Big West Eyes NCAA Soccer Bid in 1998

UC Irvine, which won the Big West Conference women’s soccer tournament last season, might have a place to go next fall if it repeats. The conference is close to receiving an automatic berth to the 1998 NCAA tournament.

Conference officials have been told they will get the spot if the tournament is expanded to 48 teams. The NCAA’s championship and competition committee approved the expansion in January.

The proposal still has to be approved by the budget committee, the management council and the board of directors.

“We cleared the championship and competition committee, that was the biggest hurdle,” said Jody McRoberts, the conference’s assistant commissioner.

Irvine won the conference tournament and finished 15-7 last season but did not receive an at-large berth in the NCAA tournament.

“What’s great about this is if we have a team that has a good record, beats some quality teams, and doesn’t win the conference tournament, then we could have two teams make the NCAA tournament,” Irvine soccer Coach Marine Cano said.