SDSU Soccer Team Receives NCAA Invitation

The San Diego State soccer team received a bid Monday to play in the National Collegiate Athletic Assn. tournament for the first time since 1982.

The Aztecs (16-5) are rated third in the Far West behind No. 1 UCLA and No. 2 University of Nevada Las Vegas. The University of San Francisco is seeded fourth and Fresno State is fifth.

SDSU Coach Chuck Clegg said he was unsure of the Aztecs’ chances of receiving a bid to the 24-team tournament after last Wednesday’s 3-1 loss to UCLA (13-6-1).

“I thought we had a 50-50 chance of going to the playoffs,” Clegg said. “I’m very excited because this is the first team of all my players that I recruited.”

Clegg’s first year as the Aztecs’ coach was 1982, when SDSU advanced to the second round of the playoffs, losing to USF, 2-0.

SDSU will face the University of St. Louis, 11-time NCAA champion, at the St. Louis Soccer Park next Sunday. SDSU was not considered as a home site because of the poor condition of Aztec Bowl after the UCLA game in the rain.

The St. Louis Soccer Park is home to the U.S Olympic team.