Perennial Soccer Powers Absent From Final Four But Upstart Semifinalists Are Making No Apologies

Looking for national power-house Virginia at the NCAA’s Division I soccer Final Four this weekend? Forget it.

Hoping to see Wisconsin, last year’s national champion, or Duke, the team that upended the Cavaliers in the 1995 semifinals? Sorry.

The last four teams playing this season don’t rate at the top of national polls, they aren’t generally regarded as soccer powers and they certainly didn’t figure to be the lone survivors of the NCAA’s 32-team tournament.

But here we are. St. John’s. North Carolina-Charlotte. Creighton. Florida International. Sunday, one of them will become college soccer’s best.

“To some, having these four teams here is not a surprise,” N.C. Charlotte head coach John Tart said. “It could be a little amazing all four of us are here at the same time, but I think it’s good for college soccer.”

The 49ers (19-4-0) play No. 9 Florida International in today’s semifinals. Florida International beat fourth-ranked Indiana 1-0 last Sunday.

The other game has No. 8 St. John’s (20-2-2) taking on Creighton (18-4-1). The Red Storm advanced with a victory against No. 5 William and Mary, and Creighton beat No. 6 Southern Methodist in the first round.

“Having these four teams in Richmond shows a number of colleges and universities across the country are putting more and more effort into their soccer programs,” St. John’s coach Dave Masur said.

The crowds figure to be robust, although perhaps a bit short of last season, when national power Virginia was playing 75 miles from home. Those games drew 21,319 fans, a record for college soccer in the United States.

The crowds came despite frigid, 30-degree temperatures made worse by a brisk wind.