The NCAA Division II Men's Soccer Championship is the annual tournament held by the NCAA to determine the top men's Division IICollege soccer program in the United States. It has been played annually since 1972; prior to that, all teams competed in a single class.[1]
Lynn are the defending champions, winning their fourth national title in 2024.
Format
The Division II tournament is structured around four unbalanced Super Regionals from the eight NCAA regions (Atlantic, Central, East, Midwest, South, South Central, Southeast, and West). At least two and as many as six teams from each region are selected with no automatic qualifiers given. The selection criteria used is similar to that used in Division I, although one difference is that the RPI is replaced with the Quality of Winning Percentage Index, a more subjective measure. In 2016, the tournament field consisted of a 38-team, single-elimination tournament.
The first two rounds are played on campus sites with the highest seed usually hosting the regional semis and finals. The winners of each region meet in the third round and/or quarterfinals, with the host being determined by specific criteria or, failing that, geographical rotation. The final two rounds are played at a predetermined site. The 2016 semifinals and final, for example, were held at Swope Soccer Village in Kansas City, Missouri and hosted by the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association and the Kansas City Sports Commission.[2]
From 1982 through 2002, the highest seeded finalist or semifinalist school was designated as the host for the finals. The University of Tampa has hosted the finals seven times, more than any other school. Florida International is the only school to have hosted four championships in a row. The championship final has been played in the state of Florida on 22 occasions, 18 more time than any other state. On seven occasions the host team has won the championship.
^SIUE returned to Division II from 1996 through 2007.
^Grand Canyon's men's soccer affiliation beyond the 2024 season is uncertain. It initially announced a 2025 move to the West Coast Conference, but reneged on the move in favor of joining the Mountain West Conference, which sponsors soccer only for women.
In addition to the above schools, Alabama A&M moved to Division I after winning Division II titles in 1977 and 1979. However, it discontinued its men's soccer program after the 2010 season.[6]
Adelphi also moved to Division I in 1976, after winning the Division II title in 1974, but returned to Division II in 2013.[7]
