SOUTH BEND, Ind. – It’s becoming a tradition at Alumni Stadium — opening the NCAA Tournament in South Bend. On Friday, Nov. 15, the Notre Dame women’s soccer team will do just that, kicking off against Milwaukee at 7 p.m. ET on ESPN+. The Fighting Irish (11-3-4), who drew a No. 4 seed will start their postseason journey with the Horizon League champs in the Panthers (12-6-2), who are unbeaten in their last 13 matches.
Since it’s NCAA Tournament time, it is a ticketed event now. To purchase ahead of time, click here.
NCAA TOURNAMENT HISTORY
- For the 30th time over the last 32 years, Notre Dame women’s soccer qualified for the NCAA Tournament.
- Notre Dame’s overall postseason record sits at 74-25-4. Their 74 victories are tied for third-most with UCLA (74-22-6) and rank only behind Florida State (77-19-4) and UNC (145-18-4).
- Irish are an impressive 51-4-1 at home in the NCAA Tournament
- They also have recorded 50 all-time clean sheets in the NCAA Tournament.
- Notre Dame will be a seeded team for the fourth consecutive year, earning the four-seed in the bottom-right quadrant.
- The past four seasons under Doug & Lisa Jones Head Coach Nate Norman: Sweet 16 in 2021, Elite Eight in 2022, 2nd Round in 2023.
IRISH HOST HORIZON LEAGUE CHAMPS
It will likely be the last time the Irish take the field of Alumni Stadium for the 2024 season, so it’s time to go off on a high note.
What’s at stake — simple, survive and advance, but also a little redemption along the way. The last time the Panthers visited South Bend, they escaped with a 2-2 draw after a buzzer-beating desperation shot from near midfield.
The winner of Friday’s matchup will most likely head to Starkville and will play the winner of West Virginia/No. 5 seed Kentucky.
Notre Dame is 7-1-1 all-time against Milwaukee. The Panthers are 12-6-2 on the season and are making their 18th NCAA Tournament appearance.
NOTRE DAME’S RESUME
- RPI of 12. They are 3-2-1 against the RPI Top-25.
- Irish competed in the No. 1 RPI league that is the ACC and went 5-2-4. Before the ACC Tournament, Notre Dame was the only ACC school to earn a point against the Duke Blue Devils.
- The Irish are 4-3-1 against ranked opposition this season. They have defeated No. 6 Stanford, No. 25 Cal, No. 13 TCU and No. 14 Virginia, while tying at No. 1 Duke.
- All 3 of ND’s losses were to ranked teams. They dropped the season opener against then No. 13 Michigan State and then later against then No. 19 Virginia Tech at No….