Clemson men’s soccer beat Notre Dame to win the College Cup championship
The Tigers captured their fourth national championship in team history and second in the past three years
(Clemson Athletics) Behind goals from Brandon Parrish and Ousmane Sylla, Clemson men’s soccer won its fourth NCAA championship in school history on Monday night, defeating Notre Dame, 2-1. Clemson’s four team championships are the most of any program at Clemson. Notre Dame was the first to get a good look at the game in the 8th minute, but Joseph Andyema made a stop to keep the Fighting Irish off the board. The Tigers had successive corner kick opportunities in the 13th minute, but were unable to find the back of the net. Clemson had another corner chance in the 15th minute, but again was unable to get a good look at the goal. After the Tigers’ fifth corner of the first half, Brandon Parish broke a 0-0 tie with a rocket into the top right corner. The corner was cleared by a Notre Dame defender who sent it straight to Parrish, who shot from outside the penalty area to score his fourth goal of the season. Notre Dame had two close looks after Clemson’s goal, but And’ema scored his second goal to save the night and another Fighting Irish shot went wide of the goal to keep the Tigers’ lead in tact. In the 38th minute, Mohamed Seyi narrowly missed to double the Tigers’ lead with a pass from Alex Meinhard. Notre Dame pressured the Tigers for the remaining five minutes of the first half, but the Tigers managed to take a 1-0 lead into the locker room. Notre Dame had three good chances to start the second half, as the Fighting Iris turned up the offensive pressure against the Tigers. In the 56th minute, Notre Dame had its best look of the night, with a shot from Buddy Burns hitting the crossbar. The Fighting Irish continued to put pressure on the Tigers, and this time they had a shot in the 58th minute saved by Parish. In the 63rd minute, Notre Dame’s Bryce Boneau was able to get around the Clemson defense and get a good look at the goal, but missed from the left side. Five minutes later, the Tigers finally got another good look, as Remi Okunlola received a pass from Ousmane Sylla and sent it into the bottom right corner, but it was blocked by N. Sela scored his thirteenth goal of the season in the 70th minute after sending a long pass to Meinhard. Meinhard passed it back to Sela who fired it past the keeper to give the Tigers a 2-0 lead. Notre Dame had a chance to cut the lead in the 83rd minute, but KK Baffour’s shot was wide of the target. In the 89th minute, Notre Dame used a penalty kick for handball in the box to finally break through and become the first team in the NCAA Tournament to score a goal against the Tigers. With the win, Clemson joins Maryland, UCLA, and San Francisco men’s soccer programs with four national championships. Brandon Parrish, Sean Smart, Alex Meinhard and Joseph Andiema were named to the All-Tournament All-Team, while Pape Mar-Boy was named Defensive Player of the Year and Ousmane Sylla was named Offensive Player of the Year. Postgame Remarks With the win… Clemson men’s soccer won its fourth national championship. The fourth-team men’s soccer national championship is the most of any program at Clemson. The 2023 men’s soccer national championship came 729 days after the 2021 tournament. This is the second-shortest run between national championships for a team at Clemson since the 728 days between the soccer titles in the 2016 and 2018 seasons. Clemson joins Maryland, UCLA and San Francisco as men’s soccer programs with four national championships. Clemson is now one of seven schools in the country with four or more national championships in men’s soccer. St. Louis (10), Indiana (8), Virginia (7), Maryland (4), UCLA (4), San Francisco (4), Clemson (4). Clemson is the third men’s soccer program to win two or more championships during any three-year period since 2000. Indiana (2003-2004) and Stanford (2015-2017) Clemson’s 2023 team becomes the eighth team and only the fourth program in ACC history to win the ACC Championship and NCAA Tournament In men’s football during the same season. The ACC Men’s Soccer Championship was first held in 1987. Virginia – 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 2009 Maryland – 2008 North Carolina – 2011 Clemson – 2023 Head coach Mike Noonan became the second Clemson men’s soccer coach to win two national championships while leading Tigers. Dr. I.M. Abraham (1984, 1987) Mike Noonan (2021, 2023) Noonan became the third Clemson coach to win two national championships while leading the Tigers. Dr. I.M. Abraham (1984, 1987) Dabo Swinney (2016, 2018) Mike Noonan (2021, 2023) Noonan becomes the fourth coach since 2000 to win two or more men’s soccer national championships. Mike Noonan (Clemson; 2021, 2023) George Gelnovac (Virginia; 2009, 2014) Sasho Cirowski (Maryland; 2005, 2008, 2018) Jeremy Gunn (Stanford, 2015-2017) Clemson’s 2023 roster includes six members of the men’s soccer program For 2021. International Championship. Muhammad C. Enrique Montana III Titus Sandy Jr. Brandon Parrish Othman Sela Adam Lundgaard There have only been 11 members of the Clemson men’s soccer program who have won multiple NCAA championships during their time at Clemson. 1984 and 1987 – Jamey Roots, Paul Carollo, Bruce Murray, Paul Rutines, Tim Genovese 2021 and 2023 – Mohamed Sy, Enrique Montana III, Titus Sande Jr., Brandon Parrish, Ousmane Sylla, Adam Lundgaard. Nathan Richmond joins his father Richie Richmond (1987) as national champions.
(Clemson Athletics) Behind goals from Brandon Parrish and Ousmane Sylla, Clemson men’s soccer won its fourth NCAA championship in school history on Monday night, defeating Notre Dame, 2-1. Clemson’s four team championships are the most of any program at Clemson.
Notre Dame was the first to get a good look at the game in the 8th minute, but Joseph Andyema made a stop to keep the Fighting Irish off the board. The Tigers had two consecutive corner kick opportunities in the 13th minute, but were unable to find the net.
Clemson had another corner chance in the 15th minute, but again was unable to get a good look at the goal. After the Tigers’ fifth corner of the first half, Brandon Parish broke a 0-0 tie with a rocket into the top right corner. The corner was cleared by a Notre Dame defender who sent it straight to Parish, who shot from outside the penalty area for his fourth goal of the season.
Notre Dame had two close looks after Clemson’s goal, but Andiema made his second save of the night and another Fighting Irish shot went wide of the goal to keep the Tigers’ lead in tact.
In the 38th minute, Mohamed Seyi narrowly missed to double the Tigers’ lead with a pass from Alex Meinhard. Notre Dame pressured the Tigers for the remaining five minutes of the first half, but the Tigers managed to take a 1-0 lead into the locker room.
Notre Dame had three good chances to start the second half, as the Fighting Iris turned up the offensive pressure against the Tigers. In the 56th minute, Notre Dame had its best look of the night, with a shot from Buddy Burns hitting the crossbar. The Fighting Irish continued to put pressure on the Tigers, and this time they had a shot in the 58th minute saved by Parish.
In the 63rd minute, Notre Dame’s Bryce Boneau was able to get around the Clemson defense and get a good look at the goal, but missed from the left side. Five minutes later, the Tigers finally got another good look, as Remi Okunlola received a pass from Ousmane Sylla and sent it into the bottom right corner, but it was blocked by N.
Sela scored his thirteenth goal of the season in the 70th minute after sending a long pass to Meinhard. Meinhard passed it back to Sela who fired it past the keeper to give the Tigers a 2-0 lead.
Notre Dame had a chance to cut the lead in the 83rd minute, but KK Baffour’s shot was wide of the target. In the 89th minute, Notre Dame used a handball penalty in the penalty box to finally break through and become the first team in the NCAA Tournament to score a goal against the Tigers.
With the win, Clemson joins Maryland, UCLA and San Francisco as men’s soccer programs with four national championships.
Brandon Parrish, Sean Smart, Alex Meinhard and Joseph Andiema were named Team Most Valuable Player of the Tournament, while Pape Mar-Boy was named Defensive Player of the Year and Ousmane Sylla was named Offensive Player of the Year.
Post-game notes
With the win…
- Clemson men’s soccer won its fourth national championship.
- The fourth-team men’s soccer national championship is the most of any program at Clemson.
- The 2023 men’s soccer national championship came 729 days after the 2021 tournament. This is the second-shortest span between national championships for a team at Clemson since the 728 days between the soccer titles in the 2016 and 2018 seasons.
- Clemson joins Maryland, UCLA and San Francisco as men’s soccer programs with four national championships.
- Clemson is now one of seven schools in the country with four or more national championships in men’s soccer.
- St. Louis (10), Indiana (8), Virginia (7), Maryland (4), UCLA (4), San Francisco (4), Clemson (4).
- Clemson is the third men’s soccer program to win two or more championships in a three-year period since 2000.
- Indiana (2003-2004) and Stanford (2015-2017)
- The 2023 Clemson team became the eighth and only fourth team in ACC history to win the ACC Championship and NCAA Championship in men’s soccer during the same season. The ACC Men’s Soccer Championship was first held in 1987.
- Virginia – 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 2009
- Maryland – 2008
- North Carolina – 2011
- Clemson – 2023
- Head coach Mike Noonan became the second Clemson men’s soccer coach to win two national championships while leading the Tigers.
- Dr. M. Ibrahim (1984, 1987)
- Mike Noonan (2021, 2023)
- Noonan became the third Clemson coach to win two national championships while leading the Tigers.
- Dr. M. Ibrahim (1984, 1987)
- Dabo Swinney (2016, 2018)
- Mike Noonan (2021, 2023)
- Noonan became the fourth coach since 2000 to win two or more men’s soccer national championships.
- Mike Noonan (Clemson; 2021, 2023)
- George Gilnovac (Virginia; 2009, 2014)
- Sasho Cirowski (Maryland, 2005, 2008, 2018)
- Jeremy Gunn (Stanford, 2015-2017)
- Clemson’s 2023 roster includes six members of the program’s 2021 men’s soccer national championship.
- Mohamed Seye
- Enrique Montana III
- Titus Sandy Jr
- Brandon Parrish
- Othman Sylla
- Adam Lundgaard
- There have only been 11 members of the Clemson men’s soccer program who have won multiple NCAA Championships during their time at Clemson.
- 1984 and 1987 – Jamey Roots, Paul Carollo, Bruce Murray, Paul Rottenis, Tim Genovese
- 2021 and 2023 – Henry Montana III, Titus Sandy Jr., Brandon Parrish, Ousmane Sylla, Adam Lundgaard.
- Nathan Richmond joins his father Richie Richmond (1987) as national champions.
The Clemson men’s soccer team emerged victorious in an exhilarating match against Notre Dame to claim the College Cup championship title. With skillful offense and solid defense, the Clemson Tigers demonstrated their prowess on the field, ultimately emerging as the top team in the nation. The victory over Notre Dame was a culmination of hard work, teamwork, and determination, and solidified Clemson’s status as a powerhouse in collegiate soccer. This historic win will undoubtedly be remembered as a defining moment in the team’s history and a source of pride for the entire university community.