The Saints are heading to Nationals! The Ashford University women's soccer team will face William Jewell College (Mo.) on Saturday, Nov. 20 in Liberty, MO in the opening round of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) National Championships.  

To celebrate this accomplishment, a pep rally will be held Wednesday, Nov. 17 at noon in Ashford University’s St. Francis Gymnasium. Free lunch will be provided between 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. for Ashford students, faculty and staff.  

Also to be recognized at the pep rally will be Ashford’s Doug Powers of Greenup, IL who has earned a trip to the NAIA Men's Cross Country National Championship on Nov. 20 at the Fort Vancouver National Historic Site in Vancouver, WA.

In their first-ever trip to the national tournament, the reigning Midwest Collegiate Conference (MCC) regular season and tournament champion Saints (15-4-2 overall) will take on the Cardinals of William Jewell, the number 13 seed and final at-large selection. 

Game time is 4 p.m.

The unseeded Saints received three votes in the final NAIA Top-25 Coaches Poll and the Cardinals from the Heart of America Athletic Conference finished with a No. 17 national ranking.

The two teams are among the 32 teams to compete in the NAIA National Championships. The winner of Saturday's match will advance to Decatur, AL, and face either fourth-seeded Graceland University or Kansas Wesleyan University in second-round action.

The Saints garnered a spot in the national tournament by defeating MCC rival, St. Ambrose University, on Wednesday, Nov. 10 on their home field, 1-1 (via 3-1 shootout). 

For the third time in his seven-year career at Ashford, Head Coach Mick Regan was named MCC Coach of the Year.

For complete coverage of Ashford University athletics, please go to www.AshfordAthletics.com.

About Ashford University

Founded in 1918, Ashford University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools (www.ncahlc.org). The University offers graduate and undergraduate degree programs online and at its Clinton, Iowa, campus. The University is known for its high quality yet highly affordable online and on-campus programs. For more information, please visit www.ashford.edu or call Shari Rodriguez, associate vice president of Public Relations, at 858.513.9240 x2513.