Southeast Collegiate Soccer Alliance

Initially developed to help NIRSA determine the best teams in the nation to send to the national tournament, NIRSA appointed regional coordinators in 1995, the year following the first national tournament. These appointed coordinators were in charge of generating rankings that NIRSA could use to select the teams most deserving of a bid.

For the first 7 years, the region II coordinators used their own ranking system from games that teams played locally. However, coordinators began finding it more and more difficult to accurately rank teams due to the growth in the number of teams. To solve this issue, NIRSA encouraged coordinators to host a regional tournament to not only gauge skill, but to also find teams that were willing, and able, to travel since collegiate clubs generally receive little, to no, funding from the university they represent.^[2]

During this time, a separate league began in 1999 called the Southeast Collegiate Soccer League (SCSL) that was exclusively for men's club teams in NIRSA's region II zone. Despite not being created by the coordinators NIRSA appointed for the region, this league was still affiliated with NIRSA. Each year, the league hosted an end of season tournament that all teams were required to attend and the winner of the tournament would receive an automatic bid to the national tournament, a system that's currently used by the SCSA. However, in 2005, it was announced that the league would end that season due to a lack of communication from participating club teams. The following season, all SCSL clubs were allowed to rejoin NIRSA's region II.^[3][4]

The first NIRSA region II tournament was held in 2002 for both men's and women's teams, meaning that from 2002–2005, there were 2 regional tournaments occurring simultaneously. In 2010, NIRSA region II was renamed to the current Southeast Collegiate Soccer Alliance.^[5]

The SCSA is currently divided into 6 divisions for women's teams and 8 divisions for the men's teams. Each team must play at least 6 games against current SCSA teams to be eligible for the end of season tournament.

To help decide who gets to attend the regional tournament, the winner of each division receives an automatic bid to the regional tournament with the remaining invitations given to wild card teams that are determined by RPI. Each team plays the same number of intra-divisional games as each team within its division. Once the regular season is concluded, divisional standings are determined on the double three-point system (six points for a win, two points for a draw, no points for a loss). Only divisional games are included in the tiebreaking criteria.

While only intra-divisional games will be counted in the division standings, all regional games are counted in the overall record used for the League RPI ranking.^[6]

Each year, the SCSA hosts, what they call, the Region II Regional Tournament consisting of 12 women's teams and 16 men's teams. The tournament is two stage beginning with a round-robin group stage followed by a single-elimination knockout stage

For the men's division group stage, the 16 teams are split into four groups of four teams each. Each team plays every other team in their group meaning a total of 6 games are played within a group. The top two teams from each group advance to the round of 8.

For the women's division group stage, the 12 teams are split into four groups of four teams each. Each team plays every other team in their group meaning a total of 3 games are played within a group. The top two teams from each group advance to the round of 8.

To determine group standings, the three-point system (three points for a win, one point for a draw, no points for a loss) is used.

The knockout stage is a single-elimination tournament, in which each team plays in a one-off match. In the event of a tie, one 15-minute, sudden-victory overtime period begins. If still tied, a penalty shootout is used.

Games consist of two 35-minute halves. For pool play, round of 16, and quarterfinals halves are separated by a seven-minute halftime while the halves for the semifinals and finals are separated by a ten-minute halftime.^[7]

The first 4 years that the region existed, no regional tournament was used to determine the best teams. The winner of the league was crowned as the team with the best record at the end of the season according to the coordinators, similar to what other soccer leagues do in Europe. No region II men's team was invited to the tournament until 1996.

After the 1998 season, being ranked 1st was not considered a title.

Beginning in 2002 for both the men's and women's division, the region II coordinators decided to host an end of the season tournament where the regional tournament winner received an automatic bid to the national tournament

The Southeast Collegiate Soccer Alliance (SCSL) was a NIRSA affiliated league that worked adjacent to the current region II. Each year, a regional tournament was held where the winner received an automatic bid to the national tournament.

NIRSA region II was rebranded to the current Southeast Collegiate Soccer Alliance. Teams are divided into divisions within the region, with each divisional winner receiving a bid to the regional tournament. The remaining participating teams were selected using RPI.

Notes:

The first 7 years that the region existed, no regional tournament was used for the women. The winner of the league was crowned as the team with the best record at the end of the season according to the coordinators, similar to what other soccer leagues do in Europe.

Beginning in 2002 for both the men's and women's division, the region II coordinators decided to host an end of the season tournament due too a rapid growth in participating teams. The regional tournament winner received an automatic bid to the national tournament.

Notes

NIRSA region II was rebranded to the current Southeast Collegiate Soccer Alliance. Teams are divided into divisions within the region, with each divisional winner receiving a bid to the regional tournament. The remaining participating teams are selected using RPI.

Notes

• Many details and scores obtained from the official SCSA twitter @SCSARegion2, uncited because it's a primary source and generally unreliable