ELON, N.C. – The Elon University men’s soccer team will host Clemson in the opening round of the NCAA tournament on Thursday, as announced by the NCAA on Monday. The Phoenix and the Tigers are scheduled to kick off at 7 p.m. at Rudd Field.

The Phoenix (15-4-2) will be hosting its first-ever NCAA Division I Men’s Soccer Championship event. Elon earned its third straight bid to the NCAA tournament after capturing the Southern Conference tournament championship on Sunday with a 1-0, double-overtime win over Wofford. Elon also became just the second team in SoCon history to win three straight league tournament titles, joining Furman, which did so from 1999-2001.

Elon has faced the Tigers six times overall in a series dating back to 1998. The Phoenix has won three straight against the Tigers and has an overall record of 3-2-1 against Clemson. The winner between the Phoenix and the Tigers will then face the tournament’s overall No. 1 seed UCLA on Sunday in Los Angeles.