Big East champion Notre Dame will host IUPUI in the opening round of the NCAA women's soccer tournament Friday night at 7:30 at Alumni Stadium.

It's the 17th straight season the Irish women's soccer team has earned a berth in the NCAA Championship.

“I’m just so proud of this team and all they’ve been accomplish up to this point in the season,” Notre Dame head coach Randy Waldrum said. “Now, everyone in this tournament has a clean slate and all the records are re-set to 0-0. What we’ve done so far has gotten us in the door, but now it’s all about how we handle this opportunity."

"IUPUI is a very talented and well-coached team, as everyone saw by the way they rolled to the Summit League title. We’ve got to be focused and disciplined when we take the field Friday night, because we know that every team in this tournament is going to bring their absolute best."

The Irish, 17-3-1 this season — ranked fourth in the National Soccer Coaches of America (NSCAA) poll and fifth by Soccer America — parlayed the league’s automatic bid to the tournament into the No. 2 seed in the Florida State Region.

The first game at Alumni Stadium on Friday night is Central Michigan taking on Purdue.

The winner of the two opening round games will meet in a 2nd round battle on Sunday at 1pm here in South Bend.

"It should be a fantastic few days of soccer at Notre Dame," Waldrum said. "We’re encouraging the entire South Bend community, especially the Notre Dame student body, to come out to Alumni Stadium and cheer on your Fighting Irish in the NCAA tournament.”