Grand Rapids, MI – Aquinas College’s new turf field is being put to good use in it’s inaugural year of play as the Saints have earned the right to host both men and women’s Region VIII games this weekend (Nov. 2 -3).

The Saints earned the right as both the men and women soccer teams of Aquinas claimed WHAC Tournament Championships this season. The Lady Saints, the WHAC 2007 regular season champions for the first time since 1999, will compete in the regional championship play for the first time since 2001, a year in which the Saints lost 3-0 in the semifinals to Indiana Wesleyan.

The Aquinas men’s soccer team will take a bid at returning to NAIA National Championship as they compete in the regional tournament for the first time since 2000, a year in which the Saints won the regional tournament and eventually lost in the first round of the national tournament.

The Aquinas Lady Saints (16-3) will commence tournament play as they host the Mid-Central Conference #2 seed from the University of St. Francis (11-8-1). Game two of the regional tournament will place the Golden Eagles of Cornerstone (11-5-2) against Indiana Wesleyan (18-1), ranked #11 in last week’s NAIA national ranking. The championship game of the women’s tournament will be played at 3 p.m. on Nov.3.

The Aquinas men’s soccer (14-5-1) will face off against the #2 seed of the Mid-Central Conference at noon on Saturday, November 3^rd. Aquinas’ opponent will be decided in a contest that pairs last year’s regional champions of Goshen College (11-6-2) against #13 ranked Indiana Wesleyan (16-3-1) that takes place on October 31st. The Saints will play the loser of this contest as Madonna will travel to the winner of this contest. The regional championship for the men will be concluded on Wednesday, November 7^th.