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In the midst of perhaps the “golden age” of Grace Athletics, the Lancers will add another notch to their belt this weekend when the men’s and women’s soccer teams will both host the opening rounds of the NAIA National Tournament at 1st Source Bank Field in Winona Lake.
Both teams have hosted these games before, the men last doing so in 2023 and the women in 2018. This will be the first time in school history that both programs will host the same year.
“Everybody wants to be successful, but not everybody gets to be,” Grace athletic director Chad Briscoe said. “You still have to put the work in regardless. I think us being able to host these games is a testament to all of the hard work that these players and coaches have put in. We’re really excited for the opportunity.”
As is the case when the Lancers have hosted these national events in the past, the school submits a bid to the NAIA and pays a fee for the opportunity to be selected. This includes pictures and documentation of both facilities and fields.
“It’s a lot of extra work for our staff, but they’ve done such a great job at handling it and supporting it as well,” Briscoe said.
Both games will be played on Saturday, with the No. 7 seeded women playing first at 2 p.m. against Southern Oregon. The Lady Raiders defeated Morningside on Thursday to advance. The Lady Lancers have put together a fantastic season. The team has put together a 15-2-4 record this season, most recently defeating No. 2 Marian on penalty kicks in the Crossroads League championship game.
“I am just so thankful the lord has brought this moment to us. This group makes the school, staff and alumni proud,” head women’s soccer coach Michael Voss said. “Hosting the round of 32 is a tremendous honor, and I’m thankful to the selection committee for giving us this opportunity. This year has been the fruit of an incredible two-year process for which we are all grateful for.”
The Grace men will play in the nightcap, as the No. 15 Lancers will take on William Penn. The men went 13-5-3 this season, falling to Bethel in heartbreaking fashion in the Crossroads League championship game.
“Being selected to host is a great opportunity for several reasons,” Men’s soccer coach Arron Patrick said. “First, it provides us a platform to share our Christ-centered campus with a new opposition. Secondly, it allows us to continue the tradition of earning home games in a national tournament. To do this for a third time speaks volumes about the consistency on the field as a program.
A win on Saturday for the men would put them in the round of 16, which begins the week after Thanksgiving in Orange Beach, Alabama. The women would advance to Pensacola, Florida. The round of 16 is the furthest that either program has ever gone in the tournament, with the men making it in 2023 and the women in 2019.
