Cortland Men's Soccer Heads to Williams for NCAA Regional Action on Saturday
Cortland Athletic Communications
The Cortland men's soccer team will play in the NCAA Division III tournament for the fourth consecutive season after being drawn against Messiah in the first round of a four-team regional hosted by Williams College in Williamstown, Mass. Game time is scheduled for 1:30 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 16.
The Red Dragons are making their 26th national tournament appearance all-time, and eighth tournament appearance since 2014 under head coach Steve Axtell. Cortland earned an NCAA automatic berth following a 3-1 victory over Buffalo State in the championship game on Saturday to win a second consecutive State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) title.
The Cortland-Messiah winner will advance to face the winner of the other first-round matchup between host Williams and Manhattanville on Sunday, Nov. 17. The second round winner will advance to a four-team sectional on Nov. 23-24 at a site to be determined. The NCAA semifinals and finals will be held Friday, Dec. 5 and Sunday, Dec. 7 in Las Vegas, Nev.
Under Axtell, Cortland advanced to the NCAA "Sweet 16" in 2023, 2022, 2021, 2018, 2016 and 2014, tying for ninth nationally in those seasons. The Red Dragons won their tournament opener in 2017 and tied for 17th place. Overall, Cortland has nine top-five national finishes, including a second-place showing in 1977, a third-place finish in 1978 and a tie for third in 1982. Three of Cortland's previous NCAA tournament appearances came as a Division I program in 1960, 1964 and 1966 prior to the advent of Division III.
Cortland (15-3-5) is led in scoring by the program's all-time leader in career points and goals in senior Matt Shultz (Oneonta). Shultz has 17 goals and three assists for 37 points, and also netted the game-winning goal in the conference finals. Graduate student Mateo Marra (Ossining) has 13 goals and five assists for 31 points in 17 games. Marra was named the SUNYAC Tournament MVP after scoring four goals and adding an assist in the three tournament contests. Senior Yasin Choukri (Wilton, CT) has nine goals and four assists for 22 points, while Matias Valenzuela Matic (Santiago, Chile/Northwood School) has 11 points on two goals and a team-high seven assists. Junior goalkeeper Jordan Ott (Fort Worth, TX/Southwest Christian) has started 19 games, with a 0.80 GAA, an .819 save percentage and seven shutouts.
Messiah (14-5-1) earned an NCAA automatic berth after winning the Middle Atlantic Conference (MAC) Commonwealth tournament title. The Falcons defeated York (PA), 2-1, in the championship game to secure their 34th NCAA tournament appearance. Messiah won the 2017 national championship, and has won 11 titles since 2000.
Williams (10-4-3) earned one of 21 at-large berths into the tournament after falling in the New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) semifinals. The Ephs were national runner-ups in 2022, but missed out on the NCAA tournament in 2023. Cortland played Williams earlier this season in a non-conference matchup, falling 1-0 on Oct. 6, the last time that Cortland was beaten.
Manhattanville (13-7-1) claimed its second straight NCAA tournament appearance with a second consecutive Skyline Conference title. The Valiants defeated St. Joseph's of Long Island, 4-3, in the conference finals.
