CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa -- The NCAA announced earlier this week that the American Rivers Conference (A-R-C) will have two members in the 64-team field for the 2026 NCAA Division III Women's Soccer Tournament. The A-R-C automatic qualifier, Simpson College, will head to WashU in St. Louis for the opening rounds while Loras College, an at-large selection, will host the opening rounds.
The Duhawks will host St. Catherine on Saturday, November 14 at 7:30 p.m. from the Rock Bowl on the campus of Loras College. St. Catherine hails from the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC) and earned the league's automatic qualifier to the tournament. St. Catherine is ranked No. 42 in NPI. Loras enters the NCAA Tournament as an at-large team.
Also in Dubuque for the opening rounds will be UChicago and Wisconsin-Superior. UChicago is ranked No. 2 in NPI and comes from the University Athletic Association (UAA). Wisconsin-Superior stands at No. 181 in NPI and received the Upper Midwest Athletic Conference's (UMAC) automatic berth to the tournament.
Game times from the Rock Bowl will be at 5:00 p.m. for UChicago vs. Wisconsin-Superior and 7:30 p.m. for Loras vs. St. Catherine. The two winners will meet in the second round slated for Sunday, November 15 at 7:00 p.m.
Loras is a well-known name this time of year for women's soccer, making its 13th appearance in the NCAA Division III Women's Soccer Tournament. During the 2021 season, the Duhawks made it to the Final Four. Head coach Matt Pucci has been under direction for nine of the trips to the NCAA Tournament.
First & Second Round Schedule - Loras Regional
Saturday, November 14 - First Round
Game 1: UChicago vs. Wisconsin-Superior - 5:00 p.m.
Game 2: Loras vs. St. Catherine - 7:30 p.m.
Sunday, November 15 - Second Round
Game 3: Game 1 Winner vs. Game 2 Winner - 7:00 p.m.
Simpson will head to Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri for their opening round action in the NCAA Tournament. The Storm will prepare to face Hope in the first round. Hope comes from the Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) and earned the league's automatic berth in the tournament. Simpson enters the tournament after running the tables in the A-R-C tournament to claim their first trophy since 1999.
Game times from St. Louis will be at 1:00 p.m. for WashU vs. Belhaven and 3:30 p.m. for Simpson vs. Hope on Friday, November 13. The two winners will play on Saturday, November 14 at 6:00 p.m.
In the selection NPI rankings, WashU comes in at No. 2, Hope at No. 27, Simpson at No. 77, and Belhaven at No. 225.
Head coach Jeremy Reinert is leading Simpson to their fourth NCAA tournament appearnce.
First & Second Round Schedule - WashU Regional
Friday, November 13 - First Round
Game 1: WashU vs. Belhaven - 1:00 p.m.
Game 2: Simpson vs. Hope - 3:30 p.m.
Saturday, November 14 - Second Round
Game 3: Game 1 Winner vs. Game 2 Winner - 6:00 p.m.
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About the American Rivers Conference
Nationally respected for excellence in NCAA Division III athletics, the American Rivers Conference (A-R-C) has a tradition dating back to its founding in 1922 as the Iowa Intercollegiate Athletic Association and adopted its current name in 2018 to reflect its strong Iowa roots and growing regional footprint. The A-R-C is a collaborative community that champions the holistic development of student-athletes, uniting member institutions in a shared commitment to academic achievement, athletic distinction, and leadership.
The A-R-C is home to eight full-time member institutions: Buena Vista University, Central College, Coe College, University of Dubuque, Loras College, Nebraska Wesleyan University, Simpson College, and Wartburg College. The A-R-C also includes two affiliate members for men’s and women’s swimming & diving: Illinois Tech and University of Minnesota Morris.
