Horizon League Announces U.S. Army Horizon League Men's Soccer Championship Bracket

Nov. 3, 2008

Release and Bracket in PDF Format

INDIANAPOLIS - The University of Illinois at Chicago has claimed the top seed in the 2008 U.S. Army Horizon League Men's Soccer Championship and will host the semifinal and championship matches Nov. 14-16 at Flames Field. The winner of the league's nine-team tournament earns an automatic berth into the 48-team NCAA Men's Soccer Championship.

No. 11 UIC (12-2-4 overall) finished the regular season with a 6-1-1 league record, claiming the regular season title with a 2-1 win over Loyola University Chicago Sunday evening. No. 21 Butler University (13-2-4) earned the No. 2 seed in the tournament with a 5-0-3 mark. The Bulldogs were leading the standings on the season's final day, but dropped behind UIC after tying Cleveland State University, 1-1, Sunday afternoon. CSU (7-7-3) claimed the third spot in the standings, posting a 5-2-1 conference ledger.

The University of Wisconsin-Green Bay (6-7-4), unbeaten in its last three contests, captured the No. 4 seed and a first round home match by going 4-2-2 in league action. Loyola (8-6-3) and Wright State University (5-13-1) are the Nos. 5 and 6 seeds, respectively, and will each host a first round match. No. 7 University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee (4-9-5), No. 8 Valparaiso University (6-9-3) and No. 9 University of Detroit Mercy (4-12-1) round out the tournament field.

The Horizon League Men's Soccer Championship will begin with three contests on Thursday, Nov. 6, when No. 9 Detroit travels to No. 4 Green Bay at 8 p.m. ET, No. 8 Valparaiso heads to No. 5 Loyola at 8 p.m. ET and No. 7 Milwaukee visits No. 6 Wright State at 7 p.m. ET. Second round action begins Sunday, Nov. 9, as No. 3 Cleveland State hosts the Wright State/Milwaukee winner and the two winners of the Green Bay/Detroit and Loyola/Valparaiso contests will play at the higher seed's home field.

UIC won the 2007 Horizon League Championship, igniting the team's memorable run to the NCAA quarterfinal round. The Horizon League champion has won at least one NCAA Tournament match in each of the last six seasons.