A New England Look at the 2013 NCAA College Cup

Three New England area college teams will begin their quest for the 2013 NCAA College Cup today.

The Providence Friars will travel to Philadelphia today to take on the Penn Quakers in the first round of the 2013 NCAA College Cup. The winner of that game will face the Maryland Terrapins, alma matter of former Rev and United States international striker Taylor Twellman.

Friars players Dominik Machado, Fabio Machado and Manny Andrade all boast experience with the New England Revolution academy teams. Andrade and Fabio Machado also played last season for the Revs PDL affiliate, the Real Boston Rams.

The Connecticut Huskies will take on their interstate rivals the Quinnipiac Bobcats in Storrs, CT. The Huskies boast one of the top keepers in the country, Andre Blake, who could be the first keeper selected in the upcoming MLS SuperDraft. The winner would travel to Catonsville, MD to play the 16th seeded UMBC Retrievers in the second round.

In the first round 2013 Women's Soccer Championship, the Boston University Terriers defeated the Harvard Crimson 1-0 to move on to the second round and play the 4th seeded Santa Clara Broncos. The Boston College Eagles also advanced, beating the Northeastern Huskies 2-0 and will play the 2nd seeded Nebraska Cornhuskers in the second round.

Several Revolution player's college teams will also be playing in the 2013 NCAA Soccer Championship.

The UCLA Bruins are the top overall seed in the tournament, surely bringing much joy to alums Kelyn Rowe, Chad Barrett and Matt Reis, who won the 1997 NCAA title and was the tournament's Defensive MVP. The Bruins will host the winner of the Elon Pheonix-Clemson Tigers first round matchup. A pair of 2013 rookies will see their teams face off in the first round, as Scott Caldwell's Akron Zips will host the defending champion Indiana Hoosiers, who won the 2012 title with Luis Soffner in net. The winner of the Akron-Indiana game will travel to face the 9th seeded Marquette Golden Eagles.

Chris Tierney's Virginia Cavaliers were runners up in the ACC tournament to Maryland, upsetting ACC second seed Notre Dame (who will be the 3rd overall seed in the College Cup) in the semifinals. Virginia will be the 8th seed and will face the winner of Delaware and St. John's, alma mater of former Rev midfielder Shalrie Joseph, who played with the Red Storm for two seasons. Donnie Smith's Charlotte 49ers earned the 13th overall seed by winning the Conference USA tournament and awaits the winner of Coastal Carolina and East Tennessee State. Andrew Farrell's Louisville Cardinals will host the Denver Pioneers with the winner taking on the 11th seed Michigan State Spartans.

The 2013 NCAA College Cup begins today with 32 teams playing 16 first round games. The winners will then travel to the 16 seeded teams and begin a single elimination tournament, with the national semifinals and championship happening on November 23 and 25 at PPL Park in Chester, PA, home of MLS' Philadelphia Union.