#2 NOTRE DAME vs. SAMFORD – Wednesday, August 12 at 7 PM
Location: South Bend, IN | Alumni Stadium
LIVE STATS | WATCH ON ACCNX
SEASON OPENER VS. SAMFORD
The No. 2 Irish are set to host the Samford Bulldogs on Wednesday, August 12 as they open up the 2026 season at Alumni Stadium.
The Irish have only played the Bulldogs once in the history of the program and lead the overall series 1-0 with a 6-0 win in South Bend on August 18, 2024.
The Irish are 30-5-3 in their season openers and are 22-2-3 in season openers at home.
| BY THE NUMBERS | |
|
95.1% |
95.1% of Notre Dame’s total points are returning this season (385/405) |
|
4 |
The Irish have the #4 incoming class in Top Drawer Soccer Women’s Division I Recruiting Class Ranking |
|
2ND |
Izzy Engle is second nationally with 1.06 goal per game and fourth nationally with 19 total goals so far this season. |
|
4TH |
The Irish were fourth nationally in goal differential (41). |
|
4TH |
The Irish finished fourth with 60 goals last year. |
|
4TH |
The Irish finished with the #4 scoring offense in the country (3.00). |
|
4TH |
The Irish finished fourth nationally with 8.75 points per game |
|
4TH |
straight year ND has won an ACC ‘of the year’ award |
|
5 |
The Irish had 5 players named All-ACC last season: Izzy Engle (OPOTY, 1st Team), Annabelle Chukwu (1st Team), Leah Klenke (1st Team), Grace Restovich (3rd Team), Tessa Knapp (All-Freshman Team). |
|
87.6% |
of Notre Dame’s total points returned from last season |
|
43 |
of 60 ND goals were scored by sophomores in 2025 |
|
19 |
goals for Engle. 5th most in the country in 2025 season |
|
12 |
different goal scorers last season |
|
12-0-1 |
when scoring first last season |
BY THE NUMBERS - NCAA TOURNAMENT
- For the 31st time over the last 33 years, the Notre Dame women’s soccer program qualified for the NCAA Tournament in the 2025 season.
- Their postseason record is 78-27-4 and boasts an impressive record of 53-5-1 at home in the NCAA Tournament.
- Doug and Lisa Jones Family Head Women’s Soccer Coach Nate Norman is no stranger to the NCAA Tournament. The past four seasons under Coach Norman: Sweet 16 in 2021, Elite Eight in 2022, 2nd Round in 2023 and an Elite Eight in 2024. Thus, two quarterfinal appearances over the last four years.
- The Irish earned a one-seed in the 2025 season; this is the second time the Irish have earned a one-seed under Head Coach Nate Norman.
- They have recorded 51 all-time clean sheets in the NCAA Tournament.
- In 2024, the Irish made their 17th all-time appearance in the NCAA Quarterfinals, where they fell to the Stanford Cardinal 2-0 and are 12-5 all-time in the quarterfinals. They are now 12-5 all-time in that round.
- They’ve qualified for 12 College Cups with their last being in 2010. They are 8-4 in the Semifinal round.
- The Irish boast three NCAA championships, which is tied for second most - 1995, 2004, 2010 - and five runner-up finishes (1994, 1996, 1999, 2006, 2008).
Quick Notes
- Key returners: Izzy Engle, Annabelle Chukwu, Abby Mills, Morgan Roy, Lily Joseph, Sonoma Kasica, Grace Restovich, Charlie Codd, Ellie Hodsden, Clare Logan, Chayse Ying
- Key losses: Leah Klenke, Laney Matriano, Carolyn Calzada
- 95.1% of Notre Dame’s total points are returning this season (385/405)
- The Irish were selected as the #2 team in the country in the United Soccer Coaches preseason poll this week
- In the final United Soccer Coaches Poll last year, the Irish landed in the #11 position
- Finished #4 in the final RPI rankings last year
- The Irish were also selected as the preseason favorite to win the 2026 ACC women’s soccer championship
- ACC Offensive Player of the Year, MAC Hermann Trophy Finalist, USC All-American First Team honoree, and Honda Sport Award for Soccer Finalist Izzy Engle returns for her junior season
- Became the first Notre Dame striker to win ACC Offensive Player of the Year and just the fifth player in conference history to earn Freshman of the Year and Offensive Player of the Year in consecutive seasons
- Finished the year with 19 goals, 6 assists, and 44 points
- Led the ACC in goals per game and was second in the nation (1.00)
- Led the ACC in points per game and was third in the nation (2.32)
- USC All-Atlantic Region First Team honoree, First Team All-ACC honoree, and All-American Annabelle Chukwu is back for year three at Notre Dame
- Second leading scorer on the team with 12 goals and 27 points
- Scored team-best 6 game-winning goals this season
- Amongst the top-10 in the conference in game-winning goals (2nd with 6 goals), in total goals (7th with 12 goals), and points per game (10th with 1.35 points per game)
- Izzy Engle, Annabelle Chukwu, and Abby Mills were named to the All-ACC Preseason Team last week
- This season the Irish welcome six freshmen: Kate Kemmerley, Bristol Kersh, Charlee Siria, Marley Adams, Gracie Milam, and Reese Canada
- #4 in Top Drawer Soccer Women’s Division I Recruiting Class Ranking
- SEC All-Freshman Team honoree, Gabi Poretto, joins the Irish this year from Kentucky
- The Fighting Irish recorded a 4-0-1 mark against ranked opposition last regular season
- They defeated #3 Duke, #5 Florida State, #22 North Carolina, and #23 Louisville
- The Irish were 12-0-1 when scoring first last season.
- Notre Dame’s season concluded in the NCAA Second Round, falling 0-1 to OSU in double overtime
PRESEASON PRAISE
- Coming off of another NCAA Tournament appearance last season, the Irish were selected as the no. 2 team in the country in this year’s United Soccer Coaches Preseason Poll for the second year in a row. These were the highest preseason rankings since the 2011 season after the Irish won the National Championship in 2010.
- The Irish were also selected as the preseason favorite to win the 2026 ACC women’s soccer championship with seven first place votes.
- Izzy Engle, Annabelle Chukwu, and Abby Mills were named to the All-ACC Preseason Team last week.
- Senior Morgan Roy (defender), junior Grace Restovich (midfielder), junior Izzy Engle (forward), and junior Annabelle Chukwu (forward) have been named to the United Soccer Coaches 2026 NCAA Players to Watch list this preseason.
HOME SWEET HOME
- It is not easy for opposing teams to earn a victory inside Alumni Stadium. Since its creation in 2009, Notre Dame has gone 144-33-11.
- Over the last five seasons in particular - an impressive 46-7-6 (.813) record inside Alumni.
- The Irish also defeated #3 Duke, #5 Florida State, #22 North Carolina, and #23 Louisville at Alumni Stadium last season.
ALL-AMERICAN - IZZY ENGLE IS BACK FOR YEAR 3
- Engle was named the ACC Offensive Player of the Year, a MAC Hermann Trophy Finalist, a Honda Sport Award for Soccer finalist, First Team All-ACC, and USC All-Atlantic Region First Team.
- Engle became the first Notre Dame striker to win ACC Offensive Player of the Year and just the fifth player in conference history to earn Freshman of the Year and Offensive Player of the Year in consecutive seasons.
- She scored 44 points across 19 matches, which was the third-best in the nation in points per game (2.32).
- She scored 19 goals last season, which ranked fifth nationally. She was also recognized as the ACC Offensive Player of the Week twice last season, was named to the ACC Championship All-Tournament Team, and received CSC Academic All-District honors this year.
- In conference play, Engle scored 11 goals and was one of only two players to record double-figure goals in ACC matches last season. She was the only player to register a hat trick in league play, scoring three times in Notre Dame’s 5-0 win at Virginia Tech on October 23.
- Engle has now scored an impressive 38 career goals in just 41 matches played through her sophomore season.
ACC PREDICTED ORDER OF FINISH
- Notre Dame (7), 239
- Stanford (3), 233
- Duke (3), 224
- Florida State (3), 213
- North Carolina (1), 207
- Virginia, 191
- Wake Forest, 167
- Clemson, 148
- Louisville, 125
- California, 120
- NC State, 99
- Virginia Tech, 77
- Pitt, 75
- SMU, 70
- Boston College, 61
- Miami, 44
- Syracuse, 19
2026 PRESEASON ALL-ACC TEAM
- Mia Minestrella, Sr., F, Duke
- Cameron Roller, Sr., D, Duke
- Wrianna Hudson, Jr., F, Florida State
- Janet Okeke, Jr., D, Florida State
- Nyanya Touray, So., M, Florida State
- Amelia Swinarski, Jr., M, Louisville
- Bella Devey, So., F, North Carolina
- Annabelle Chukwu, Jr., F, Notre Dame
- Izzy Engle, Jr., F, Notre Dame
- Abby Mills, Jr., D, Notre Dame
- Caroline Birkel, So., GK, Stanford
- Charlotte Kohler, Jr., M, Stanford
- Kylie Maxwell, So., F, Wake Forest
A CHUKWU CLINIC
- The sophomore forward was the Irish’s second leading scorer with 12 goals and 27 points, scoring 6 game-winning goals for Notre Dame this season, earning First Team All-ACC honors.
- She received USC All-American Second Team and All-Atlantic Region First Team honors, and was also named to the MAC Hermann Trophy Midseason Watch List, was named to the ACC Championship All-Tournament Team, and earned ACC Offensive Player of the Week honors twice this season.
- Chukwu was amongst the top-10 in the conference in game-winning goals (2nd with 6 goals), in total goals (7th with 12 goals), and points per game (10th with 1.35 points per game).
2025 ACCOLADES
- In addition to the accolades that Engle and Chukwu acquired, there were several other Irish standouts who received awards last season.
- MORGAN ROY
- United Soccer Coaches All-Region Fourth Team
- Roy takes home her first All-Region honors, playing in 20 matches this season and scoring a career-high 3 goals this season. Roy recorded a career-high 9 assists (tied for a team-best) for a career-high 15 points on the year.
- GRACE RESTOVICH
- United Soccer Coaches All-Region Second Team
- All-ACC Third Team
- This season, Restovich took home her first All-Region and All-ACC honors as she co-led the Irish with 9 assists this season. As a freshman, she also led the Irish last season with a team-best 11 assists. She scored two goals this season and recorded 13 points for the Irish.
- MORGAN ROY
- TESSA KNAPP
- United Soccer Coaches All-Region Second Team
- Tessa Knapp was named to the All-Freshman Team, recording three goals in her rookie season.
- United Soccer Coaches All-Region Second Team