Two moved their entire athletic programs to new conferences, and a third began play in its current all-sports league.
The 2017 season is the last for one Division I school in its current conference: Games won by a team ranked 10 or more spots lower or an unranked squad that defeats a team ranked #15 or higher are considered "major upsets".
The tournament field will consist of 31 teams which have qualified by virtue of winning their conference's automatic berth as well as 33 teams chosen at-large by the NCAA Division I Women's Soccer Committee.
The tournament will begin with first-round matches played at campus sites on November 10.
The 40 women's college soccer teams with the highest average home attendance: