Dragons land top seed at NCAA Regional bid

G-MAC Champion Tiffin University has been selected to the NCAA Midwest Regional.
G-MAC Champion Tiffin University has been selected to the NCAA Midwest Regional.

Tiffin University has been selected as the top seed in the Midwest Region and will host one of the NCAA Division II Midwest Regionals, the highest seed ever for the team after it posted regular season and tournament championships in the G-MAC.

This is the fourth time in the last six seasons the Dragons made the cut to the NCAA postseason, which will feature 38 teams. The Dragons qualified for NCAA postseason play in both 2013, 2014, and 2016.

The Dragons (15-4) have a bye in the first round and will play the winner of 4th-seed Ohio Valley (16-5) and 5th-seed Maryville (10-4-4). In the other Midwest Regional, 2nd-seed Southern Indiana (13-3-1) will await the winner of 3rd-seed Saginaw Valley (9-2-6) and 6th-seed Ashland (7-9-3). 

The Dragons will host the OVU-Maryville game at 12 pm on Nov. 9 and will then play the winner at 12 pm on Nov. 11. 

Third round action will then be completed by Nov. 18, with the Semifinals and Championship game taking place on Nov. 29 and Dec. 1 at Highmark Stadium in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania as part of the 2018 Division II National Championship Fall Festival.

After winning the regular season championship, the Dragons hosted the G-MAC tournament. They posted a dramatic come from behind victory over Lake Erie 3-2 in overtime before shutting out Ohio Valley 1-0 in the title game. They are led by G-MAC Defensive Player of the Year Kangni Gabianou and First Team selections Malik Suleman and Abdoul Magid Sy (injured). Dylan Morris, Ramiesh McKnight, and Leo Hasenstab also garnered All Conference honors.

"I'm very proud of the season we have had so far," said Head Coach Rudy Brownell. "Hopefully we can keep the momentum going and continue to work hard."