Related Articles Stanford men’s soccer tops NSCAA Preseason Top 25 poll

Defending national champion Stanford got the fifth overall seed as the only Bay Area school to advance to the NCAA men’s soccer tournament, officials announced Monday.

The Cardinal (11-3-4) earned a first-round bye in the 48-team field and will play host to the winner between Cal State Northridge and Pacific at 5 p.m. Sunday. The game will follow the women’s NCAA third-round match that starts at 1 p.m. at Cagan Stadium.

Stanford has reached the tournament four consecutive seasons under coach Jeremy Gunn, who arrived in 2012 to upgrade the program. The Cardinal is ranked eighth in the latest coaches’ poll and is No. 6 in the ratings percentage index (RPI).

Stanford (8-1-1) won its third consecutive Pac-12 title this year while setting a school record for conference victories. The Cardinal is 26-2-8 in its last 36 home matches and unbeaten in regulation time since 2013.

Maryland (18-0-2) earned the tournament’s top seeding with Atlantic Coast Conference schools Wake Forest (No. 2), Clemson (No. 3) and Louisville (No. 4) rounding out the top four.

The men’s College Cup is scheduled Dec. 9 and 11 in Houston, a week after the women’s Final Four at Avaya Stadium.