The Ashland University women's soccer team was ranked No. 5 in the first release of the Midwest Region rankings issued by the NCAA on Wednesday (Oct. 17) afternoon.
The top eight teams in the region after the conference tournaments will advance to the NCAA Tournament with automatic bids going to the GLIAC, GLVC and G-MAC Tournament champions. The top two seeds will serve as host schools for the first and second rounds of the tournament.
This is the first of three rankings releases ahead of the full NCAA Tournament field announcement on Nov. 5.
The Eagles (8-2-4) started the season with an 11-game unbeaten streak and are coming off a 3-0 defeat at No. 1 Grand Valley State.
Ashland is looking to qualify for the NCAA postseason for the first time since advancing to the final four in 2004.
The Eagles, who earlier this season reached No. 18 in the United Soccer Coaches national poll, will finish the regular season with three vital GLIAC games at Ferguson Field, beginning Friday (Oct. 19) against Northern Michigan at 5 p.m.
The full NCAA Division II Midwest Region rankings follow.
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