The past two years, the Colorado soccer team had to sit uncomfortably through the NCAA Tournament selection show, wondering if it had done enough to earn a bid.
There was no such drama this time around, but that didn’t diminish the Buffs’ nervous energy.
In the end, though, the 64-team bracket played out the way CU expected, as the Buffs received a No. 3 seed and a first-round date at home on Friday against Utah Valley (7 p.m., ESPN+).
If the Buffs win, they will get to play at home once again in a second-round date against either Dayton or Xavier on Nov. 20. It is the first time the Buffs have been seeded in the tournament since earning a No. 4 seed in 2008.
“It’s funny, you’re still kind of nervous,” CU head coach Danny Sanchez said. “You’re still kind of nervous, looking at who you’re going to play and what the draw looks like. We’re just so pleased to get in, we’re so pleased to be able to host on Friday against a very good team. They didn’t do us any favors on the draw. Utah Valley is a very good team, very well-coached. We know that on Friday it’s going to be a great game.”
It will be the 15th NCAA Tournament appearance in program history, and the ninth in 14 seasons under Sanchez. It will be the seventh time the Buffs have opened the tournament at home, and the first since a first-round win against Northern Colorado in 2019. CU is 6-0 in its first-round home games.
The Buffs (15-3-3) were one of eight Big 12 teams to reach the NCAA Tournament field, with regular-season champ TCU collecting the league’s highest seed with a No. 2 spot. The eight bids ties the all-time high for the Big 12, which also had eight teams in the 2003 field.
Like the Buffs, Kansas landed a No. 3 seed after advancing to the Big 12 title game by defeating CU last week in the conference semifinals. Including nonconference games against Wisconsin and Michigan State, CU went 4-3-2 against teams in the tournament field.
While the Buffs have advanced to the tournament more often than not under Sanchez, this year marks the first time in his tenure that they have earned three consecutive NCAA Tournament invitations. It is only the second time in program history the Buffs have received three consecutive tournament bids. CU made six consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances between 2003 and 2008.
Several of CU’s standouts have been key figures throughout the ongoing three-year tournament run, including record-setting forward Hope Leyba and her twin, all-conference defender Faith Leyba; three-time Big 12 goalkeeper of the year Jordan Nytes; senior forward Emerson Layne, whose 10 assists have tied CU’s season record; midfielder Ava Priest, a Boulder native; and defender Greer Maguire, a three-year regular along CU’s back line.
“I think it’s a reflection of the players we have,” Sanchez said of his team’s third consecutive tournament berth. “Talent will always trump most anything. It’s a great group and well-deserving. Hopefully we can continue the momentum we’ve had from the last couple of NCAA Tournaments.”
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