The 2023 DII women’s soccer championship is set to kick off across the nation with the first round on Thursday, Nov. 16 and Friday, Nov. 17. Before the 56-team field gets things started, let’s take a quick look at some of the bigger things to watch this championship season.
TOURNAMENT CENTRAL:
4 storylines for the 2023 DII women’s soccer championship
Grand Valley State is an… underdog?
This is the Lakers’ 20th consecutive tournament appearance, cementing their legacy as the best program in DII women’s soccer history. Over that span, the Lakers have made the national semifinals 65 percent of the time. Going back 10 years (and nine tournaments minus the COVID year) to 2013, Grand Valley State has been in the DII women’s soccer championship match a resounding seven times, winning five of those. Every one of those tournaments saw the Lakers earn the No. 1 seed in the Midwest Region.
Well, the Lakers are back in the Midwest Region once again, but this time, they are the No. 3 seed. That’s unfamiliar territory for the seven-time champs. This part of the bracket seemingly goes through undefeated Ashland, which Grand Valley State lost to on opening day. It has certainly been an odd season for Grand Valley State, losing the GLIAC championship for only the second…
