DANBURY, Conn. (NJCUGothicKnights.com) | For the first time since the 2012 season, the New Jersey City University men's soccer team is postseason bound. The Gothic Knights have been selected for the 16-team Eastern College Athletic Conference Championship Tournament, beginning this weekend. 
 
The Gothic Knights (11-9) are seeded No. 4 in their sectional pod and will meet top-seeded McDaniel College (11-6, 3-6 Centennial) on Saturday, November 16 at 12 p.m. on a neutral field at Widener University's Leslie C. Quick, Jr. Stadium.
 
It will be the 12th postseason appearance in school history and the first under fourth-year head coach Joe Cullen. Overall, NJCU will be making its 10th ECAC Tournament appearance. NJCU was unbeaten in non-conference action this season. 
 
NJCU's Round of 16 matchup will be just the second-ever meeting between the Knights and the Green Terror. The teams played to a 1-1 (2 OT) draw on September 10, 2011 in a neutral-site game in York, Pa. The advancing team will square off with the winner of the other game in this four-team sectional pod—either No. 2 seeded Brevard College or host and No. 3 seed Widener. Those teams meet in Saturday's other opening-round game at 3 p.m.. The ECAC Quarterfinal will be played on Sunday, November 17 at 12 p.m. with the winner of each sectional advancing to the ECAC Semifinals weekend on November 23 and 24. NJCU has never faced Widener or Brevard in men's soccer.
 
"I'm happy for this group and the seniors to be able to find a way into the postseason and stretch the season," said Cullen, who will be coaching in his first postseason ECAC game. "The men's program hasn't had this opportunity in a long time. We fell short in conference play this year which we aren't happy about but getting a bid into the ECAC tournament is a positive spin on the back end of the season."
 
In addition to 2012, NJCU previously appeared in the ECAC Metro Tournament  in 1975, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2006, 2008 and 2012. The Knights own an 11-6-3 record in 20 ECAC games and have a .625 winning percentage. NJCU won the 2004 ECAC Metro championship and were runners-up in 2001 and 2006. 
 
Including the NCAA Tournament (2005, 2007), NJCU is a 14-8-4 (.615) in 26 playoff games—not including 13 NJAC Tournament games (4-6-3).
 
In NJCU's last appearance in 2012, it advanced to the ECAC Metro Semifinals, overcoming Brooklyn in penalty kicks on November 9, 2012, before losing to conference-rival Stockton in the semis.
 
This will be NJCU's first ECAC Tournament appearance under the current format. Previously, the four primary ECAC Division III regions—Metro, North, South and New England—held separate eight-team tournaments, with each determining its own winner. Now, the top 16 teams from across all four ECAC regions will compete over two weekends for the overall ECAC championship.
 
The only opponent in the 16-team field NJCU has faced this year is the other New Jersey Athletic Conference school selected, Kean University. The Cougars nipped NJCU in a heartbreaker in the final minutes on October 2, 3-2.
 
"This group worked hard all year long and was unlucky to not have more to show from it," Cullen added. "The bid is exciting for the program and we are happy to continue to train and get to play another day. Lots of teams across the country don't get to continue to play this late in the year and we are thrilled to be one of them."
 
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