BLINN MEN’S SOCCER GOING TO NATIONALS FOR THE FIRST TIME IN SCHOOL HISTORY
Story by Joe Alberico, Blinn College Sports Information
Blinn College men’s soccer saw its name revealed for the first time in team history during the NJCAA Division I Men’s Soccer Championship selection show Tuesday, a moment eight seasons in the making.
Zach McKinstry, the NJCAA's host of the selection show, revealed the tournament’s 12 participants during the program. As he announced Blinn would receive the fourth and final at-large bid, the room inside the Blinn Student Center hosting the Buccaneers, their coaches, and a host of supporters erupted in jubilation.
“I am just absolutely thrilled for this group,” said Blinn head coach Michael McBride, who took the reins of the program in 2019. “Every player on this team and every player who has come through this program is a part of this moment. It’s like a wall we’re building here and every player has added a brick to the effort.”
Blinn launched men's and women's soccer in 2018, and this season marked the first time the men's program was in the final conversation for a nationals berth.
McBride and the Buccaneers were given no information about their fate heading into Tuesday’s reveal, creating a genuine moment of nervousness, relief, and excitement when Blinn’s name was called last.
“I was at peace with whatever was going to happen, but it's awesome to know our hard work and results all season paid off,” sophomore midfielder Nawfal Hadj-Hamou said. “It has been a grind to get to this moment, but what a ride it has been.”
The tournament begins Sunday, Nov. 16, on the campus of Daytona State College in Daytona Beach, Fla.
Tournament matches will be broadcast by the NJCAA Network on www.njcaa.org.
Blinn (14-3-1), the Region 14 South Division champion, enters as the ninth seed and joins No. 4 seed Daytona State and No. 5 seed Barton Community College in Pool D.
The Bucs will battle Daytona State at 4 p.m. CT on Sunday, and meet Barton at 4 p.m. on Monday.
Each team in a pool will face off once, and the team that wins its pool advances to the four-team single-elimination bracket.
Pool A will feature Blinn’s Region 14 rival and top-seeded Tyler Junior College, as well as No. 8 Indian Hills Community College, and No. 12 Montgomery College. Pool B features No. 2 Iowa Western, No. 7 Mohave College, and No. 11 Otero College.
“It’s fun to make history and to be the first Blinn soccer team to reach nationals, but the job isn’t finished,” sophomore goalkeeper Noah LeMaster said. “We’re going to be happy to be there, but let’s go make some more history … and what a special group of guys to have this opportunity with.”