2020 NCAA Division I women's soccer season

The 2020 NCAA Division I women's soccer season was the 38th season of NCAA championship women's college soccer. The season was originally slated to begin on August 20, 2020 and conclude on November 9, 2020. The season was to culminate with the 2020 NCAA Division I Women's Soccer Tournament, which was to be held from November 18 to December 13, 2020, with the four-team College Cup.

2020 NCAA Division I women's soccer season
Duration	Fall season: September 10 – November 15, 2020 Spring season: February 3 – May 17, 2021
Number of teams	306
Statistics
Tournament
Duration	April 30 to May 17, 2021
College Cup
Date	May 17, 2021
Site	WakeMed Soccer Park (Cary, NC)
Champions	Santa Clara
Runners-up	Florida State
Seasons
← 2019 2021 →

On August 13, 2020, the NCAA Tournament, along with all fall sport tournaments, was suspended due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.^[1] Leading up to the postseason tournament suspension, some conferences had planned to play conference-only matches during the fall season, while some conferences opted to postpone the season to Spring 2021 (February to May 2021).^[2] Ultimately, the Atlantic Coast Conference, Big 12 Conference, Southeastern Conference, and the Sun Belt Conference began play for the 2020 fall season; while a handful of programs scheduled competitive fixtures for the fall 2020 season: Navy, Mercer, Middle Tennessee, and UAB.

On September 16, 2020 the NCAA announced that the spring season would run from February 3 to April 17, 2021, culminating with the NCAA Tournament, which was reduced from 64 to 48 teams for this season only. The postponed NCAA Tournament began on April 30 and ended on May 17, 2021. The ACC, Big 12, SEC, and Sun Belt champions, who will be determined in November, will earn automatic bids into the tournament. Nevertheless, the season began on September 10, 2020, with Appalachian State hosting Pitt, with Pitt winning the match 4–0.

Preseason

Coaching changes

New programs

On November 27, 2017, it was announced that, in 2020, the Tritons of the University of California, San Diego, located in the San Diego, California district of La Jolla, would begin the transition from Division II to Division I as a member of the Big West Conference.^[3]

On January 11, 2019, it was announced that the Trailblazers of Dixie State University^{[lower-alpha 1]} of St. George, Utah would begin the transition from Division II to Division I as a member of the Western Athletic Conference (WAC).^[4]

On June 17, 2019, it was announced that the Knights of Bellarmine University of Louisville, Kentucky would begin the transition from Division II to Division I as a member of the ASUN Conference.^[5]

On July 15, 2020, after months of consideration, the NCAA granted the highly unusual request of the University of St. Thomas to move directly from Division III to Division I. The school had already accepted an invitation to join the Summit League, and the Tommies will enter Division I and Summit League competition in 2021.^[6]

Conference realignment

School	Previous Conference	New Conference
Cal State Bakersfield[7]	Western Athletic Conference (WAC)	Big West Conference
UC San Diego	California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) (Division II)	Big West Conference
Dixie State[lower-alpha 1]	Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference (RMAC) (Division II)	Western Athletic Conference (WAC)
Kansas City[8]	Western Athletic Conference (WAC)	Summit League
Bellarmine	Great Lakes Valley Conference (GLVC) (Division II)	ASUN Conference
UConn[9]	American Athletic Conference	Big East Conference
Purdue Fort Wayne[10]	Summit League	Horizon League
NJIT[11]	ASUN Conference	America East Conference
Robert Morris[12]	Northeast Conference	Horizon League

Impact of COVID-19 on season

Further information: Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on association football

For the 2020 season, several changes in how the season began, and how conference play was organized affected the 2020 season.

• The Atlantic 10 Women's Soccer Tournament, for the 2020 season only, was reduced from eight teams to four, to minimize travel and contamination.^[13]
• The Big East Conference divided into two divisions, the "East" and "Midwest" divisions to minimize travel and to regionalize conference play.^[14]
• The Big South Conference Women's Soccer Tournament, for the 2020 season only, will be reduced from six teams to four, to minimize travel and contamination.^[15]
• The Mid-American Conference discontinued its women's soccer tournament.^[16]
• The Southern Conference women's soccer tournament, for the 2020 season only, will be reduced from six teams to four, to minimize travel and contamination.^[17]
• On July 8, the Ivy League cancelled all intercollegiate sports for the 2020 Fall semester; this includes both men's and women's soccer.^[18]
• On July 10, the Big Ten and Pac-12 Conferences announced all teams would play the 2020 season with conference-only matches^[19]
• On July 13, the Patriot League announced that all fall sports, including women's soccer would be cancelled.^[20]
• On July 17, the Atlantic 10 Conference announced that all fall sports, including women's soccer, would be postponed to spring 2021.^[21]
• On August 11, 2020, the Pac-12 announced the postponement of all sports through the end of 2020.^[22]
• On August 13, the Western Athletic Conference announced that all fall sports, including women's soccer, would be postponed to spring 2021. However, the league would allow non-conference games.^[23]
• On August 13, the Southern Conference announced that conference competition in all fall sports, including women's soccer, would be suspended through the end of the calendar year.^[24]
• On August 14, the ASUN Conference announced that all fall sports, including women's soccer, would be postponed with the intent to hold them in spring 2021.^[25]
• On August 15, the NCAA suspended the women's soccer championship for the fall season, with the possibility of being played in winter or spring 2021
• On August 27, four conferences confirmed to play in the fall, with individual programs allowed to play games in the fall. The ACC, Big 12, SEC, and the Sun Belt will play in fall 2020. The other conferences will play in spring 2021.

Fall 2020 season

Standings

2020 ACC women's soccer standings v t e Conf Overall Team W   L   T   PCT W   L   T   PCT No. 2 Florida State  ‍†‍‡‍y 8 – 0 – 0   1.000 13 – 0 – 3   .906 No. 3 North Carolina  ‍†‍‍y 8 – 0 – 0   1.000 18 – 2 – 0   .900 No. 4 Virginia  ‍‍‍y 5 – 2 – 1   .688 14 – 4 – 3   .738 No. 6 Clemson  ‍‍‍y 5 – 3 – 0   .625 12 – 5 – 2   .684 No. 7 Duke  ‍‍‍y 4 – 2 – 2   .625 12 – 5 – 4   .667 Louisville  ‍‍‍ 4 – 4 – 0   .500 5 – 7 – 0   .417 Virginia Tech  ‍‍‍ 4 – 4 – 0   .500 8 – 9 – 0   .471 Notre Dame  ‍‍‍ 4 – 4 – 0   .500 6 – 7 – 0   .462 Wake Forest  ‍‍‍ 3 – 4 – 1   .438 5 – 7 – 2   .429 Pittsburgh  ‍‍‍ 3 – 5 – 0   .375 11 – 5 – 0   .688 Boston College  ‍‍‍ 1 – 7 – 0   .125 3 – 10 – 1   .250 Syracuse  ‍‍‍ 1 – 7 – 0   .125 1 – 7 – 0   .125 Miami  ‍‍‍ 0 – 8 – 0   .000 1 – 11 – 1   .115 NC State  ‍‍‍ 0 – 0 – 0   – 5 – 3 – 1   .611 † – Conference champion ‡ – 2020 ACC Tournament champion y – Invited to the NCAA Tournament As of May 18, 2021 Rankings from United Soccer Coaches Poll Source: The ACC Note: † Due to COVID-19, NC State suspended the 2020 women's fall soccer season. They did participate in the spring season.	2020 American Athletic Conference women's soccer standings v t e Conf Overall Team W   L   T   PCT W   L   T   PCT No. 15 South Florida †‡y  ‍‍‍ 6 – 0 – 1   .929 9 – 0 – 2   .909 Memphis y  ‍‍‍ 6 – 1 – 0   .857 8 – 3 – 0   .727 Cincinnati  ‍‍‍ 3 – 3 – 1   .500 5 – 5 – 1   .500 East Carolina  ‍‍‍ 3 – 3 – 2   .500 3 – 6 – 2   .364 Houston  ‍‍‍ 3 – 4 – 0   .429 6 – 4 – 1   .591 UCF  ‍‍‍ 2 – 4 – 1   .357 2 – 4 – 1   .357 Temple  ‍‍‍ 2 – 5 – 1   .313 4 – 5 – 1   .450 Tulsa  ‍‍‍ 1 – 6 – 0   .143 2 – 6 – 0   .250 SMU  ‍‍‍ 1 – 1 – 0   .500 1 – 1 – 0   .500 † – Conference champion ‡ – 2020 AAC Tournament champion y – Invited to the NCAA Tournament As of April 18 2021 Rankings from United Soccer Coaches Poll Source: American Athletic Conference
2020 Big 12 Conference women's soccer standings v t e Conf Overall Team W   L   T   PCT W   L   T   PCT No. 3 TCU†  ‍‍‍ 8 – 0 – 1   .944 8 – 0 – 1   .944 No. 4 West Virginia  ‍‍‍ 7 – 2 – 0   .778 7 – 2 – 0   .778 No. 11 Oklahoma State  ‍‍‍ 6 – 2 – 1   .722 6 – 2 – 1   .722 No. 15 Kansas  ‍‍‍ 5 – 3 – 1   .611 5 – 3 – 1   .611 Baylor  ‍‍‍ 3 – 3 – 3   .500 3 – 3 – 3   .500 Texas  ‍‍‍ 4 – 5 – 0   .444 4 – 5 – 0   .444 Kansas State  ‍‍‍ 3 – 6 – 0   .333 3 – 6 – 0   .333 Texas Tech  ‍‍‍ 2 – 5 – 2   .333 2 – 5 – 2   .333 Iowa State  ‍‍‍ 2 – 6 – 1   .278 2 – 6 – 1   .278 Oklahoma  ‍‍‍ 0 – 8 – 1   .056 0 – 8 – 1   .056 † – Conference champion y – Invited to the NCAA tournament Rankings from United Soccer Coaches Source[26]	2020 SEC women's soccer standings v t e Conf Overall Team W   L   T   PCT W   L   T   PCT East No. 10 South Carolina  ‍‍‍ 6 – 2 – 0   .750 7 – 3 – 0   .700 No. 13 Tennessee  ‍‍‍ 4 – 3 – 1   .563 7 – 4 – 1   .625 Vanderbilt  ‍†‍‍ 4 – 4 – 0   .500 8 – 4 – 0   .667 Missouri  ‍‍‍ 3 – 2 – 2   .571 5 – 3 – 2   .600 Georgia  ‍‍‍ 2 – 3 – 2   .429 3 – 4 – 2   .444 Kentucky  ‍‍‍ 1 – 4 – 3   .313 1 – 5 – 3   .278 Florida  ‍‍‍ 1 – 6 – 1   .188 3 – 7 – 2   .333 West No. 7 Arkansas  ‍‍‍ 7 – 1 – 0   .875 10 – 3 – 0   .769 No. 8 Texas A&M  ‍‍‍ 7 – 1 – 0   .875 8 – 2 – 0   .800 No. 14 Ole Miss  ‍‍‍ 4 – 4 – 0   .500 6 – 5 – 0   .545 Auburn  ‍‍‍ 3 – 3 – 2   .500 5 – 4 – 3   .542 Mississippi State  ‍‍‍ 2 – 3 – 3   .438 3 – 4 – 3   .450 Alabama  ‍‍‍ 2 – 4 – 2   .375 4 – 5 – 2   .455 LSU  ‍‍‍ 0 – 6 – 2   .125 4 – 7 – 3   .393 † – Conference champion ‡ – 2020 SEC Tournament champion As of March 4, 2021 Rankings from United Soccer Coaches Poll Source: SEC
2020 Sun Belt Conference women's soccer standings v t e Conf Overall Team W   L   T   PCT W   L   T   PCT East South Alabama  ‍†‍‍ 8 – 2 – 0   .800 10 – 3 – 1   .750 Georgia State  ‍‍‍ 6 – 2 – 2   .700 10 – 3 – 2   .733 Coastal Carolina  ‍‍‍ 6 – 4 – 0   .600 6 – 5 – 0   .545 Appalachian State  ‍‍‍ 4 – 6 – 0   .400 5 – 9 – 1   .367 Georgia Southern  ‍‍‍ 3 – 6 – 1   .350 3 – 10 – 1   .250 Troy  ‍‍‍ 1 – 8 – 1   .150 2 – 9 – 1   .208 West Arkansas State  ‍†‍‍ 7 – 0 – 1   .938 10 – 2 – 1   .808 Louisiana  ‍‍‍ 4 – 3 – 1   .563 9 – 5 – 1   .633 Texas State  ‍‍‍ 4 – 4 – 0   .500 4 – 9 – 1   .321 Little Rock  ‍‍‍ 3 – 3 – 2   .500 4 – 5 – 3   .458 Louisiana–Monroe  ‍‍‍ 0 – 8 – 0   .000 0 – 10 – 0   .000 † – Conference champion ‡ – 2020 Sun Belt Tournament champion As of November 12, 2020 Rankings from United Soccer Coaches Poll Source: Sun Belt Conference	2020 WAC women's soccer standings v t e Conf Overall Team W   L   T   PCT W   L   T   PCT Seattle  ‍†‍‍ 10 – 2 – 2   .786 12 – 5 – 2   .684 Utah Valley  ‍‍‡‍y 10 – 2 – 2   .786 12 – 5 – 2   .684 California Baptist  ‍‍‍ 8 – 4 – 2   .643 10 – 4 – 3   .676 Grand Canyon  ‍‍‍ 7 – 4 – 1   .625 8 – 9 – 1   .472 UTRGV  ‍‍‍ 7 – 6 – 1   .536 10 – 7 – 2   .579 New Mexico State  ‍‍‍ 4 – 9 – 1   .321 5 – 12 – 2   .316 Dixie State*  ‍‍‍ 3 – 8 – 1   .292 3 – 10 – 2   .267 Chicago State  ‍‍‍ 0 – 14 – 0   .000 0 – 17 – 0   .000 * ineligible for the 2020 NCAA Tournament due to transition from Division II † – Conference champion ‡ – 2020 WAC Tournament champion y – Invited to the NCAA Tournament As of April 20, 2021 Rankings from United Soccer Coaches Poll Source:WAC

Rankings

Main article: 2020 NCAA Division I women's soccer rankings

Honors

Major upsets

Spring 2021 season

Standings

2020 WAC women's soccer standings v t e Conf Overall Team W   L   T   PCT W   L   T   PCT Seattle  ‍†‍‍ 10 – 2 – 2   .786 12 – 5 – 2   .684 Utah Valley  ‍‍‡‍y 10 – 2 – 2   .786 12 – 5 – 2   .684 California Baptist  ‍‍‍ 8 – 4 – 2   .643 10 – 4 – 3   .676 Grand Canyon  ‍‍‍ 7 – 4 – 1   .625 8 – 9 – 1   .472 UTRGV  ‍‍‍ 7 – 6 – 1   .536 10 – 7 – 2   .579 New Mexico State  ‍‍‍ 4 – 9 – 1   .321 5 – 12 – 2   .316 Dixie State*  ‍‍‍ 3 – 8 – 1   .292 3 – 10 – 2   .267 Chicago State  ‍‍‍ 0 – 14 – 0   .000 0 – 17 – 0   .000 * ineligible for the 2020 NCAA Tournament due to transition from Division II † – Conference champion ‡ – 2020 WAC Tournament champion y – Invited to the NCAA Tournament As of April 20, 2021 Rankings from United Soccer Coaches Poll Source:WAC

Rankings

Honors

Major upsets

Statistics

Individual statistics

Goals
Rank	Scorer	School	Games	Goals
1
2
3
3
5
6
6
6
6
6

Source: NCAA.com

Goals Against Average
Rank	Keeper	School	Games	Minutes	GA	GAA
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10

Assists
Rank	Player	School	Games	Assists
1
2
3
3
3
6
6
6
6
6

Save Percentage
Rank	Keeper	School	Games	Minutes	Saves	GA	Save %
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10

Points
Rank	Player	School	Games	Goals	Assists	Points
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10

Saves
Rank	Keeper	School	Games	Saves
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10

• Individual statistics are through the games of September 28, 2020

See also

• College soccer
• Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on association football
• List of NCAA Division I women's soccer programs
• 2020 in American soccer
• 2020 NCAA Division I Women's Soccer Tournament
• 2020 NCAA Division I men's soccer season

References

1. now known as Utah Tech University

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3. "Cal State Bakersfield, UC San Diego to join Big West in 2020". The Washington Post. November 27, 2017. Retrieved December 2, 2019.^{[dead link]}
4. "Blazing a New Trail: Dixie State Accepts Invitation to Join Western Athletic Conference" (Press release). Dixie State Trailblazers. December 2, 2019. Retrieved January 25, 2019.
5. "DONE D-1 DEAL". wdrb.com. June 17, 2019. Retrieved December 2, 2019.
6. "St. Thomas can go D1; Minn. school was ousted from D3 league". Minnesota Public Radio. July 16, 2020. Retrieved July 17, 2020.
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12. "Robert Morris to Join Horizon League" (Press release). Horizon League. June 15, 2020. Retrieved June 15, 2020.
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15. "Big South Statement on 2020-21 Efficiencies and Championships". BigSouthSports.com. May 11, 2020. Retrieved July 1, 2020.
16. Strack, Jordan (May 12, 2020). "Major changes coming to Mid-American Conference". Toledo, OH: WTOL. Retrieved May 12, 2020.
17. "SoCon announces cost containment measures for 2020-21". SoConSports.com. May 14, 2020. Retrieved July 1, 2020.
18. "Ivy League won't hold sports this fall, becoming first D-1 conference to suspend football season". Washington Post. July 8, 2020. Retrieved July 9, 2020.
19. Dinich, Heather; Schalabach, Mark (July 10, 2020). "Pac-12 follows Big Ten in moving to conference-only schedule for fall sports". ESPN. Retrieved July 11, 2020.
20. Eskilson, J.R. (July 13, 2020). "Patriot League cancels fall season". TopDrawer Soccer. Retrieved July 14, 2020.
21. "Atlantic 10 Conference Postpones Fall Sport Competitions and Championships". atlantic10.com. July 17, 2020. Retrieved July 24, 2020.
22. "Pac-12 Conference postpones all sport competitions through end of calendar year". pac-12.com.
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25. "Here's the latest fall sports news for Friday evening". NCAA. August 14, 2020. Retrieved August 15, 2020.
26. "Big 12 Conference - Women's Soccer Standings". Big 12 Conference. Retrieved December 9, 2020.