Keeping Up With The Pros: Duncan Turnbull

The newest edition of Keeping Up With The Pros is live, featuring recent @pompey signee Duncan Turnbull (@dturn999)!#GoIrish☘ pic.twitter.com/VWszmZN1eu

— ND Men’s Soccer (@NDMenSoccer) April 6, 2020

On the third installment of Keeping Up With The Pros, we caught up with goalkeeper Duncan Turnbull, who recently signed his first professional contract with Portsmouth FC in England. Prior to signing with Pompey, Turnbull had a number of trials with professional clubs, including an extended one with Manchester United.

During his time with the Irish, Turnbull earned 26 starts over the last 2018 and 2019 seasons, posting a record of 13-10-3 with 10 clean sheets. The keeper played a pivotal role in Notre Dame’s NCAA Championship run to the quarterfinals during the 2018 season.

Turnbull was drafted by the Houston Dynamo with the 70th overall pick in the third round of the 2020 MLS SuperDraft before opting to play overseas.

Opening Statement: Hey guys, it’s Duncan Turnbull here. Recent graduate of Notre Dame, goalkeeper, just signed for Portsmouth F.C. in England with the next episode of the ND ‘Keeping Up With The Pros.’ Hopefully I can match Tommy McCabe’s outstanding performance, but we’ll see.

Q: Why did you choose Notre Dame?

A: I’m sure it’s the same reason that anyone else chooses Notre Dame—it’s the amazing combo of academics, athletics, the people there, the coaches, the players, just everything about it makes it the best place to play college soccer in the nation.

Q: What is your favorite memory of the ND men’s soccer program?

A: I would say it has to be our tournament run my junior year where we beat Michigan on penalty kicks and then beat Virginia on a last-second header by Jack Lynn and you know, just kept winning in the tournament, progressing, getting those extra few weeks together as a team and winning some games.

Q: How did Notre Dame prepare you for your career?

A: It was four great years to learn and improve, playing at a high level, going to school and learning those time management things, but most importantly playing with great players and learning what it takes to perform at that next level.

Q: What was your favorite spot on ND’s campus or what is your favorite thing about campus?

A: I would have to say the docks (at St. Joseph Beach). A lot of summers we would go—a bunch of guys on the team—we would go and hang out at the docks, swim, play soccer tennis on the actual dock. It was a good spot where we could hang out with the team, see a bunch of people and just be outside and enjoy campus. You can see the Dome from there, you can see all the important parts of campus, so that was a great spot.

Q: Share with us a funny story about you and your teammates.

A: I would have to just say some of the things that happened on road trips, not going to go into too many specifics, but there would be some debates that would get pretty heated at the back of the bus. Some pranks that were played and things like that that happened on the bus and just that time where you’re spending with your teammates and just enjoying yourself and enjoying your friends.

Q: What’s your favorite soccer memory as a player and as a fan growing up?

A: I would have to say I went down to Chicago during the last World Cup that the USA was in and you watch some of the games down in Grant Park with all those people and it was great to support the national team and see all those people out there supporting it with a huge group of people and cheering the goals and all that. It was great to see and hopefully there’s more of those coming up when hopefully we get into the next World Cups.

Q: What have you been doing to keep busy during self-distancing?

A: I’ve just been watching a lot of Netflix, working out as much as I can. Just trying to find things to keep me busy, but like most people i’m sure it’s pretty boring but you stay busy watching Netflix, playing video games.

Q: What is a talent or skill you want to develop during self-distancing?

A: I am going to try to learn how to cook. Not great at it yet, but can’t hurt to try. I try to make different things for dinner and just see how it goes.

Closing Statement: That’s all we’ve got, so thanks for tuning in and Go Irish!