November 11th 2024.
The Colorado women's soccer team has been in this situation before - on the bubble for the NCAA Tournament. But this time, the wait was even longer and the pressure was higher. The team had to anxiously wait and see if their hard work and determination throughout the season would pay off with an at-large bid to the tournament.
Finally, on Monday, the Colorado Buffaloes received the news they had been hoping for - they made it into the NCAA Tournament as an at-large team. The excitement was palpable as they learned they would be facing seventh-seeded Georgia in the first round on Friday.
If they were able to defeat Georgia, they would then face either Morehead State or second-seeded Wake Forest in the second round the following week. This is an impressive accomplishment for the Buffaloes, who have now made 14 NCAA Tournament appearances in total and 8 in the 13 seasons under head coach Danny Sanchez.
However, the road to the tournament was not an easy one for Colorado. They suffered a loss in the quarterfinals of the Big 12 Conference tournament on November 2nd, putting their fate in the hands of the selection committee. The team continued to practice and hope for the best, knowing that their record included a long unbeaten streak followed by a difficult winless streak.
Throughout the season, the Buffaloes faced tough competition in the Big 12, going up against teams like TCU, West Virginia, and Oklahoma State. They managed to hold their own with a record of 2-3-1 against the other six tournament teams. Despite some losses against top-ranked RPI teams, the Buffaloes maintained a solid ranking at No. 55.
Coach Sanchez expressed his confidence in the team's RPI results and their overall performance throughout the season, but he also acknowledged that anything can happen until you hear your name called during the selection show. The team had a tough loss early on in the season against North Carolina, but they bounced back with a remarkable 10-game unbeaten streak that included nine consecutive wins.
Unfortunately, they hit a rough patch towards the end of the regular season with a 0-2-4 record, struggling to score goals. But they refused to give up and showed their resilience with a 2-1 comeback win against Utah in the first round of the Big 12 tournament - a game that essentially determined their fate for the NCAA Tournament.
Coach Sanchez couldn't help but feel proud and happy for his team, especially the seniors who had put in so much effort and dedication. He also acknowledged the team's perseverance through a difficult stretch and their belief in themselves. As he put it, "If you do that, good things happen."
And good things did happen for the Colorado women's soccer team, who will now have the opportunity to compete in the NCAA Tournament and continue to make their mark in the world of college sports.
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