KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- For the seventh time in program history, the John Brown University men's soccer team is bound for the NAIA National Championships, earning an at-large berth and a Second Round matchup at 10th-seeded William Carey, the NAIA national office announced Friday afternoon (Nov. 14).
The Golden Eagles will travel to Danny Owens Field for Saturday's single-match pod, with the winner advancing to the Round of 16, scheduled for Dec. 1-2 in Orange Beach, Ala.
John Brown (12-4-4) returns to national postseason play for the first time since 2019 after finishing second in the Sooner Athletic standings and advancing to the SAC tournament final. The Golden Eagles posted a 5-1-3 league mark behind one of the conference's most balanced attacks, scoring 21 goals in nine matches and featuring three of the SAC's top-10 point producers. After defeating Texas Wesleyan in the quarterfinals and edging Mid-America Christian in overtime in the semifinals, JBU fell to top-seeded Oklahoma City in extra time of the championship match.
William Carey (14-4-2), the Southern States Athletic Conference runner-up, enters the NAIA tournament following a 7-1-1 league campaign and a trip to the SSAC title match. The Crusaders have outscored opponents 49-18 this season and built one of the nation's most formidable home-field profiles, going 10-1-2 at Danny Owens Field.
The Crusaders boast six All-SSAC first-team selections and the league's Defensive Player of the Year. Leading the attack is forward Santiago Molina, who tallied 16 goals and four assists, while midfielder Daniel Mulero added seven goals and 12 assists to finish among the conference's most prolific creators. Midfielders Joshua Salas and Pedro Sao Tiago combined for 15 points, and defenders Lewis Green and Niall Lovelock anchored a back line that held opponents to fewer than one goal per match.
Senior goalkeeper Jamie Barry headlines the defensive unit after earning SSAC Defensive Player of the Year and Golden Gloves honors. Barry owns a 0.71 goals-against average and an .857 save percentage across more than 1,300 minutes, collecting six shutouts and conceding only 11 goals.
The Golden Eagles counter with seven All-Sooner Athletic selections, including SAC Player of the Year Marcos Miranda, who produced four goals and seven assists to rank among the league's leaders in both categories. Junior Atim Roper led JBU in points (25) behind nine goals and seven assists, while sophomore Alejandro Gallardo added eight goals and eight assists. Junior Amaury Jarry delivered seven goals, and junior Kendal Madrigal contributed two goals and three assists in conference play.
Senior defender Ahmed Abess and senior goalkeeper Adam Tebbs rounded out the group of honorees. Abess played every minute of conference action, anchoring a unit that allowed just 13 goals in SAC play. Tebbs posted a 7-4-4 record with three shutouts and a .697 save percentage while facing nearly 100 shots.
Saturday's contest will be played at Danny Owens Field, the home of William Carey soccer. The facility features an international-size Tifway Bermuda surface, a dedicated practice field, covered team dugouts, expanded locker room facilities equipped with video analysis technology, and a mix of stadium and bleacher seating.
This will be the seventh meeting between the programs, with William Carey holding a 5-1-0 advantage. The most notable matchup came in the 2016 NAIA Opening Round, when the Crusaders edged JBU 1-0 in Hattiesburg despite being outshot 14-6. John Brown's lone win in the series was a 2-1 overtime victory at Alumni Field in 2000. The teams last met in 2018 at the final site in Orange Beach, where Carey prevailed 4-1.
This marks JBU's seventh appearance in the NAIA National Championships (1988-93-02-03-16-19-25). The Golden Eagles hold a 1-6-1 all-time tournament record. William Carey makes its 19th national tournament appearance (1988-90-95-96-97-98-09-10-11-16-17-18-19-20-21-22-23-24-25) and has compiled a 22-20-5 record with three third-place finishes and one fourth-place finish.
Second Round action is scheduled for Saturday at 4 p.m. at Danny Owens Field. The winner advances to the NAIA Round of 16, set for Dec. 1-2 in Orange Beach, Ala.
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