SIUE Cougars (12-4-3) at Western Michigan Broncos (11-2-6)
Thu., Nov. 21, 12:00 p.m. 
WMU Soccer Complex 
Kalamzoo, Michigan

HOW THEY GOT HERE: SIUE defeated Houston Christian 3-2 in overtime Saturday to claim the Ohio Valley Conference Championship and automatic bid for the second consecutive year.

TOURNEY TIME: SIUE is making its 25th NCAA Tournament appearances and its 17th appearance in the Division I tournament. The Cougars are making consecutive NCAA appearances for the first time since the 2006 and 2007 seasons (Division II). SIUE has two National Championships (1972, 1979). Full tournament history appears on page five.

OVC-IT: The 2024 season was just the second season of OVC men's soccer. The Cougars have now won both regular season and tournament championships.

TITLE TOWN: The men's soccer titles are the only OVC titles for a men's sport at SIUE. 

HOW MAY I ASSIST YOU: OVC Midfielder of the Year Yasha Schaerer picked up another assist in the OVC Championship game. His nine assists are two off the single-season record at SIUE. He assisted on all three goals in SIUE's 3-0 win over Eastern Illinois Oct. 3. It was the first time a Cougar had three assists in a game since 2006.

THE SERIES: SIUE and Western Michigan have squared off five previous times in men's soccer, all while playing together in the Mid-American Conference. The Broncos have the edge at 2-1 in wins. There have been two ties in the series.