Photo by: Creighton Athletics
Back In The Dance! Men's Soccer Returns to NCAA's
11/15/2021 12:25:00 PM | Men's Soccer
Creighton will make 25th all-time appearance, but first since 2016
OMAHA, Neb. -- The Creighton men's soccer team will make its 25th appearance in the NCAA Tournament, and first since 2016, as the Bluejays earned an at-large selection to the 48-team field on Monday, Nov. 15.
Creighton will play a road game at 6 p.m. Central on Thursday, Nov. 18 against former Missouri Valley Conference rival Missouri State (17-1-0)Â in Springfield, Mo. The Bears were ranked 10th nationally in last week's United Soccer Coaches Top 25.
The Bluejays enter the postseason with an RPI of 26 after going 8-7-2 overall and tying for fourth place in the BIG EAST with a 5-4-1 mark. The Bluejays are led by two-time BIG EAST Offensive Player of the Year Diego Gutierrez, who leads the BIG EAST in goals (9), assists (7), points (25), goals per game (0.53), assists per game (0.41) and points per game (1.47). Midfielder Callum Watson (2 goals, 2 assists) was a Second Team All-BIG EAST performer, and midfielder Charles Auguste (1 goal, 2 assists) and goalkeeper Paul Kruse (1.34 GAA, 4.06 saves per game) were Third Team selections. Johnny Torres will be making head coaching debut in the NCAA Tournament, but he played in four NCAA Tournaments and has been an assistant for nine NCAA trips at his alma mater.
Creighton made its first postseason appearance in 1992, part of a stretch that saw the Bluejays make 24-of-25 (all but 2009) NCAA Tournaments. Creighton has won at least one game in 17 of those trips, and multiple victories on 12 occasions. The Bluejays own 11 trips to the national quarterfinals, five trips to the College Cup (1996, 2000, 2002, 2011, 2012) and one trip to the national title game (2000). Each of CU's three most recent postseason trips have seen the Bluejays win multiple games.
Missouri State is 17-1-0 on the season, with the lone blemish coming to Tulsa. The Bears have outscored 39-10 this fall, including a 3-0 win vs. Evansville in the Missouri Valley Conference title game. Josh Dolling owns a team-best 14 points for the Bears, scoring four times and assisting on six others. Fifteen different Bears have scored at least one goal. Michael Creek has a 0.59 goals against average, having made 28 saves while surrendering nine goals and recording eight shutouts this season.
Creighton owns a 22-9-4 lead all-time in the series against Missouri State, with the last meeting taking place in March when the Bears won a 2-0 game in Kansas City. Creighton is 4-5-4 all-time in Springfield against the Bears.
The winner of Thursday's game advances to play another former MVC rival of both squads, No. 6 seed Tulsa (15-1-1) at 6 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 21, in Tulsa. Creighton opened the season with a home game against the Golden Hurricane.
Creighton is one of five BIG EAST teams in the NCAA Tournament, where it will be joined by No. 3 seed Georgetown, Providence, St. John's and Villanova. This is the 35th straight academic year that Creighton has sent at least one of its teams to the NCAA Tournament.
Creighton will play a road game at 6 p.m. Central on Thursday, Nov. 18 against former Missouri Valley Conference rival Missouri State (17-1-0)Â in Springfield, Mo. The Bears were ranked 10th nationally in last week's United Soccer Coaches Top 25.
The Bluejays enter the postseason with an RPI of 26 after going 8-7-2 overall and tying for fourth place in the BIG EAST with a 5-4-1 mark. The Bluejays are led by two-time BIG EAST Offensive Player of the Year Diego Gutierrez, who leads the BIG EAST in goals (9), assists (7), points (25), goals per game (0.53), assists per game (0.41) and points per game (1.47). Midfielder Callum Watson (2 goals, 2 assists) was a Second Team All-BIG EAST performer, and midfielder Charles Auguste (1 goal, 2 assists) and goalkeeper Paul Kruse (1.34 GAA, 4.06 saves per game) were Third Team selections. Johnny Torres will be making head coaching debut in the NCAA Tournament, but he played in four NCAA Tournaments and has been an assistant for nine NCAA trips at his alma mater.
Creighton made its first postseason appearance in 1992, part of a stretch that saw the Bluejays make 24-of-25 (all but 2009) NCAA Tournaments. Creighton has won at least one game in 17 of those trips, and multiple victories on 12 occasions. The Bluejays own 11 trips to the national quarterfinals, five trips to the College Cup (1996, 2000, 2002, 2011, 2012) and one trip to the national title game (2000). Each of CU's three most recent postseason trips have seen the Bluejays win multiple games.
Missouri State is 17-1-0 on the season, with the lone blemish coming to Tulsa. The Bears have outscored 39-10 this fall, including a 3-0 win vs. Evansville in the Missouri Valley Conference title game. Josh Dolling owns a team-best 14 points for the Bears, scoring four times and assisting on six others. Fifteen different Bears have scored at least one goal. Michael Creek has a 0.59 goals against average, having made 28 saves while surrendering nine goals and recording eight shutouts this season.
Creighton owns a 22-9-4 lead all-time in the series against Missouri State, with the last meeting taking place in March when the Bears won a 2-0 game in Kansas City. Creighton is 4-5-4 all-time in Springfield against the Bears.
The winner of Thursday's game advances to play another former MVC rival of both squads, No. 6 seed Tulsa (15-1-1) at 6 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 21, in Tulsa. Creighton opened the season with a home game against the Golden Hurricane.
Creighton is one of five BIG EAST teams in the NCAA Tournament, where it will be joined by No. 3 seed Georgetown, Providence, St. John's and Villanova. This is the 35th straight academic year that Creighton has sent at least one of its teams to the NCAA Tournament.
Players Mentioned
M
/ Men's Soccer
F
/ Men's Soccer
GK
/ Men's Soccer
M
/ Men's SoccerCreighton Men's Soccer Highlights & Postgame vs Denver 9-5-25
Saturday, September 06
Creighton Media Availability 9.3.25 - Men's Soccer
Wednesday, September 03
Men's Soccer - Meet the Jays - Edward Morales
Tuesday, September 02
Men's Soccer - Meet the Jays - Omar Ramadan
Tuesday, September 02
