Mary Washington, Salisbury and Stevenson each have a chance to win four Capital Athletic Conference titles Saturday as six sports will determine their champions - and four automatic bids to NCAA Tournaments.
The championship day will actually start at Heritage Farm Park in Walkersville, Md., when all nine CAC teams compete for the men's and women's CROSS COUNTRY championships for the first time in conference history. Mary Washington and Salisbury have combined to capture all 36 titles since the first championship in 1991.
St. Mary's, with a strong freshman class, expanded the field to nine teams in each race in this, its first season of varsity competition. The women's championship race begins at 11 a.m., followed by the men's chase at noon. More information and directions to the park are available here.
Three championships will begin at 2 p.m.:
The FIELD HOCKEY title match will feature the top two seeds - #2 Mary Washington (12-7) at #1 Salisbury (15-1). Salisbury, the No. 2-ranked team in the country, will be aiming for its 15th-straight CAC title. During that span, the Sea Gulls have lost just four games against CAC foes and are undefeated in CAC play over the past three seasons. Mary Washington won three CAC titles from 1991-93 and have appeared in the conference championship game seven times between 1997 and 2004. Salisbury posted a 3-0 victory at Mary Washington on Oct. 25 during the regular-season meeting of the two teams. The winner of the championship game gains the CAC's first-ever NCAA Tournament automatic bid.
The MEN'S SOCCER championship will pit fourth-seeded Stevenson (12-8) at second-seeded York (14-1-4). Stevenson advanced with a 1-0 victory Tuesday at top-seeded and 17th-ranked Salisbury. York, ranked No. 12 nationally, will be trying to win its fourth men's soccer conference title since the inception of the CAC in 1991 and the third in the last five years. Stevenson, in just its third season as a member of the CAC, is looking for its first playoff title in any sport since joining the conference. The CAC Champion gains an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.
The WOMEN'S SOCCER championship will also match the #4 seed in the tournament (Mary Washington) at the No. 2 seed (Stevenson). Mary Washington has won 12 CAC women's soccer crowns, the most recent in 2004 that ended a four-year championship run by the Eagles. Stevenson, the regular-season co-champion, will play in the title match for the first time since joining the CAC in 2007. The Mustangs, who are regionally ranked this season for the first time in team history, needed overtime on Oct. 24 to secure a 3-2 victory over UMW in the regular-season meeting between the two squads. The CAC Champion gains an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.
Saturday's final battle of the day (6 p.m.) for a championship trophy and automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament will be for the VOLLEYBALL title, where third-seeded Gallaudet (24-13) will visit top-seeded and two-time defending champion Salisbury (29-4). Gallaudet scored 40 of the final 52 points of the match to rally for a 3-2 victory at Mary Washington in the semifinal round to punch its ticket to the title match. Meanwhile, Salisbury held off a pesky York squad for a 3-2 semifinal victory. Gallaudet has won the CAC title seven times since 1991, although the 2005 and 2006 crowns were vacated. Salisbury will try to win its third-straight championship and sixth since 1998. The Sea Gulls gained a 3-1 victory over Bison when the teams met during the 2009 regular season.
