Men’s 2013 College Cup In Philly…Women College Cup In Cary

After a couple of years at a minor league baseball stadium, the men’s College Cup is returning to soccer-specific grounds.

The NCAA has announced that PPL Park, home of the MLS Philadelphia Union, will host the 2013 men’s College Cup. This past year’s tournament was held at Regions Park in Hoover, Ala., the stadium for the Chicago White Sox Double-A affiliate Birmingham Barons. The 2012 event will be held there as well.

The 2013 tournament, which will be hosted by Villanova University, will mark the fifth time that the event will be held at an MLS soccer-specific stadium. The College Cup was hosted by Crew Stadium in 2001 and 2003, the Home Depot Center in 2004 and Pizza Hut Park in 2008.

The Women’s College Cup, hosted by Campbell University, will be played at WakeMed Soccer Park in Cary on Dec. 6 and 8, 2013. The women’s soccer championship is in Cary for the sixth time, a record for this event. Cary previously served as the hosts in 2003, ’04, ’06, ’08 and ’10.

“We are pleased to have the opportunity to showcase our men’s soccer student-athletes and championship to a new city, as well as return our women’s soccer student-athletes and their championship to a landmark location to compete for a national championship,” said Joni Comstock, NCAA senior vice president of championships and alliances.

“Both cities are well versed in hosting successful events, including previous NCAA championships in other sports, and we know that both hosts will give our student-athletes an experience they will remember for the rest of their lives.”