Championship Kickoff

The NAIA Men’s Soccer National Championship has officially begun in Orange Beach, and with some exciting results. No.-1 seed Rio Grande, previously undefeated, lost to unseeded Bethel University. Bethel defeated Rio Grande 2 to 1—a repeat of the championship-winning game between the two teams in 2008.

While those two teams repeated history, the University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma made a little history by winning its first-ever second round match. The game went into overtime, and Science and Arts won 4 to 3 against the University of Great Falls.

Plenty of soccer is yet to be played. The championship continues all week, with the final championship game on Saturday night.

One More Week!

Only a week left until the start of the NAIA Men’s Soccer National Championship! The Opening Round has already taken place—the sixteen teams have been determined and will advance to the week-long National Championship, which starts in Orange Beach next Monday, November 29th.

The teams that made it through really proved their worth during the Opening Round, with about half of the teams defeating not only their opponents but the home field advantage rule as well—home teams won only eight of the fifteen matches. And four schools—Hastings, Maine-Fort Kent, Notre Dame, and Rio Grande—remain undefeated going into the National Championship.

It’s going to be an exciting week! There’s still time to make plans to be here—visit the Alabama Gulf Coast Sports Commission website for information on accommodations for this event.

Beach-side Accommodations

We’re now about a week and a half away from the start of the NAIA Men’s Soccer National Championship in Orange Beach. If you haven’t made plans to be here yet, there’s still time!

There are lots of great specials being offered by several hotels and condominiums throughout the area. Options range from affordable per-night rates to seven-night packages. Plenty of Gulf-front accommodations are available, too—since you’re visiting the Gulf, you might as well enjoy it!

The week of NAIA soccer is sure to be an exciting one, and the thrill doesn’t have to stop with the games at the end of the day. Visit the Alabama Gulf Coast Sports Commission website for more information on lodging specials.

Volunteers Needed for the Kaiser Realty Coastal Half Marathon

You don’t have to be a runner to be a part of the Kaiser Realty Coastal Half Marathon, 5K and 1 Mile Fun Run. This event will take place on Saturday, November 27th at the Orange Beach Sportsplex. Participants will race along the Hugh S. Branyon Back Country Trail and onto Beach Road before ending up back at the Orange Beach Sportsplex. It may sound as though the runners will be doing all the work, but there’s a whole other to this event—and a whole other need for participants.

If you’ve ever wanted to be part of a marathon but haven’t felt up to the physical aspect, this is your chance to get involved. Volunteers are needed for this event to assist with tasks such as set-up, registration, and directing runners at various points throughout the race. As a volunteer, you’ll also get to attend the post-race party and help yourself to free food and beverages.

Click here to register as a volunteer.

Soccer Pairings Announced

We’re getting even closer to the NAIA Men’s Soccer National Championship event in Orange Beach. Now we know not only the qualifiers for the championship, but also the team pairings for the opening round games.

Eight teams have qualified for the first time in their school’s history, and seven teams have won the national championship at least one time—a perfect setup for some good soccer drama! More information about the qualifying teams and pairings can be found on the NAIA website.

Fifteen campuses will host the games making up this initial 30-team opening round on November 20th. Who participates in the National Championship in Orange Beach will be determined by which teams win the opening round games. Stay tuned to learn the results!

NAIA Opening Banquet

Soccer fans are eagerly anticipating the start of the NAIA Men’s Soccer National Championship! The games officially start on Monday, November 29th—just a little more than two weeks away!

Visitors who are interested in an early start to the event should attend the Opening Banquet on Sunday, November 28th at The Wharf Conference Center. This banquet is open to the public and will start off with a parade of the teams at 6 PM, then dinner at 6:30.

Let the excitement build as you watch the stars of the week officially parade into the event, then dine and talk soccer with fellow sports fans. For admission to the games, tickets are $8 per day for adults and $3 for children—or purchase an all-tournament pass for $20.

Soccer Update

The 32-team field and bracket for the 2010 NAIA Men’s Soccer National Championship will be announced this Sunday. We’re getting that much closer to the big soccer event in Orange Beach!

The latest Men’s Soccer Coaches’ Top 25 Poll placed the University of Rio Grande in the number 1 spot for the third week straight. The team has remained undefeated all season, along with Notre Dame College (ranked 2nd), Hastings College (ranked 3rd), and University of Maine at Fort Kent (ranked 6th). Rio Grande has been ranked in the top 10 since the start of the 2009 season. They could be an interesting team to watch!

The soccer championship begins November 29th at the Orange Beach Sportsplex and goes until the final championship game on December 4th.

Where to Stay for the NAIA Soccer Championship

With six days of soccer coming up with the NAIA Men’s Soccer National Championship in Orange Beach, soccer fans will want to be there for every moment of the action. Fortunately, visitors have a variety of lodging options to choose from in the Orange Beach and Gulf Shores area.

Several accommodations are offering friends and family specials for the soccer tournament. Chain hotels provide a convenient place to sleep for a shorter stay, while resort-style condominiums offer amenities and extra space for larger groups. Several accommodations offer perks such as private gulf-front balconies, swimming pools, fitness centers, tennis courts, hot tubs, saunas, and more.

Come stay the week and get caught up in the soccer excitement!

Fishing, Marathon, and Soccer Fun

The weather may be cooling down, but the sports action along the Alabama Gulf Coast is not. We start this month with the 2010 Inshore Fishing Association Redfish Tour Championship, which takes place November 4th to 6th and involves anglers from six regions competing for the national championship title. Then on November 11th to 13th is the Inshore Fishing Association Redfish Tour Kayak Championship—anglers competing from kayaks in Orange Beach.

Those looking for a fun way to burn off their Thanksgiving dinners might consider signing up for the Kaiser Realty Coastal Half Marathon, 5K and 1 Mile Fun Run. These races take place November 27th starting at the Orange Beach Sportsplex. Runners will make their way down the scenic Hugh Branyon Back Country Trail, along the Beach Road overlooking the Gulf, and back to the Orange Beach Sportsplex.

Ending the month is the NAIA Men’s Soccer National Championships in Orange Beach, which is sure to be an exhilarating week of soccer!

The Competition is Building

In just under four weeks the 52nd Annual NAIA Men’s Soccer National Championship will begin in Orange Beach, and it promises to be an exciting event. There are some strong teams within the NAIA men’s soccer league, with five teams (University of Rio Grande, Simon Fraser University, Notre Dame College, Hastings College, and University of Maine at Fort Kent) being undefeated so far this season—it’s unlikely those teams will go down without a fight!

Several other teams have strong records with only one or two losses. Watching the players behind these impressive statistics should make for an exciting week of soccer as they compete for the top spot in the championship.

The action starts Monday, November 29th at noon. Don’t miss it!