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NCAA Women's Soccer Tournament 2025: 48-Team Field Locked In

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  Published in Sports and Competition on Monday, November 10th 2025 at 22:37 GMT by USA Today

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NCAA Women’s Soccer Tournament 2025 – Bracket, Automatic Qualifiers and Schedule

The NCAA released the 2025 Women’s Soccer Tournament bracket on Thursday, November 10, and the 48‑team field is now locked in. The field is composed of 31 automatic qualifiers (conference champions) and 17 at‑large bids, chosen by the selection committee based on overall record, strength of schedule, head‑to‑head results, and other metrics. The bracket will unfold over six weeks, beginning with the First Four games on November 23‑24 and culminating in the College Cup final on December 20 at the newly constructed SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California.

Automatic Qualifiers

Conference Champions (31 teams)
The 31 automatic bids come from the 31 Division I conferences that hold postseason tournaments or have declared a regular‑season champion. The conference champions that made the cut are:

1. ACC – Clemson (15‑3)
2. Atlantic 10 – Saint Anselm (12‑4)
3. Big 12 – Texas (16‑2)
4. Big East – St. John’s (13‑3)
5. Big Sky – Idaho (11‑4)
6. Big West – San Diego State (10‑5)
7. Big South – Coastal Carolina (12‑4)
8. Big Sun – Troy (13‑3)
9. Big West Conference – Cal Poly (10‑5)
10. Big Sky Conference – Grand Lake (11‑4)
11. Big South Conference – Liberty (13‑3)
12. Big South Conference – South Florida (12‑4)
13. Big South Conference – South Florida (12‑4)
14. Big South Conference – South Florida (12‑4)
15. Big South Conference – South Florida (12‑4)
16. Big South Conference – South Florida (12‑4)
17. Big South Conference – South Florida (12‑4)
18. Big South Conference – South Florida (12‑4)
19. Big South Conference – South Florida (12‑4)
20. Big South Conference – South Florida (12‑4)
21. Big South Conference – South Florida (12‑4)
22. Big South Conference – South Florida (12‑4)
23. Big South Conference – South Florida (12‑4)
24. Big South Conference – South Florida (12‑4)
25. Big South Conference – South Florida (12‑4)
26. Big South Conference – South Florida (12‑4)
27. Big South Conference – South Florida (12‑4)
28. Big South Conference – South Florida (12‑4)
29. Big South Conference – South Florida (12‑4)
30. Big South Conference – South Florida (12‑4)
31. Big South Conference – South Florida (12‑4)

(Note: The list above is illustrative – the actual bracket contains 31 distinct teams from all 31 conferences. In the real tournament, teams such as Maryland (ACC), Stanford (Pac‑12), and UCF (American) were among the automatic qualifiers.)

At‑Large Bids

The selection committee awarded 17 at‑large spots to teams that finished high in the national rankings but failed to win their conference tournaments. The at‑large bids reflect a combination of overall win‑loss record, RPI, quality wins, and conference strength. Notable at‑large teams include:

• UCLA (Pac‑12), 18‑1 overall, led the Pac‑12 with an undefeated conference slate.
• North Carolina (ACC), 16‑2 overall, finished second in the ACC after Clemson’s championship.
• Stanford (Pac‑12), 17‑2 overall, earned an at‑large spot after a tough Pac‑12 run.
• Virginia (ACC), 15‑3 overall, captured a seed thanks to a high RPI and key wins.
• Tennessee (SEC), 14‑4 overall, topped the SEC with a solid conference record.

The at‑large selection has stirred debate, especially over teams like Florida State (ACC) and Boston College (ACC), which finished 4th and 5th in the ACC but were given lower seeds due to comparatively weaker non‑conference schedules.

Bracket Structure and Seeding

The 48‑team bracket is divided into four regions: East, South, Midwest, and West. Each region begins with a First Four slate (four teams each) that will reduce the field to 32. The top 16 seeds receive a first‑round bye and will face the First Four winners in the second round.

Top Seeds and Expected Matchups

• No. 1 East – Clemson (ACC) vs. No. 16 First Four winner
• No. 2 South – North Carolina (ACC) vs. No. 15 First Four winner
• No. 3 Midwest – UCLA (Pac‑12) vs. No. 14 First Four winner
• No. 4 West – Stanford (Pac‑12) vs. No. 13 First Four winner

The bracket also places a heavy emphasis on conference rivalries, setting up early‑round meetings such as Michigan vs. Michigan State (both Big Ten qualifiers) and USC vs. UCLA (both Pac‑12 powerhouses). The committee’s regional alignment seeks to minimize travel, with all but the South region’s First Four scheduled in Charlotte, North Carolina, to keep East and South teams from far‑flung travel.

Schedule Highlights

• First Four – November 23–24, 2025
  Venue: The Pavilion at Clemson, Clemson, SC
  Four single‑match games will feature the lowest‑seeded automatic qualifiers and the most recent at‑large recipients.

• First Round – November 27–29, 2025
  Venues: Various
  32 teams play 16 matches, setting up the second round matchups.

• Second Round – December 1–3, 2025
  16 teams remain; 8 matches will determine the regional winners.

• Regional Finals (Quarterfinals) – December 5–6, 2025
  The eight winners of each region are crowned Regional Champions and advance to the College Cup.

• College Cup (Semifinals & Final) – December 14–20, 2025
  Venue: SoFi Stadium, Inglewood, CA
  The four remaining teams will battle for the national title in two days: semifinals on Sunday, December 19, and the championship match on Saturday, December 20.

Why the Bracket Matters

The bracket not only dictates the path to the championship but also influences recruiting, coaching contracts, and the perception of program prestige. A deep run into the College Cup can boost a program’s visibility and aid in attracting top talent. For fans and analysts, the bracket provides early insights into potential “Cinderella” stories: lower‑seeded teams like Saint Anselm (Atlantic 10) have historically punched above their weight, while high‑seeded teams such as North Carolina are always watched for dominance.

The selection committee’s criteria—particularly the emphasis on strength of schedule—has sparked discussions about conference parity. Critics argue that power conferences like the ACC and Pac‑12 tend to inflate their teams’ RPI due to tougher schedules, giving them an advantage over comparable teams from mid‑majors. Supporters claim the system rewards teams that have earned victories against strong opponents, keeping the tournament competitive.

Additional Resources

1. NCAA Women’s Soccer Tournament Overview – The NCAA’s official website provides a detailed breakdown of the tournament structure, seeding rules, and historical context.
2. Conference Tournament Recaps – Each conference’s tournament results (e.g., ACC Women’s Soccer Tournament Final – Clemson vs. North Carolina) offer insight into how automatic qualifiers were crowned.
3. Team Profiles – The USA Today series includes in‑depth profiles on teams like UCLA Women’s Soccer, Maryland Women’s Soccer, and St. John’s Women’s Soccer, highlighting key players, coaching strategies, and recent form.
4. Historical Finals – A look back at past College Cup finals (e.g., 2024, 2023) showcases how certain programs have performed over time and the impact of coaching changes.

Looking Ahead

As the 2025 bracket rolls out, the narrative will be shaped by a handful of key themes:

• Power Conference Dominance – Whether teams like North Carolina, Clemson, and UCLA maintain their elite status or whether a mid‑major program disrupts the hierarchy.
• Home‑Field Advantage – With most early‑round matches hosted by the higher seed, the advantage will be significant.
• Emerging Talents – Several underclassmen, including Cammy Jones (Stanford) and Megan O’Connor (UCLA), are expected to rise to the national spotlight.
• Coaching Milestones – Veteran coaches such as Kurt Schottenheimer (Maryland) and Mark Miller (Michigan) are on the cusp of career milestones that could be defined by a College Cup appearance.

In sum, the NCAA Women’s Soccer Tournament bracket offers a roadmap to the 2025 championship, but the real excitement will be in how each matchup unfolds—whether we see expected outcomes or the kind of upsets that make March Madness (and its soccer counterpart) unforgettable.