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National Tournament Round Up - NAIA & NJCAA

Updated: Jan 2, 2023

We bring you the final round-up of National Championship results as we take a look at the finals from the NAIA and NJCAA.


NAIA Men's - Bethel

Bethel University are the 64th Annual NAIA Men's Soccer National Champions, after defeating Mobile 3-1 on a wet December day; but it was Luan Bressy who stole the show, scoring his 21st and 22nd goals of the season to lead his team to victory. The Pilots entered the Championship as only the 4th seed but end the season with a 24-1-1 record after defeating the Rams in the final, the No. 3 ranked team in the tournament, to become National Champions.

It was Bethel's first experience in program history of playing in a national championship game, whereas the Rams were looking to avenge their heart breaking loss in the 2021 NAIA National Championships final where last season Mobile found themselves on the wrong side of a 2-0 score in the match against Keiser.


On a rain soaked pitch in Alabama, Bethel took no time to snatch a 2 goal lead inside the first 12 minutes, and never looked back. Despite Mobile's best efforts, the cross bar and Bethel's Goalkeeper kept them at bay before they were able run out to a 3 goal lead. Mobile were given a life line shortly after the 3rd goal by means of a penalty that was coolly slotted away to provide some hope going into the dying stages of the game, yet it was Bethel that had the better of the chances to score and finish the game off as they were awarded a penalty themselves, only for the Rams' keeper to prevent the score becoming embarrassing and making for a tense finish in which Bethel held on to become 2022 National Champions!



NAIA Women's - Spring Arbor

It was a matchup straight out of the Crossroads League as familiar foes faced off for the 2022 National Championship; No. 2 seeded Marian and No. 4 Spring Arbor clashed again, this time in the 39th NAIA Women’s Soccer National Championship match at the Orange Beach Sportsplex in Orange Beach, Alabama,

It was Spring Arbor that came out on top in the end to claim the Championship crown as they grabbed an early lead and held on with a resolute defensive effort to take the victory. It was Madalyn Freitas who recorded the games only goal in the 10th minute as the Cougars won their third NAIA National Championship. It was a tight affair with chances few and far between, and special mention is due to the Cougars' defence as they were able to keep a clean sheet and bring the National Championship trophy back to Michigan.



NJCAA D1 Men's - Monroe College

The Mustangs of Monroe College were able to claim the programs second National title as they defeated Arizona Western 2-0 in the 2022 NJCAA D1 National Championship match up.


The No. 3 seeded Monroe College returned the NJCAA Division I Men's Soccer Championship title to New Rochelle with a 2-0 victory over seventh-seeded Arizona Western, despite only entering the Soccer Championship as an at-large selection after falling to Montgomery College in the East District Championship.


Diego Batista got his name on the score sheet and it was the National Championship Tournament MVP, Tony Yeboah, that scored the 2nd to secure the victory. With the win, Monroe College earned its first National Championship title since 2019.



NJCAA D1 Women's - Iowa Western

It was Iowa Western that defeated Salt Lake 1-0 in a fiercely contested final to claim the second NJCAA DI Women's Soccer National title in school history.


Iowa Western have played in five national championship games in 12 National Tournament appearances, so the Reivers came in to the final with a good finals pedigree, having emerged victorious in two of those championship games.


The Reivers and Bruins put on a real show in an exciting, end to end final in which they combined for a total of 26 shots. However there was only one goal in the game, scored by Offensive MVP Marta Llopis.


With this win, Iowa Western earns its first National Championship title since 2013. The Reivers will end the season 19-3-1 with a perfect conference record of 6-0 and a perfect National Championship Tournament record of 4-0.



NJCAA D2 Men's - Prairie State

Prairie State of Illinois claimed the 2022 NJCAA D2 Men's Soccer National Championship for the first time in school history, after a 1-0 win over Region 4 rival Morton, in Tuscon, Arizona.


The 11-seeded Pioneers were the lowest seed to advance to the semi-final round and made sure the entire field knew that they were better than they were seeded. It was Freshman Joshua Matiscik who scored the game's only goal in the 74th minute.


Prairie State shows why we play the game, as they become one of the lowest seeds to win a NJCAA Soccer National Championship across all divisions and genders.



NJCAA D2 Women's - Phoenix

In the 2022 NJCAA D2 final Phoenix were able to claim the program's second ever national title in the third-ever Division II women's soccer championship. The squad from Arizona ran out 4-0 winners in a final that only ever had one winner.


Arianna Leamons was the star of the final as she netted two-goals for the Bear's in a 4-0 win over the No. 1 seeded Holmes, pulling off a shock, but well deserved victory.



NJCAA D3 Men's - Dallas College Richland

Dallas College-Richland of Texas continued its dominance on the national stage by claiming the 2022 NJCAA Division 3 Men's Soccer Championship title with a 2-0 win over No. 3 Genesee. The win garners the Thunderducks' fifth consecutive national title and program's eleventh all-time.


Dallas-Richland made its seventh straight appearance in the national title match in the program's 17th national tournament appearance. The Thunderducks conclude the 2022 season with a 16-0-1 record.



NJCAA D3 Women's - Brookhaven

Brookhaven from Texas defeated the third seed, Mohawk Valley, in the NJCAA D3 Women's Soccer Championship game by 2 goals to 1, claiming their fourth championship in the last six years.


The Bears faced off against different opposition in this year's title game as the third seeded Mohawk Valley gained a spot in the title game after beating the No.2 seed Delta. It was Brookhaven that showed their National Championship pedigree as they were able to hold on to a 2-1 victory in a closely fought Championship match.


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