Colorado will begin its NCAA Tournament campaign against Jacksonville on May 6 at Prentup Field, according to a statement released by the team. The Buffaloes, holding a 14-3 record, enter the tournament as the No. 8 seed and will host the first two rounds for the first time in program history.
This season has been notable for Colorado, which recently secured its first conference tournament championship by winning the Big 12 title. The current win total marks the second-most victories in a single season for the program. This year also represents Colorado’s fourth appearance in the NCAA Tournament and its first since participating three consecutive years from 2017 to 2019.
The upcoming matchup is a rematch with Atlantic Sun champions Jacksonville, who hold a record of 13-5 after defeating Delaware in their conference final. Earlier this season, Colorado narrowly beat Jacksonville in overtime by a score of 10-9. Reflecting on that earlier game and looking ahead to Friday’s contest, senior Maddie Shoup said, “We did already play Jacksonville this season, but I think we’re really looking forward to that battle. We are all excited, and I think we’re ready to compete and get far in this tournament.”
Jacksonville leads its conference and ranks eleventh nationally with an average of nearly fifteen goals per game but scored below ten only once this year—in their previous meeting with Colorado. Senior Abby Moran leads both her conference and ranks fifth nationally with over ten draw controls per game.
The Buffaloes remain unbeaten at home this regular season following their recent victory over Arizona State on April 25—a feat achieved only four times in program history and not since a full season in 2018.
Friday’s opening draw is scheduled for 4 p.m., with coverage available on ESPN+. Tickets are currently available for purchase online.
