Despite a tumultuous end to the season, the Penn State men’s soccer team earned a spot in the College Cup, and will face Hartwick in the first round on Thursday at Jeffrey Field. The winner will play No. 9 Syracuse.

#PennStateFutbol is dancing for the 31st time in school history! #NittanyLions host Hartwick on Thursday at 7 PM.

— #PennStateFutbol (@PennStateMSOC) November 17, 2014

The crowd gathered in the HUB was fraught with anticipation Penn State waited to learn its postseason fate, but in traditional NCAA fashion, things got screwed up. The Selection Show stream cut out in the middle of the show as the team and fans waited, wondering who the Nittany Lions were playing. Head coach Bob Warming announce the result to his team after receiving a text message.

@MSUmsoccer @bigtenconf @IUMensSoccer @MarylandMSoccer @OhioState_MSOC @NUMensSoccer WHO ARE WE PLAYING?! — #PennStateFutbol (@PennStateMSOC) November 17, 2014

The Selection Show has been known to be a fickle thing, especially for teams that end their season on a low note. But after being selected as one of 48 teams to play in this year’s College Cup, the unseeded Nittany Lions will have at least one more chance look to get back into the form that had them on top of the world earlier this year.

Penn State went from looking like potential national champions to losing five of its last seven. While there was some cause for optimism after winning two of three to end the regular season (the loss a heart breaker in double overtime at Northwestern), a home defeat against Michigan State in the first round of the Big Ten tournament put the Nittany Lions back on their heels.

While certainly not the best seed, especially when a top spot seemed probable at one point, anything can happen in the tournament. Penn State has the talent, the coaching and the experience. If they can put it all together, a deep run is certainly possible.

Check out the whole bracket here.

UPDATE 2:30 p.m. — Ticket information is now available for the game.

NCAA TOURNEY TICKET INFO: $8 for adults, $5 for student/youth, $3 for groups of 20 or more at the BJC beginning tomorrow. #WeAre

— #PennStateFutbol (@PennStateMSOC) November 17, 2014

For @Penn_State students: ticket info is coming shortly. Stay tuned, we want as many of you there as possible! #WeAre #PennStateFutbol

— #PennStateFutbol (@PennStateMSOC) November 17, 2014