WEST LONG BRANC H, N.J. - The Monmouth University men's soccer team, ranked fifth in the latest NSCAA/adidas National Rankings, will host #12 Connecticut in the first round of the NCAA Championships on Thursday at 12:00 pm on The Great Lawn. The Hawks will bring their 18-1-1 overall record to The Great Lawn against a Huskies team that went 11-4-3 this season and won the BIG EAST Regular Season Title.

"It is exciting to be hosting the first round of the NCAA tourney," said Monmouth head coach Robert McCourt. "It has been a great season so far and the guys deserve this opportunity to host. We will spend the next two days preparing for the match. It is going to be a great atmosphere here on The Great Lawn on Thursday."

The winner of Thursday's MU-UCONN match will face #9Harvard in Cambridge on Sunday.

The Hawks currently lead the nation in shutout percentage, keeping the opposition off the scoreboard in 70% of their matches this season. MU also ranks second in the country in team goals against average and save percentage, giving up 0.35 markers per match and stopping 88.9% of their opponents shots.

Starting at 1:00 pm tomorrow, the first 200 student tickets for this NCAA Championship event will BE FREE, courtesy of Monmouth University Athletics. One ticket will be available per student ID, and they will be available at the MAC Box Office.

The Hawks won their fifth straight NEC Regular Season Title and third overall league tournament crown this season.