2024 NWAC Soccer Championships Preview

TUKWILA, Wash. - The 2024 NWAC Soccer Championships Final Four kickoff on Friday as four women's team and four men's teams look to claim their respective titles as Starfire Stadium.

This year, the women's semifinal games and finals will be played first. North Region No. 2 seed Bellevue will take on 2023 champions and East Region No. 1 seed Columbia Basin in the opener on Friday at 11 a.m. East Region No. 2 seed Spokane then takes on North No. 1 seed Peninsula at 1:30 p.m. in a 2023 semifinal rematch. The men's side of the tournament opens with two No. 2 seeds as Everett takes on Clark at 4 p.m., followed by East No. 2 seed Walla Walla battling defending champions and North Region champs Peninsula at 6:30 p.m.

11 AM | N2 Bellevue vs. E1 Columbia Basin
The lone difference in the Final Four from 2023 is the Bellevue Bulldogs as they make their first appearance in the NWAC Final Four since 2010. The Bulldogs are looking for their first NWAC women's soccer title in program history after a strong 10-3-1 record in the regular season. The Bulldogs are paced by a strong defense and midfield after allowing just 13 goals during the regular season, resulting in three First Team All-North Region selections in Layne Davis, Tallulah Baumgart and Madeline Long.

The defending champion Hawks won their fourth NWAC title in 2023, defeating rival Spokane 2-1 in the finals in overtime of the championship game. The win was the first for the Hawks since 2008. This season, the Hawks have continued right where they left off under new head coach Alessandro Llamas, who took over the helm this season after assisting with the Hawks since 2021. CBC reclaimed the East Region title, recording an 11-1-3 overall record, led by a defense that allowed just five goals all season, second best in the NWAC.

1:30 PM | E2 Spokane vs. N1 Peninsula
Spokane and Peninsula are familar foes in the NWAC tournament with Spokane advancing the past two years by penalty kick shootout, in the quarterfinals in 2022 and in the semifinals at Starfire in 2023. Sasquatch went onto win the championship in 2022, but fell to Columbia in the finals last year. This year, the Sasquatch went undefeated overall with a 10-0-4 record, finishing just two points behind CBC. They are led by Co-Region MVP Mia Miconi who led the team with 23 points and 10 goals.

Peninsula has been dynamic all season with an unblemished record of 13-0, outscoring opponents 70-4. The Pirates are looking to take back the NWAC crown with their last championship coming in 2022. The Pirates have won five NWAC titles with all five under head coach Kanyon Anderson since 2012. Peninsula has impressively not officially lost a game since the 2019 season, an incredible run of 73-straight matches without a loss. The Pirates are led by North Region MVP Shawna Larson, who leads the NWAC with 34 points on 13 goals and eight assists.

4 PM | N2 Everett vs. W2 Clark
The Trojans have been a perennial playoff contender since 2017, but still look for their first NWAC Men's Soccer championship. Everett reached the Final Four in 2022, but fell to eventual champion Columbia Basin in the semifinals. The Trojans are led by one of the most dynamic offenses in the league, scoring 53 goals while going 15-3-1 during the regular season. They had five players with at least five goals, led by Cristiano Whitaker's 12.

Clark is the No. 2 seed out of the West region, but tied for the region championship with Highline with matching 13-1-1 records. The Penguins are making thier first trip to the Final Four since 2013 when they finished as runners-up to Peninsula. Clark has two championships in NWAC history in 2007 and 1997. The Penguins three-headed attack of JP Warnell, Christian Silva and Randy Valdivia each scored over 10 goals on the season.

6:30 PM | E2 Walla Walla vs. N1 Peninsula
The Warriors have had an incredible run through the postseason thus far, winning back-to-back 2-1 games in overtime over Skagit Valley and one of the tournament favorites in Highline. Walla Walla's David Campos came up clutch in both games, including scoring the game-tying and game-winning goals at Highline. Campos was the East Region's Offensive Player of the Year. The Warriors were last in the Final Four in 2022, falling to CBC in the finals. They are looking for their second NWAC title, with the first coming in 2008.

Peninsula, the 2023 NWAC Champions, lead the conference with six championships since 2010. The Pirates won in a historic 11-round penalty kick shootout last year over Highline as all 11 shooters scored for Peninsula. This year, they enter the Final Four as one of the favorites as the lone No. 1 seed and defending champions. Peninsula is led into the postseason by a strong sophomore class that includes back-to-back North Region MVP Nil Grau and Defensive Player of the Year Laurin Lettow. 

Watch all the action this weekend live on nwacsportsnetwork.com via Pay-Per-View.

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