OU Soccer: Sooners Headed Back To NCAA Tourney

Oklahoma is NCAA-bound once again, snagging the program's first at-large tournament bid since 2010. The Sooners are set to host an SEC foe from across the border, facing the Arkansas Razorbacks in Norman at John Crain Field. The match is slated for a 7 p.m. CT start on Friday. Tickets will go on sale Tuesday morning at 8 a.m. and can be purchased through the Oklahoma Athletics Ticketing Office.

"In terms of the season the team's had, the reward is to go to the NCAA tournament and this team deserves that," head coach Matt Potter said. "The players have committed to everything that we've asked them to do and performed at a high level. You get to go to the NCAA tournament because you've done good things, and this team has done good things. I'm really pleased for and proud of them."

The bid marks OU's third NCAA appearance all-time and first under Potter's leadership. With the selection, Potter is now the first head coach in NCAA history to take both a Pac-10/12 and Big 12 school to the postseason.

Arkansas enters at 8-6-6 overall after being eliminated in the first round of the SEC Tournament on penalty kicks. Oklahoma is 7-0-0 all-time against the Razorbacks.

Oklahoma is one of six Big 12 schools to qualify for tournament action, joining Kansas, Oklahoma State, Texas, Texas Tech and West Virginia.

The Sooners secured a spot with a stellar bounce-back season in 2014, becoming the first team in Big 12 history to reach the conference tournament final after finishing last in the season prior. Oklahoma has already posted its best win total since 2010 at 10-8-4 overall and is 5-3-0 against teams ranked in at least one top 25 poll.

OU will enter NCAA action fresh off a strong Big 12 Soccer Championship run in which the squad knocked off Kansas and advanced past Baylor on PKs to reach the title match. Despite falling to No. 9 West Virginia by a final score of 1-0, Oklahoma finished the weekend holding a 40-32 shot advantage over its foes, including 16-10 edge on shots on goal and an 18-8 advantage on corners.

Oklahoma last advanced to NCAA first round play in 2010 and also picked up a tournament appearance in 2003. The Sooners will enter this weekend vying for the program's first-ever victory in NCAA action.