College soccer

College soccer is a term used to describe association football played by teams who are operated by colleges and universities as opposed to a professional league operated for exclusively financial purposes. College soccer is probably most widespread in the United States, but is also important in South Korea and Canada.

In the United States, college soccer is featured in many collegiate athletic associations including NCAA, NAIA, the NCCAA and USCAA.

Many top American college soccer players play for separate teams in the Premier Development League (PDL) during the summer. One college club, the BYU Cougars men's team, have foregone playing in the NCAA or NAIA and instead play all of their games in the PDL.[1]

In 2011, the official College Soccer Scoreboard will be powered by the NSCAA and TopDrawerSoccer.com, covering all Division I, II, III, NAIA, and NJCAA games.

Contents

Rules

While similar in general appearance, NCAA rules diverge significantly from FIFA Laws of the Game. If a player accumulates five yellow cards over the period of one season, he or she is banned one game. A manager may make unlimited substitutions; however, a player cannot re-enter a game in the same half that he left in. All matches have an overtime period if the game remains tied after 90 minutes. As opposed to a classic two half overtime, a golden goal rule is applied. If neither team scores in the two ten-minute halves, the match ends in a draw (unless it is a playoff match, then it would be penalty kicks). College soccer is played on a "running clock" that is constantly counting down unless the referee signals for the clock to be stopped by injuries, substitutions, and when he feels a team is wasting time. The clock is also stopped after goals until play is restarted. In most professional leagues, there is an up-counting clock with injury time.[2]

Divisions and conferences in the United States

NCAA Division I

There are 198 Division 1 Men's Soccer Programs.[3]

NCAA Division II

NCAA Division III

NAIA

Divisions and conferences internationally

Canada

In Canada, there are two organizations that regulate university and collegiate athletics.

Canadian Interuniversity Sport (CIS)

Canadian Colleges Athletic Association

South Korea

In South Korea, Korea University and Yonsei University compete in soccer, baseball, basketball, ice hockey, and rugby.

United Kingdom

In the United Kingdom, association football in colleges and universities is governed by the BUSA Football League.

National college soccer awards

See Category:College soccer awards and trophies

Notable American men's college soccer graduates

Noted as players

Noted in other fields

Notable non-American men's college soccer graduates

Noted as players

Noted in other fields

Notable men's college soccer coaches

Notable American women's college soccer graduates

Notable non-American women's college soccer graduates

See also

Notes and references

  1. ^ BYU far from a traditional college soccer program
  2. ^ [http://www.ncaapublications.com/productdownloads/SO11.pdf NCAA SOCCER 2010 AND 2011 RULES AND INTERPRETATIONS]. NCAA. http://www.ncaapublications.com/productdownloads/SO11.pdf. 
  3. ^ http://web1.ncaa.org/onlineDir/exec/sponsorship
  4. ^ Then known by his real name of Tom Boric.

External links

NCAA
Division I sports
and championships
Division II
Division III