KU soccer gets bid to NCAA Tournament

For the fifth time in program history, Kansas University’s soccer team will play in the NCAA Tournament.

The Jayhawks will host Georgia in a first-round NCAA game at noon Sunday at the Jayhawk Soccer Complex.

Kansas will make its first appearance in the tournament since 2008 and fifth in the 15-year history of the program. The Jayhawks (11-8-1) finished seventh in the Big 12 Conference this season.

At the Big 12 Championship last week, KU fell in penalty kicks to No. 2 seed and eventual champion Texas A&M following a 3-3 tie after two overtime periods.

“I’m really excited for the players,” said KU coach Mark Francis, who is 4-4 all-time in the NCAA Tournament, all at KU. “They deserve to go to the tournament, and I’m extremely happy for them more than anything. They’re a fun group that has done everything we have asked of them.”

The winner of the KU-Georgia contest will play the winner of top-seeded Duke-Radford on Nov. 18.

Georgia earned an at-large bid after going 12-6-2 in regular-season play. The Bulldogs lead the all-time series with KU, 2-0. The teams last met on Aug. 29, 2010, when Georgia defeated the Jayhawks, 5-0. Georgia also won 3-0 in the first meeting on Sept. 17, 1999.