Men's Soccer | 10/31/2016 2:01:00 PM

Championship Central | Bracket | Watch on ESPN3

Wingate, N.C.----The top-ranked and three-time defending regular season SAC champion Wingate University Bulldogs will look for a second consecutive SAC Tournament title this week, opening SAC Tourney play Tuesday night at home against Brevard at 7 p.m. on ESPN3. The top-ranked team in the nation enters postseason play 14-0 overall and 11-0 in the SAC. The Bulldogs are the only team in all of NCAA men's soccer without a loss or tie this year. Brevard is the number eight seed in this week's tournament, entering postseason play at 7-8-1 overall and 4-7 in the conference.

This marks the seventh time in SAC men's soccer history that a team went through league play without a loss or a tie. It is the third time the Bulldogs have gone through conference play unbeaten and untied, also doing so in 1994 and 1999. Wingate is the first team in league history to go 11-0-0 in the SAC. The Bulldogs are ranked number one in the country for the first time in program history. The 'Dogs have been ranked in every NSCAA top-25 poll, starting the year ranked 18th. Wingate is also the number one team in the most recent NCAA Southeast Region rankings.

Wingate and Brevard met Oct. 8, with the Bulldogs prevailing 1-0 thanks to an early goal from reigning SAC Player of the Year Jon Ander (Bilbao, Spain). Wingate out-shot Brevard 17-7 on the day, with an 8-3 edge in shots on goal.

The Bulldogs are 11-0 all-time against Brevard, out-scoring the Tornados 37-6. Wingate and Brevard have met once before in the SAC Tournament, with the Bulldogs prevailing 3-2 in double overtime in the 2010 quarterfinals at Wingate. The Bulldogs have three SAC Tournament titles all-time, winning championships in 1994, 2002 and 2015. Wingate won its seventh regular season title this year. The Bulldogs have won the regular season and tournament title in the same year twice all-time, doing it last year and in 1994.

The Bulldogs have outscored the opposition 39-7 on the year, piling up 16.9 shots per game while allowing just 5.9 shots per contest. Wingate has gotten goals from 11 different players, led by junior forward Elma N'For (Yaounde, Cameroon), ranking fourth in the conference with nine goals while adding four assists to rank third in points. Junior forward Callum Ross (Newcastle, England) has seven goals and three assists, ranking sixth in the league in goals and 11th in points. Ander has piled up five goals and 10 assists this year, ranking second in the SAC in assists and seventh in points. Senior midfielder Aksel Juul (Newcastle, England) has five goals and six assists, ranking in the top-15 in the SAC in goals, assists and points.

The Wingate defense has been dominant all year, ranking third nationally in goals-against average and 11th in shutouts. The 'Dogs have notched seven shutouts in 14 contests this year. Wingate has not allowed multiple goals in a game this season. The defense is anchored by All-SAC selections Alex Nelson (Newcastle, England) and Damian Gaona (Santiago, Chile). All-American goalkeeper Pablo Jara (Santiago, Chile) is fourth nationally in goals-against average, while also ranking fourth in the SAC in save percentage.

The winner of Tuesday's Wingate vs. Brevard contest will advance to Friday's semifinals to take on the winner of the Catawba vs. Lincoln Memorial game at 5 p.m. in Rock Hill, S.C. Wingate prevailed 1-0 against LMU, while picking up a 2-0 victory at Catawba. The SAC championship match is slated for a 4 p.m. start on Sunday in Rock Hill.

BULLDOG CLUB CLAM BAKE SLATED FOR NOV. 4
 
The Wingate University Bulldog Club is hosting its sixth annual Clam Bake at the University Lake Friday, Nov. 4 (doors open at 6 p.m.). Everyone is welcome as the University celebrates Homecoming weekend. On the same day, the 41st annual Bill Connell Memorial Golf Tournament will be contested at Eagle Chase Golf Club. The shotgun start is slated for 9:30 a.m. Both the Clam Bake and the BCMGT benefit deserving student-athletes.
 
WINGATE UNIVERSITY
 
Wingate University, consistently ranked as a top 10 "best value" in the South by U.S. News & World Report, serves more than 3,200 students on three campuses in Wingate, Charlotte and Hendersonville, N.C. Founded in 1896, the University offers 35 undergraduate majors, 35 minors, 12 career concentrations, nine pre-professional programs, master's degrees in accounting, business, education, physician assistant studies and sport management and doctorates in education, pharmacy and physical therapy.
 
With a 14 to 1 student/teacher ratio, Wingate students gain the tools and support needed to excel in academics and apply that learning toward an extraordinary career and life. To view current news, video and story ideas, visit www.youtube.com/wingateuniversity. 
 
In addition to a robust intramural athletics program, Wingate student athletes compete in 22 NCAA Division II sports. The University has won the South Atlantic Conference Echols Athletic Excellence Award for the past 10 years. For more information, go to www.wingate.edu.
 
Wingate is first among NCAA Division II Academic All-America®-producing colleges in the 2000's with 86 selections. Among North Carolina's colleges and universities, Wingate is number one in this millennium with 86 Academic All-America® honorees. Wingate is tops among all SAC schools with 95 lifetime Academic All-America® picks. For more information on WU athletics, go to www.wingatebulldogs.com.

Tuesday, Nov. 1 (at Highest Seeds)
Game 1: #1 Wingate vs. #8 Brevard, 7 p.m.
Game 2: #4 Catawba vs. #5 Lincoln Memorial, 7 p.m.
Game 3: #2 Tusculum vs. #7 Mars Hill, 7:30 p.m.
Game 4: #3 Lenoir-Rhyne vs. #6 Coker, 5 p.m.

Friday, Nov. 4 (Manchester Meadows, Rock Hill, S.C.)
Game 5: winner game 1 vs. winner game 2, 5 p.m.
Game 6: winner game 3 vs. winner game 4, 7:30 p.m.

Sunday, Nov. 6 (Manchester Meadows, Rock Hill, S.C.)
Game 7: winner game 5 vs. winner game 6, 4 p.m.