Completed Event: Men's Soccer versus Jacksonville on August 21, 2025 , Win , 2, to, 1
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Grand Canyon University Athletics
Lopes land NCAA tournament berth
4/19/2021 9:53:00 AM | Men's Soccer, Paul Coro
GCU makes 2nd trip in 3 seasons, will face No. 7 seed Washington
When the Grand Canyon men's soccer team gathered Monday morning in a GCU Stadium classroom, the Lopes did not know if it would be the last time that they would be all together.
Really, there should never have been a doubt that GCU's season will continue at the NCAA tournament. The Lopes claimed one of 14 at-large spots in the 36-team NCAA tournament, which will pit GCU against No. 7 seed Washington (10-3) for a round-of-32 game on May 2 in Matthews, North Carolina.
GCU's national rankings of No. 11Â for NCAA Ratings Percentage Index and No. 4 for win-loss-tie percentage at .889 (8-1) were quite enough to ensure that retiring Hall of Fame head coach Schellas Hyndman has not coached his final game. Instead, Hyndman is guiding the Lopes to their second NCAA tournament trip in the past three seasons.
"I thank the committee for their wisdom and their hard work and, for Grand Canyon University, this is another historic year for us," said Hyndman, who is 511-168-60 over 37 seasons to rank 15th for career NCAA men's soccer victories. "I truly believe these young men deserve a chance. No player worth his salt wants a season ever to end. Now, we have an opportunity to continue our season and we're so very, very excited, proud of our accomplishments and so happy to be part of GCU."
In a season delayed to the spring and shortened by the COVID-19 pandemic, GCU went 8-0 until Saturday's WAC Tournament championship game loss to Air Force at UNLV.
The Lopes gave the WAC two teams in the NCAA tournament for the third time in the past four NCAA tournaments and awarded first-round byes to both teams.
"It's relief that a lot of hard work pays off," said GCU junior goalkeeper George Tasouris, who preceded his Monday commencement by going from clutching his necklace and head to kicking over the table when he leaped in celebration. "Huge relief. We've been through a lot as a team and we definitely deserve this. The NCAA left it to the final moment. It humbled us and showed us that even the greatest will fall sometimes. Now, we should keep our heads down and get to work."
GCU reached the 2018 NCAA Tournament after a WAC Tournament championship, but the Lopes lost in the first round on extra penalty kicks at UC Irvine. Three of this season's starters also started on that team and three more of this season's Lopes played in that game.
During Monday's NCAA Selection Show, the first three tournament quadrants were revealed without GCU in them. The Lopes sat quietly and intently watching with clutched hands and tapping feet until the announcer said, "How about we ease the stress a little bit for one team on the edge of its seat right now? Take a breath, Grand Canyon."
Every player jumped to his feet with a roar and set off a chain of hugs.
"I was sweating," GCU senior forward Justin Rasmussen said. "It was crazy. I was getting nervous. When they called our name, it was such a great feeling. I'm so happy. We've been through so much and these guys deserve it. We're ready to go. This isn't the end of it. We're hungrier than ever now."
Washington was No. 26 in the final RPI and is making its fifth consecutive NCAA tournament appearance and 13th appearance since 2000.
"We didn't get an easy team," Hyndman said. "We also got a bye. The thing you always have to look at is getting yourself into the big event and give yourself a chance. This has been the second time that we have been selected. The first time was much easier because we had an automatic bid. This time, we had to wait and see what a committee had decided to do. This one put us on pins and needles. As soon as they named our name, it was complete explosion in the room."
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Really, there should never have been a doubt that GCU's season will continue at the NCAA tournament. The Lopes claimed one of 14 at-large spots in the 36-team NCAA tournament, which will pit GCU against No. 7 seed Washington (10-3) for a round-of-32 game on May 2 in Matthews, North Carolina.
GCU's national rankings of No. 11Â for NCAA Ratings Percentage Index and No. 4 for win-loss-tie percentage at .889 (8-1) were quite enough to ensure that retiring Hall of Fame head coach Schellas Hyndman has not coached his final game. Instead, Hyndman is guiding the Lopes to their second NCAA tournament trip in the past three seasons.
"I thank the committee for their wisdom and their hard work and, for Grand Canyon University, this is another historic year for us," said Hyndman, who is 511-168-60 over 37 seasons to rank 15th for career NCAA men's soccer victories. "I truly believe these young men deserve a chance. No player worth his salt wants a season ever to end. Now, we have an opportunity to continue our season and we're so very, very excited, proud of our accomplishments and so happy to be part of GCU."
In a season delayed to the spring and shortened by the COVID-19 pandemic, GCU went 8-0 until Saturday's WAC Tournament championship game loss to Air Force at UNLV.
The Lopes gave the WAC two teams in the NCAA tournament for the third time in the past four NCAA tournaments and awarded first-round byes to both teams.
"It's relief that a lot of hard work pays off," said GCU junior goalkeeper George Tasouris, who preceded his Monday commencement by going from clutching his necklace and head to kicking over the table when he leaped in celebration. "Huge relief. We've been through a lot as a team and we definitely deserve this. The NCAA left it to the final moment. It humbled us and showed us that even the greatest will fall sometimes. Now, we should keep our heads down and get to work."
GCU reached the 2018 NCAA Tournament after a WAC Tournament championship, but the Lopes lost in the first round on extra penalty kicks at UC Irvine. Three of this season's starters also started on that team and three more of this season's Lopes played in that game.
During Monday's NCAA Selection Show, the first three tournament quadrants were revealed without GCU in them. The Lopes sat quietly and intently watching with clutched hands and tapping feet until the announcer said, "How about we ease the stress a little bit for one team on the edge of its seat right now? Take a breath, Grand Canyon."
Every player jumped to his feet with a roar and set off a chain of hugs.
"I was sweating," GCU senior forward Justin Rasmussen said. "It was crazy. I was getting nervous. When they called our name, it was such a great feeling. I'm so happy. We've been through so much and these guys deserve it. We're ready to go. This isn't the end of it. We're hungrier than ever now."
Washington was No. 26 in the final RPI and is making its fifth consecutive NCAA tournament appearance and 13th appearance since 2000.
"We didn't get an easy team," Hyndman said. "We also got a bye. The thing you always have to look at is getting yourself into the big event and give yourself a chance. This has been the second time that we have been selected. The first time was much easier because we had an automatic bid. This time, we had to wait and see what a committee had decided to do. This one put us on pins and needles. As soon as they named our name, it was complete explosion in the room."
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