GWYNEDD VALLEY, PA. -- The Colonial States Athletic Conference Champion Gwynedd Mercy will travel to Hartford, Connecticut to face Trinity College in the first round of the 2017 NCAA Division III Tournament as the pairings were announced.

The Griffins (17-3) square off against the Bantams (12-6), out of the New England Small College Athletic Conference, on Wednesday at 5 p.m. with the winner advancing to play Salisbury University on Saturday at Messiah College. Live video and live stat links will be posted when confirmed.

GMercyU punched their ticket to the tournament by securing their sixth CSAC Crown with their 3-0 win over Cabrini in last Saturday's final. Trinity, who gained a Pool C at-large bid, fell in the NESCAC Championship to Middlebury, 5-0.

Gwynedd Mercy boasts the top-ranked offense in Division III, leading the nation in goals (104), points (267), goals per game (5.20), points per game (13.35), scoring margin (5.06), assists (59) and is second in assists per game (2.95). Individually, senior Melissa Russo leads Division III in goals (37), points (88), goals per game (1.95), points per game (4.63) and is fourth in assists per game (0.74) and tied for fourth in assists (14). The senior captured the CSAC Offensive Player of the Year for the second-consecutive season. Russo, along with Brianna O'Connell and Shannon Carroll form a potent attack up front. O'Connell is ranked eighth in DIII in goals per game (1.25) and her 25 goals have her tied for seventh. Carroll is seventh in assists per game (0.70) with her 14 assists in a tie for fourth in DIII.

The Griffins have appeared in the last eight conference championship games, winning titles in 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, and 2017. Gwynedd also won the Pennsylvania Athletic Conference/CSAC crown in 1999.

The Bantams, who will make their first NCAA appearance since 2009, also features a top 10 goal scorer in Kelcie Finn, the 2017 NESCAC Player of the Year, who is tied for fifth in Division III with 26 goals and ranked fifth in goals per game (1.44).

This will be the first meeting between the two schools.