PROVIDENCE, R.I. – Despite losing the Big East championship game to Georgetown University on Sunday, 1-0, the St. John’s University women earned an at-large berth in the NCAA Division I tournament, it was announced Monday.
The Red Storm (12-6-2, 6-3-1) will play at Brown University in a first round match at Stevenson-Pincince Field Saturday at 1 p.m.
It will be a tall order for the Johnnies. The Bears (12-3, 7-0), who won their 14th Ivy League title, are undefeated at home over the past three years with a 21-0-1 mark, dating back to Oct. 21, 2018.
“This group really deserved to be in the NCAA Tournament,” St. John’s head coach Ian Stone said. “To me, we have been playing so well and maybe some of our best soccer, but there is just so much talent and depth in this group that I actually think we haven’t seen the best of it yet.”
The Red Storm returns to the NCAA field of 64 for the first time since 2015. That year the Johnnies played host to Boston University.
St. John’s is one of five Big East programs to earn a spot in the tournament as Georgetown University, Xavier University, Providence College and Butler University will compete. This marked the first time since 2010 that the league has seen five teams earn bids.
First round action will be played Nov. 12-14, while the second/third-rounds will be held Nov. 19 and 21, with the quarterfinals on Nov. 26 or 27. The 40th NCAA Women’s College Cup will be played Dec. 3 and 5 at Stevens Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif. Santa Clara University, the West Coast Conference and the San Jose Sports Authority will serve as hosts.
