The USCAA announced its selections for the 2019 Division II National Soccer Tournament on Wednesday afternoon. The Berkeley College New Jersey men's soccer team earned at-large bid, the program's second-ever invitation to the dance, and first since 2016. The Knights will enter the tournament as the No. 3 seed, following a very impressive 10-6-1 regular season.
Berkeley College New Jersey will be in the "B" pool, taking on Johnson & Wales-Charlotte on Saturday, November 9, at 4:45pm, before facing Penn State Beaver on Sunday, November 10, at 2:15pm. If the Knights are able to advance from the B pool, they will head to the title game on Monday afternoon, November 11 (4:00pm), where they will take on the winner of the "A" pool – either Berkeley College (New York), Penn State Brandywine, or Southern Maine Community College.
This year's tournament will once again take place at the Princess Anne Athletic Complex in Virginia Beach, VA. Berkeley College has put forth a very strong 2019 season thus far, and Head Coach Bruno Ferreira believes his squad is in prime position to challenge for a National title.
"Our student-athletes have worked diligently all season, and their hard work and sacrifice has paid off in a big way, as we earned an opportunity to showcase our talent on the grandest stage," Ferreira said. "These guys are hungry to capture that National crown, and I believe we have as good a chance as any of the other five teams to win. We know we have a tremendous amount of challenges ahead of us, but we're confident, and we're ready."
The Knights have been one of the surprise teams in the USCAA during this 2019 campaign. Berkeley (New Jersey) has recorded signature victories over tournament foes Penn State Beaver and Penn State Brandywine. The Knights also beat Central Maine Community College, while also pushing Marywood University to overtime.
To follow the Knights in their quest for a National Championship, visit the USCAA website – www.theUSCAA.com. Recaps of all Berkeley College contests will be available by the Knights' athletics website at www.berkeleycollegeknights.com.