No. 2 seed. Alabama, Georgia, LSU, Mississippi State, South Carolina and Tennessee also earned bids. The tally came one shy of the league-best nine set in 2017 and equaled in '18 and '22.
Ten of the Aggies' 20 matches came against teams in the NCAA Championship field with the Maroon & White posting a 5-4-1 mark in the games. Texas A&M scored victories over tournament participants Alabama, Grambling, Mississippi State, South Carolina and Tennessee.
The winner of Friday's match advances to the second round to face either Florida State or Morehead State at a yet to be determined site Friday, November 17. The Women's College Cup is slated for December 1 and 4 in Cary, North Carolina.
Admission to the match is FREE for students with their student ID, thanks to the Aggie Soccer Club.
General Admission tickets are on sale now and can be purchased here. Reserved tickets MAY become available at a later date. Everyone regardless of age must have a ticket in reserved areas. Those under 2 are free in general admission.
Parking is FREE with a valid TAMU permit OR $10 cash or card at lot entrances.
The Aggies drew an at-large bid to the NCAA Championship, the 28th invitation for the Maroon & White in the last 29 years.
Texas A&M is 9-7-4 on the season and the squad is slotted at No. 49 in the RPI. The Aggies posted a 4-3-3 mark in SEC action and advanced to the semifinal round of the league tournament.
The Maroon & White are led into battle by All-SEC performers Carolyn Calzada and Mia Pante. Calzada, a first-team defender, also earned SEC All-Tournament Team honors. She has started 17 matches for a squad that boasts nine shutouts on the season. Pante earned second-team midfielder distinction for the second time. She has eight points on the year with two goals and four assists.
The Aggies are the No. 8 seed in the Florida State Quadrant. The other three seeds in the top half of the quadrant are No. 1 Florida State, No. 4 Wisconsin and No. 5 Texas.
Colorado is 13-4-3 on the season and posted a 5-3-3 mark in Pac-12 action. The Buffaloes enter the fray on a three-match win streak with victories over Arizona (2-0), then-No. 18 Arizona State (4-0) and Utah (3-2).
The teams share one common opponent on the season with both squads dropping a decision to Washington State. The Cougars topped the Aggies 3-2 at Ellis Field in August. Wazzou defeated Colorado 1-0 in Pullman on October 19.
The Aggies own a 17-2-2 edge in the all-time series between the two former Big XII Conference brethren. Texas A&M started the series with a 15-match unbeaten string including win streaks of six and eight matches. Colorado's wins came in 2006 at the Big XII Championship and in 2010 at Ellis Field, both overtime victories.
The teams have not met since the 2010 Big XII Championship when they played to a 0-0 draw and the Maroon & White advanced to the semifinal round with A&M netminder Kelly Dyer making a game-winning PK save. Mary Grace Schmidt, Rachel Shipley, Catalina Clavijo and Rachel Lenz each nailed shots as the shootout was tied 4-4 after four rounds. Dyer saved a shot by Taryn Vitacca and Merritt Mathias sealed it for the Aggies.
The SEC has eight teams selected to the 64-team field, including Arkansas as a No. 2 seed. Alabama, Georgia, LSU, Mississippi State, South Carolina and Tennessee also earned bids. The tally came one shy of the league-best nine set in 2017 and equaled in '18 and '22.
Ten of the Aggies' 20 matches came against teams in the NCAA Championship field with the Maroon & White posting a 5-4-1 mark in the games. Texas A&M scored victories over tournament participants Alabama, Grambling, Mississippi State, South Carolina and Tennessee.
The winner of Friday's match advances to the second round to face either Florida State or Morehead State at a yet to be determined site Friday, November 17. The Women's College Cup is slated for December 1 and 4 in Cary, North Carolina.
Admission to the match is FREE for students with their student ID, thanks to the Aggie Soccer Club.
General Admission tickets are on sale now and can be purchased here. Reserved tickets MAY become available at a later date. Everyone regardless of age must have a ticket in reserved areas. Those under 2 are free in general admission.
Parking is FREE with a valid TAMU permit OR $10 cash or card at lot entrances.