The SMU women’s soccer team kicks off its participation in the NCAA tournament on Friday night against McNeese State in College Station, Texas. This is the sixth consecutive year the Mustangs have earned a bid to the national tournament.

SMU received an at-large bid to the tournament after losing to Colorado College in the C-USA semifinals last week. The Mustangs were 16-4-1 in the regular season and enter the tournament with an 8-10-1 overall record in NCAA play.

This is the first NCAA trip for the Cowgirls from McNeese State, as well as the first ever meeting between the two teams. The Cowgirls defeated Southland Conference rivals Texas State 1-0 to earn the conference title and the automatic NCAA bid.

McNeese sophomore Kamryn Koch was named the 2006 State Farm Southland Conference tournament MVP and leads the Cowgirls with nine goals. Also named to the All-Tournament team were her teammates Ja’Nae Powell, Shelby Money and Justeen Lords.

SMU’s players aren’t lacking in conference honors either. Although the Mustangs did not take the C-USA title, they did sweep the Offensive and Defensive Player of the Year awards. Senior Olivia O’Rear was named the 2006 Offensive Player of the Year after being named C-USA Player of the Week twice in the regular season. O’Rear had 12 goals in the season, five of which were game-winning goals.

Sophomore Ashley Gunter received the C-USA Defensive Player of the Year honor. The goalkeeper had 11 shutouts in the regular season and one, against Tulsa, in the conference tournament.

The winner of the SMU-McNeese game will take on the winner of the Texas A&M-Grambling State match-up on Sunday at 1 p.m. in College Station, Texas.