Men's Soccer | 11/29/2016 2:29:00 PM

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Kansas City, Mo.----The top-ranked Wingate University Bulldogs are in the NCAA Final Four for the first time in program history. Wingate will face 10th-ranked UC San Diego Thursday at 12 p.m. in the NCAA National Semifinals at the Swope Soccer Village. The winner advances to the national title match Saturday at 1 p.m. The Bulldogs enter the Final Four at 17-1 overall, while the Tritons are 19-2-2 on the year.

"We are glad that we are finally at the championship site and have every intention of taking full advantage of our time here," head coach Gary Hamill says.

The only team in NCAA men's soccer to go unbeaten and untied in the regular season, Wingate has been the top-ranked team in the country since the middle of October. The Bulldogs went 11-0 in conference play, winning their third straight regular season SAC title. Wingate picked up wins over Limestone and eighth-ranked Pfeiffer to win its second region title in program history, while the 1-0 victory over No. 14 Tampa send the 'Dogs to their first-ever Final Four.

The National Semifinal contest between the Bulldogs and Tritons will feature two of the top defenses in the nation. Wingate leads the country with a 0.44 goals-against average, allowing just eight goals through 18 games. UC San Diego is third with a 0.46 goals-against average, allowing only 11 goals in 23 contests.

Wingate's defense is led by a trio of All-SAC and All-Region honorees, anchored by captain Alex Nelson (Newcastle, England), with Damian Gaona (Santiago, Chile) and Vicente Munoz (Santiago, Chile) also starting every game for the Bulldog defense this year. Wingate has 10 shutouts through 18 games, including three shutouts in NCAA Tournament play. The 'Dogs have not allowed multiple goals in any game this season. Wingate allows just 6.4 shots per game. The Bulldogs shutout defending champion Pfeiffer in the regional title match, handing the nation's top offense its first shutout in two years.

Wingate sophomore goalkeeper Pablo Jara (Santiago, Chile) became the first Bulldog freshman to earn All-American honors in 2015, while also picking up All-SAC and All-Region accolades in his first year. This season, the reigning SAC Freshman of the Year leads the nation in goals-against average, while ranking 11th nationally  in save percentage. An All-SAC and All-Region selection in 2016, Jara has piled up 10 shutouts this season.

The UC San Diego placed one defender on the All-West Region first team, along with senior goalkeeper Cameron McElfresh, who leads the nation in save percentage and ranks third in goals-against average. The Tritons are riding a six-match winning streak, downing No. 11 Midwestern State 2-1 in the National Quarterfinals. The Tritons have also not allowed multiple goals in a game this year, collecting 13 shutouts in 23 matches.

Wingate ranks 14th nationally in scoring offense and points per game, ranking 13th in shots on goal per contest and 17th in assists per game. The balanced scoring attack is led by All-SAC and All-Region junior Elma N'For (Yaoundé, Cameroon). He leads the team with nine goals, adding four assists to rank second on the Bulldogs with 22 points. 2015 All-American Jon Ander (Bilbao, Spain) has eight goals and a team-best 11 assists, ranking second in the league in assists and third in points. He ranks seventh nationally in assists and 11th in assists per game. Ander scored twice in the regional semifinal victory over Limestone, while notching an assist in the 1-0 win over Pfeiffer in the regional title match. Ander scored the lone goal in the 1-0 win over Tampa in the National Quarterfinals.

All-SAC and All-Region midfielder Callum Ross (Newcastle, England) has compiled eight goals and three assists this season, netting the game-winner in the regional semifinal victory over Limestone. Fellow All-SAC and All-Region midfielder Aksel Juul (Newcastle, England) has six goals and seven assists this year, netting the lone goal in the Pfeiffer victory while also collecting an assist in the Limestone win. Juul ranks 10th nationally in game-winning goals.

Hamill was named the SAC Coach of the Year for the seventh time in his career. Wingate's 25-year head coach, Hamill earned his 300th career victory this season. He has over 90 victories more than any other coach in SAC history. Hamill and his staff were named the NCAA Southeast Region Coaching Staff of the Year by the NSCAA.

UC San Diego won the regular season and tournament titles in the California Collegiate Athletic Association. The Tritons have three NCAA Division III national championships and are making their fourth appearance in an NCAA Division II tournament. This marks their first-ever NCAA Division II Final Four appearance. UC San Diego has a league-best 39 goals, with 13 different players scoring. Sam Palano has six goals and seven assists on the year, while Uly de la Cal has four goals and a team-best eight assists.  

The winner of Thursday's semifinal contest is on to Saturday's championship match at 1 p.m. The winner will face the winner of the Rockhurst vs. Charleston (W.Va.) contest. Charleston is ranked fourth in the NSCAA top 25, while Rockhurst is ranked sixth. All four teams are in the top 16 nationally in goals-against average this season.

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 88 selections. Among North Carolina's colleges and universities, Wingate is number one in this millennium with 88 Academic All-America® honorees. Wingate is tops among all SAC schools with 97 lifetime Academic All-America® picks. For more information on WU athletics, go to www.wingatebulldogs.com.