Former Oakwood captain Josh Plimpton is enjoying a career year at Iona. (Anthony Sorbellini)
The 48-team NCAA tournament field was released Monday, and five teams from the region made the cut. But the connections to New England don't stop there, as the complete bracket is ripe with players who have roots in the region.
Within, we've broken down all the local players you should watch for as first-round games get underway on Thursday and second-round ones arrive Sunday. Of note, the top 16 seeds all await their opponent on Sunday after the initial results.
They're all building towards the College Cup on Dec. 13 and 15 at WakeMed Soccer Park in Cary, N.C. A team from New England lost won the national title in 2000 (UConn), but local players often surface on finalists from beyond the region.
Let's get underway:
