Pittsburg State secured the No. 3 seed and will host a quarterfinal match against No. 6 seed Missouri Western State University in the 2026 MIAA Women’s Soccer Championship.
The conference released the postseason bracket on October 28, following a regular season in which the Gorillas finished with a 7-0-5 league mark and 26 points. That performance earned Pittsburg State the right to host an opening-round postseason match for the second year in a row. Kickoff is scheduled for 1:00 p.m. Central Time on Sunday, November 1, at the Gorilla Soccer Pitch.
The Road Through Pittsburg and Regional Rankings
Entering the tournament, Pittsburg State carries an unblemished 13-0-5 overall record. In the regional and national pictures, the Gorillas sit third in the Central Region and 12th nationally in the NPI rankings at 60.664. Minnesota State – Mankato leads the region at 61.664, with Washburn positioned just ahead of the Gorillas at 60.689.
Missouri Western arrives in Pittsburg holding an 8-3-7 overall record and a 5-3-4 mark in conference play. The Griffons enter the postseason looking to defend the program’s first conference tournament title, though they face the steep challenge of playing an unbeaten opponent on the road.
These two programs met recently in Pittsburg for Senior Day on October 18. In that regular-season fixture, the Gorillas edged the Griffons 1-0 behind a game-winning goal from Macy Malik. Missouri Western goalkeeper Morgan Byrd recorded nine saves in the defeat.
Over three prior meetings, Pittsburg State holds a 2-1-0 advantage over Missouri Western, with both victories coming on their home turf.
Tournament Bracket and the Path to Wichita
Sunday’s quarterfinal winner will advance to the tournament semifinals on November 6 at the Scheels Stryker Sports Complex in Wichita, Kansas. That semifinal matchup will pit the winner against either the No. 2 seed University of Central Missouri Jennies or the No. 7 seed Northwest Missouri State University Bearcats.
The MIAA championship match is scheduled for Sunday, November 8, in Wichita, where the tournament winner will claim the conference crown and an automatic bid to the NCAA Division II National Tournament.
The complete opening-round quarterfinal schedule for Sunday, November 1, features four matches all starting at 1:00 p.m.:
- No. 1 Seed Washburn vs. No. 8 Seed Northeastern State in Topeka, Kan.
- No. 2 Seed Central Missouri vs. No. 7 Seed Northwest Missouri in Warrensburg, Mo.
- No. 3 Seed Pittsburg State vs. No. 6 Seed Missouri Western in Pittsburg, Kan.
- No. 4 Seed Central Oklahoma vs. No. 5 Seed Emporia State in Edmond, Okla.
