HAVERFORD, Pa. – The Haverford College women's soccer team was the seventh-ranked program in the third release of the NCAA Mid-Atlantic Region rankings which were announced on Wednesday afternoon. The Fords (12-3-2, 6-2-2 CC) wrapped up the regular season last weekend and will begin Centennial Conference Tournament action this coming Saturday against Johns Hopkins. These NCAA regional rankings ultimately lead up to the selection of at-large bids for the NCAA Tournament.
The final regional rankings will be announced after the NCAA Division III Women's Soccer selection show which is slated for 1 p.m. on Monday, November 11. That final ranking will be made public after the teams selected to the NCAA Tournament have been announced.
Haverford's schedule has produced a .582 strength of schedule rating while the Fords hold a 2-3-1 record against regionally-ranked opponents. The Fords have defeated both Gettysburg (No. 6 ranking) and McDaniel (No. 8 ranking) while earning a draw with Johns Hopkins (No. 3 ranking). Haverford has also played Dickinson (No. 2 Mid-Atlantic), Arcadia (No. 4 Mid-Atlantic), and Swarthmore (No. 9 Mid-Atlantic).
The Centennial Conference continues to hold six of the top nine spots in the Mid-Atlantic Region. Six different automatic qualifying conferences make up the Mid-Atlantic Region. In addition to the Centennial Conference, the Colonial States Athletic Conference, Landmark Conference, Middle Atlantic Conference Commonwealth, Middle Atlantic Conference Freedom, and the North Eastern Athletic Conference are part of the Mid-Atlantic Region.
Irrespective of the rankings, Haverford holds its postseason fate in its own hands as the Centennial Conference Champion will earn an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament. Dickinson is the top seed in the conference tournament and will play the winner of Wednesday's Gettysburg and McDaniel match in the first semifinal on Saturday.
Women's soccer will have a chance to boost its tournament resume when the Fords open the Centennial Conference Tournament with their semifinal match against Johns Hopkins. That match will be played on Dickinson's campus and is slated for a 3 p.m. start time in Carlisle. The Centennial Conference Championship match is slated for 1 p.m. on Sunday.