Kenyon to battle familiar foe in NCAA first round

11/9/2026 11:45:00 AM

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. -- On Monday, the NCAA Division III Men's Soccer Committee announced the field of 64 teams for the 2026 NCAA Division III Men's Soccer Championship. With the announcement came the news that the Kenyon College Owls will travel to Lynchburg, Virginia to battle Ohio Northern University in the first round of tournament play.

The Polar Bears of Ohio Northern are a familiar opponent. The Owls opened the 2026 season at home with a 2-1 win over the Ohio Athletic Conference champion. The two teams have faced off four times over the last five seasons with the Owls owning a 2-1-1 edge in those games.

Kenyon, one of 22 at-large teams to earn a berth in the NCAA bracket, will be making its 22nd appearance in the national tournament and its 12th appearance in the last 13 seasons. Ohio Northern, one of 42 teams to earn an automatic berth, will be making its 12th NCAA Tournament appearance.

Kenyon enters the game with a 15-4-0 overall record, while Ohio Northern carries a 13-4-5 record. The two teams will battle Friday at Shellenberger Field on the campus of Lynchburg College. The first-round game is scheduled for a 3 p.m. start.

Lynchburg, the first- and second-round host, will play Covenant College in Friday's other first-round game. The winners of Friday's game will return to Shellenberger Field on Saturday at 5 p.m. to battle for a spot in the third round of tournament action.

Lynchburg, which is 15-1-4, punched its ticket by winning the Old Dominion Athletic Conference Tournament. Covenant, 7-8-2, got in by winning the Collegiate Conference of the South Tournament.

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