Clemson Tigers men's soccer
The Clemson Tigers men's soccer team represent Clemson University in the Atlantic Coast Conference of NCAA Division I soccer. The team has won 14 Atlantic Coast Conference championships, 2 NCAA national championships, and hosted 3 Hermann Trophy winners (Bruce Murray in 1987, Wojtek Krakowiak in 1998, and Robbie Robinson in 2019).
Clemson Tigers | |||
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2020 Clemson Tigers men's soccer team | |||
Founded | 1934 | ||
University | Clemson University | ||
Head coach | Mike Noonan (11th season) | ||
Conference | ACC Atlantic Division | ||
Location | Clemson, SC | ||
Stadium | Historic Riggs Field (Capacity: 6,500) | ||
Nickname | Tigers | ||
Colors | Orange and Regalia[1] | ||
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NCAA Tournament championships | |||
1984, 1987 | |||
NCAA Tournament runner-up | |||
1979, 2015 | |||
NCAA Tournament Semifinals | |||
1973, 1976, 1978, 2005, 2015 | |||
NCAA Tournament appearances | |||
1972, 1973, 1974, 1975, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1987, 1990, 1991, 1993, 1995, 1997, 1998, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2019, 2020 | |||
Conference Tournament championships | |||
1998*, 2001*, 2000, 2014, 2020 | |||
Conference Regular Season championships | |||
1972*, 1973*, 1974*, 1975*, 1976*, 1977*, 1978*, 1979*, 1981*, 1982*, 1985*, 1990, 1993, 1998, 2019 |
History
Clemson began sponsoring a soccer team in 1934, playing a hybrid schedule of colleges and prep schools. The team was discontinued after the 1939 season. In 1967, the university decided to re-add soccer as a varsity sport. Dr. I. M. Ibrahim, who was a chemistry professor at the time, was chosen to lead the program. In the program's inaugural season, the team posted a 6–5 record. From 1967 to 1971, the Tigers posted four winning seasons overall, but were consistently in the bottom tier of the ACC.
The 1972 season proved to be a breakout year for the Tigers. The Tigers went undefeated in conference play to capture the first of eight straight ACC titles and finished the year with a 13–1–1 record and earned their first trip to the NCAA tournament. The 1973 season would prove to be even more successful, as the Tigers went 16–1 and made it to the semifinals of the NCAA tournament. By the end of the decade, the Tigers had 8 conference titles, 3 trips to the round of 16 in the NCAA tournament, an Elite 8 appearance, 3 Final Four appearances, and finished the 1979 season as national runners-up.
Clemson's streak of ACC titles and NCAA appearances was broken during the 1980 season, but the Tigers rebounded with conference titles during the 1981, 1982, and 1985 seasons (Clemson's last before the ACC adopted its tournament format) and 5 straight appearances in the NCAA tournament. The 1984 season saw the Tigers finally reach the summit of national prominence, as the Tigers went 22–4 against a very tough schedule and won the 1984 National Championship. During the 1984 NCAA Tournament, Clemson had to face the top four seeds in the tournament (Alabama A&M, Virginia, UCLA, and Indiana). After failing to make the NCAA tournament in 1986, the Tigers earned their 2nd National Championship during the 1987 season. The Tigers finished the 1987 regular season 13–5–1, but had struggled during conference play. Reportedly, the Tigers were the 23rd team selected for the 24-team NCAA tournament. The Tigers, however, won three straight road games, which included an upset of #1-ranked Indiana (who hadn't lost an NCAA tournament home game prior to the match), and was chosen to host the Final Four at Riggs Field. In the semifinals, the Tigers avenged two earlier losses to North Carolina and, in the championship game, knocked off San Diego State (another surprise finalist). In addition, Bruce Murray won the 1987 Hermann Trophy (the first Clemson player to win the award).
The 1990s saw the first change of head coaches in school history, as Dr. Ibrahim retired after the 1994 season and was replaced by Brown head coach Trevor Adair. The Tigers captured their first ACC Tournament championship in 1998, won 3 ACC regular season titles (1990, 1993, and 1998), and had another player honored with the Hermann Trophy (Wojtek Krakowiak, 1998). The Tigers made 6 appearances in the NCAA tournament, with their best finishes being trips to the Elite 8 in 1997 and 1998.
During the 2001 season, the Tigers captured their 2nd ACC Tournament championship and advanced to the Elite 8. After another Elite 8 run in 2002, the Tigers experienced a down time, failing to advance out of the first round in 2003 and missing the NCAA tournament altogether in 2004. The 2005 squad, however, would make a strong run during the NCAA tournament, advancing to the Final Four for the first time since the 1987 squad's national title. The 2006 team would make the round of 16, falling to eventual runner-up UCLA. The 2008 squad, despite not making the tournament, was one of only two teams in the country to defeat both national champion Maryland and national runner-up North Carolina during the season. Trevor Adair resigned as head coach of the Tigers on June 16, 2009, two months after being placed on a leave of absence after reportedly assaulting his two daughters during a domestic dispute.[2] Assistant coach Phil Hindson was promoted to interim head coach for the 2009 season, marking only the second change in head coaches in Tiger history. The Tigers struggled through the 2009 season, finishing with a final record of 6–12–1 despite a victory over national champion Virginia during the season.
On January 5, 2010, it was announced that former Brown head coach Mike Noonan was hired as Clemson's 4th head soccer coach.[3] Since Coach Noonan took over, the Tigers have slowly risen back to prominence, returning to the NCAA tournament in 2013 and winning their 14th ACC championship in 2014. In 2015, the Tigers advanced to the finals of the NCAA College Cup for the first time since 1987, falling in the national championship match to Stanford. In 2016, the Tigers finished runners up in the ACC Tournament and advanced to the Quarterfinals of the NCAA Tournament. In 2019, the Tigers would win the ACC Atlantic Division, finished runners up in the ACC tournament, and advanced to the NCAA Tournament Quarterfinals. In addition, Robbie Robinson became the 3rd Clemson player to win the Hermann Trophy. Robinson was drafted 1st overall in the 2020 MLS SuperDraft, becoming the first Clemson men's soccer player to be drafted 1st overall.[4]
Seasons
National Champions | Conference Champions* | NCAA Tournament berth^ |
Season | Head coach[5] | Season results[6] | Tournament results | |||||||
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Overall | Conference | Conference[7][A 1] | NCAA[8][A 2] | |||||||
Wins | Losses | Ties | Wins | Losses | Ties | Finish | ||||
1934–35 | Fred Kirchner | 1 | 2 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
1935 | 2 | 2 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
1936 | 0 | 0 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
1937 | 3 | 0 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
1938 | 0 | 0 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
1939 | 2 | 2 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
1940–1966: No team | ||||||||||
1967 | I. M. Ibrahim | 6 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 4th | — | — |
1968 | 9 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 5th | — | — | |
1969 | 5 | 6 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 5th | — | — | |
1970 | 8 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 6th | — | — | |
1971 | 8 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 5th | — | — | |
1972* | 13 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 0 | Champion* | — | Round of 16^ | |
1973* | 16 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | Champion* | — | Final Four^ | |
1974* | 12 | 3 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | Champion* | — | Round of 16^ | |
1975* | 13 | 2 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | Champion* | — | Round of 16^ | |
1976* | 18 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 1 | Champion* | — | Fourth Place^ | |
1977* | 16 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | Champion* | — | Quarterfinal^ | |
1978* | 18 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 1 | Champion* | — | Third Place^ | |
1979* | 16 | 2 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 0 | Champion* | — | Runner-Up* | |
1980 | 12 | 3 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2nd | — | — | |
1981* | 18 | 2 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 0 | Champion* | — | Round of 16^ | |
1982* | 18 | 2 | 1 | 5 | 1 | 0 | Champion* | — | Round of 16^ | |
1983 | 16 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 3rd | — | First Round^ | |
1984 | 22 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2nd | — | Champion | |
1985* | 19 | 3 | 2 | 5 | 1 | 0 | Champion* | — | Round of 16^ | |
1986 | 12 | 6 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 3rd | — | — | |
1987 | 18 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 5th | First Round | Champion | |
1988 | 10 | 7 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 5th | First Round | — | |
1989 | 13 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 5th | First Round | — | |
1990 | 16 | 4 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 1st | First Round | First Round^ | |
1991 | 13 | 6 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 5th | First Round | First Round^ | |
1992 | 12 | 6 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 6th | Final | — | |
1993 | 18 | 5 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 1st | Final | Round of 16^ | |
1994 | 13 | 7 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 6th | Quarterfinal | — | |
1995 | Trevor Adair | 16 | 6 | 1 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 3rd | First Round | Round of 16^ |
1996 | 10 | 7 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 5th | First Round | — | |
1997 | 11 | 7 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 5th | First Round | Quarterfinal^ | |
1998* | 22 | 2 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 1st | Champion* | Quarterfinal^ | |
1999 | 9 | 8 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 4th | First Round | — | |
2000 | 14 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 4th | First Round | Round of 16^ | |
2001* | 19 | 5 | 0 | 4 | 2 | 0 | T-2nd | Champion* | Quarterfinal^ | |
2002 | 13 | 5 | 4 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 6th | Quarterfinal | Quarterfinal^ | |
2003 | 9 | 7 | 4 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 6th | First Round | First Round^ | |
2004 | 8 | 9 | 1 | 2 | 5 | 0 | 6th | First Round | — | |
2005 | 15 | 6 | 3 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 7th | Quarterfinal | Final Four^ | |
2006 | 13 | 5 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 2 | T-5th | First Round | Round of 16^ | |
2007 | 7 | 11 | 1 | 2 | 6 | 0 | 7th | First Round | — | |
2008 | 7 | 9 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 6th | First Round | — | |
2009 | Phil Hindson | 6 | 12 | 1 | 2 | 6 | 0 | 9th | Second Round | — |
2010 | Mike Noonan | 5 | 8 | 4 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 7th | Quarterfinal | — |
2011 | 8 | 8 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 7th | Quarterfinal | — | |
2012 | 6 | 9 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 5th | Semifinal | — | |
2013 | 11 | 7 | 3 | 5 | 4 | 2 | T-4th | Semifinal | First Round^ | |
2014* | 12 | 7 | 3 | 5 | 2 | 1 | T-1st Atlantic Division | Champion* | Round of 16^ | |
2015 | 17 | 3 | 4 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 2nd Atlantic Division | Semifinal | Runner-Up* | |
2016 | 14 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 3rd Atlantic Division | Runner-Up | Quarterfinal^ | |
2017 | 12 | 6 | 1 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 3rd Atlantic Division | Semifinal | Second Round^ | |
2018 | 7 | 9 | 1 | 2 | 6 | 0 | 6th Atlantic Division | First Round | — | |
2019 | 18 | 2 | 2 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 1st Atlantic Division | Runner-Up | Quarterfinal^ | |
2020 | 8 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 3rd South Division | Champions | TBD |
- The Atlantic Coast Conference began holding a tournament in 1987.
- The NCAA Division I Men's Soccer Championship began in 1959.
Roster
Updated September 10, 2020[9]
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
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Coaching staff
Position | Staff |
---|---|
Athletic Director | Dan Radakovich |
Head Coach | Mike Noonan |
Associate Head Coach | Philip Jones |
Assistant Coach | Camilo Rodriguez |
Director of Operations | Rob Thompson |
Source:[10]
Notable alumni
- Paul Stalteri (1995–1996)
- John Wilson (1995–1998)
- Oguchi Onyewu (2000–2001)
- Stuart Holden (2003–2004) – Currently Fox Sports TV Analyst
- Dane Richards (2005–2006)
- Joe Bendik (2006–2009) – Currently with Philadelphia Union
- Greg Eckhardt (2006–2009)
- Cody Mizell (2010–2012) – Currently with New Mexico United
- Jack Metcalf (2010–2013) – Currently with San Diego Loyal
- Amadou Dia (2011–2014) – Currently with Sporting Kansas City
- Phanuel Kavita (2011–2014) – Currently with Saint Louis FC
- Kyle Murphy (2011–2015) – Currently with Tampa Bay Rowdies
- Manolo Sanchez (2012–2014)
- Andrew Tarbell (2012–2015) – Currently with Columbus Crew
- Kyle Fisher (2012–2015)
- Paul Clowes (2012–2015) – Currently with Greenville Triumph SC
- T. J. Casner (2012–2015)
- Tommy McNamara (2013) – Currently with Houston Dynamo
- Mauriq Hill (2014–2016)
- Aaron Jones (2014–2016) – Currently with King's Lynn Town F.C.
- Oliver Shannon (2014–2017) – Currently with Bala Town F.C.
- Diego Campos (2014–2017) – Currently with FK Jerv
- Patrick Bunk-Andersen (2015–2018) – Currently with Pittsburgh Riverhounds
- Robbie Robinson (2017–2019) – Currently with Inter Miami
- Malick Mbaye (2016–2019) – Currently with North Carolina FC
References
- "Clemson Athletics Style Guide". Retrieved November 3, 2018.
- Kennedy, Paul (June 17, 2009). "Trevor Adair resigns as Clemson coach". College Soccer Reporter. Soccer America. Archived from the original on March 24, 2012. Retrieved August 30, 2011.
- Szostak, Mike (January 5, 2010). "Brown soccer coach Mike Noonan leaves for Clemson". Providence Journal. Archived from the original on August 3, 2011. Retrieved August 30, 2011.
- "Robinson #1 Selection in 2020 MLS Superdraft". clemsontigers.com. Clemson University. January 9, 2020. Retrieved January 9, 2020.
- 2010 Media Guide, pp. 93
- 2010 Media Guide, pp. 94–100
- "2009 Atlantic Coast Conference Men's Soccer" (PDF). Atlantic Coast Conference. pp. 51, 58–60. Retrieved 1 September 2011.
- "Men's Division I Championship Brackets" (PDF). National Collegiate Athletic Association. Archived from the original (PDF) on 6 April 2012. Retrieved 31 August 2011.
- "2020-21 Men's Soccer ROSTER". clemsontigers.com. Clemson University Athletics. Retrieved September 10, 2020.
- "Men's Soccer Staff Direcort". clemsontigers.com. Clemson University Athletic Department. Retrieved August 19, 2019.
Works cited
- Blackman, Sam (ed.). "Clemson 2010 Men's Soccer Media Guide". Clemson University. Retrieved 1 September 2011.