There are 206 Division 1 men’s soccer teams in the country, but only 48 remain in contention for a national championship.
The field for the 2021 NCAA Tournament was unveiled on Monday afternoon. Twenty-four conference champions automatically qualified, while the rest of the field was selected at-large by the NCAA Division 1 Men’s Soccer Committee. The teams were seeded so that 16 of the 48 teams will receive a first round bye and automatically advance to the second round.
Among the teams that are receiving that first round bye is New Hampshire. The sixth-ranked Wildcats were an at-large selection and have posted a resume impressive enough to warrant a free trip to the second round.
Only two other New England-based programs gained entry into the Big Dance -- America East tournament champion Vermont and Big East runner-up Providence.
