AUSTIN, Texas – The Concordia Texas men's soccer team, champions of the American Southwest Conference Tournament for the first time in school history, prepare for their first-ever NCAA Tournament appearance on Saturday, facing off against Redlands in the first round.

The Tornados continue their historic season, traveling to Tacoma, Wash., site of the first and second round games of the NCAA Tournament for CTX, Redlands, Trinity and host Pacific Lutheran.

Concordia Texas enters the tournament with a 10-4-5 record, having only lost once in their last 13 contests.

The Tornados captured their first ASC title on Saturday after completing a three-game tournament run past Belhaven, UT Dallas and capping it off with a thrilling 4-3 shootout over Hardin-Simmons to earn the automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.

On Monday, during the NCAA Selection Show, CTX drew Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference champion Redlands in their first round matchup.

Head Coach Nick Mims, who received ASC Coach of the Year honors for the second time during his tenure with the Tornados, is pumped to see his program reach their first-ever NCAA Tournament.

"We are excited to compete in the NCAA tournament, it is a tremendous privilege to compete at this level," Mims said. "Flying to a new city, state and experiencing new things is a huge part of the process. However we are not just 'happy to be here'. I see it as an opportunity to test ourselves against top teams in our region and the country."

Concordia Texas will face a tough test in the Bulldogs, who enter the tournament with a 15-2-1 record and have won their last six games.

In the SCIAC Tournament, Redlands opened with a 2-0 defeat of Cal Lutheran and followed with a 2-1 win over top-seeded Claremont Mudd-Scripps to secure their fifth conference championship.

Mims knows the Bulldogs are in the NCAA Tournament for good reasoning and looks forward to the matchup.

"At this stage in the competition, everyone is a top notch opponent," Mims said. "Redlands is also a conference champion who has put together quite a season thus far. We relish the opportunity to take on a successful side like theirs."

The Tornados have an arsenal of weapons at their disposal offensively while supported by a defensive backline and goalkeeping that led to seven shutouts during the season.

Concordia Texas had eight players earn All-ASC honors on Tuesday as the conference office released its season award winners and all conference teams.

Marco Vazquez was named the ASC Offensive Player of the Year for the second consecutive season, while sophomore Joshua Redding took home ASC Goalkeeper of the Years honors.

Vazquez and Redding were joined by teammates Melvin Molina, Victor Gomez and Zach Kusak for a school record five players earning ASC First Team accolades.

Meanwhile, Carlos Huato, who was named the ASC Defensive Freshman of the Year, along with Xavier Polk and Yael Sanchez, were named to the ASC Third Team for their performances.

The Tornados have had an impressive season offensively, tying the single-season school record for goals with 44, equaling the mark set by the program back in 2016.

Vazquez has been a huge contribution in that area after leading the team with 11 goals and is now tied with the school record for the most goals scored in a career with 25. Molina, meanwhile, is second on the team with six goals while also setting the program's single-season assists record, racking up nine so far.

Defensively, Redding along with defenders Kusak and Sanchez helped the Tornados set the program's longest shutout streak earlier this season, not allowing a goal for 609:35 minutes. The trio have been influential in CTX's goals against average mark of 0.84, which is the second-best average in a single season in school history.

Mims knows his program is more than capable of making a run in their first-ever NCAA Tournament.

"The key to our success is to stay humble and hungry," Mims said. "We are not satisfied with just reaching NCAA tournament, we are heading to Tacoma, Wash., with a mindset to win. In order to do so, we must continue the hard work, discipline and execution that has gotten us to this stage."

Concordia Texas will face the Redlands in the first round on Saturday at 5:30 p.m. CST at East Field on the campus of Pacific Lutheran in Tacoma, Wash.

The winner will face the winner between Trinity and Pacific Lutheran on Sunday at 5 p.m.