Ole Miss Earns Second-Straight NCAA Soccer Tournament Berth

Nov. 10, 2003

OXFORD, Miss. - The Ole Miss soccer team is headed back to the Big Dance, receiving its second-straight NCAA Tournament bid Monday. The Rebels will face Texas in the first round Friday in Gainesville, Fla.

The regional also features host Florida against UCF in the other first-round match. The two winners will face off Sunday with a Sweet 16 appearance on the line.

"We're extremely excited about an opportunity to go back to the Tournament," said Steve Holeman, who has headed the Ole Miss program since its 1994 birth. "However, we're not just excited to be in, we're playing to win this. We will play with a lot more confidence this time around."

Chris Petrucelli's Longhorns posted a 12-8 mark this season with victories over No.6 Texas A&M, No. 20 Clemson and No. 22 Nebraska. Texas is paced offensively by junior forward Kelly McDonald and her team-high 14 goals.

"We don't know a whole lot about Texas at this point," Holeman said. "We do know they are very talented and have three of the best forwards in the country."

The Rebels are coming off one of their finest regular seasons to date. Ole Miss finished top four in the SEC overall for the second straight year and boasts its highest single-season win percentage (.714). The Rebels are also coming off their third SEC Tournament semifinal appearance in five years.

Ole Miss has matched its most single-season wins and is one victory short of the program's 100th.

The University of Mississippi Athletics

Related Videos