NOTRE DAME at #17 CLEMSON – Friday, September 11 at 7:00 PM
Location: Clemson, SC | Historic Riggs Field
LIVE STATS | NOTES | WATCH ON ACCNX
The Notre Dame Fighting Irish (2-1-2) open up ACC play this week as they travel to Clemson, SC to take on the No. 17 Clemson Tigers (4-1-0) on Friday, Sept. 11 at 7:00 PM.
The Irish lead the overall series 8-6-2 and are 3-3-0 when facing the Tigers at their place. Notre Dame won the last matchup, securing a 2-1 win at home on Sept. 27, 2024.
| BY THE NUMBERS | |
|
25 |
NCAA Championship appearances earned by Notre Dame since 1988. Notre Dame has appeared in 21 of the last 25 tournaments. |
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14 |
Returning players that received playing time during the 2025 season. |
|
9 |
Seasons for McFarland Family Men’s Head Soccer Coach Chad Riley at the helm at Notre Dame, amassing a record of 80-5-26 during his tenure. He is the first coach to ever lead the Irish to two College Cups in program history. |
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8 |
Freshmen added to the 2026 roster. The Irish welcome Eli Ackerman, Michael Capretto, Patrick Cuneo, Evan Lim, Maverick McCoy, Thaddeus Sawyer, Ethan Scala and Tristan Tropeano to the program. |
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7 |
Assists from Nolan Spicer last season, leading the team during the 2025 campaign. |
|
6 |
goal scorers so far this season – Vlad Walent (2), Michael Capretto (2), Tristan Tropeano (1), Stevie Dunphy (1), Ian Shaul (1), Nate Zimmermann (1) have each scored for the Irish. |
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3 |
Captains on the 2025 team – senior midfielder Nolan Spicer, junior goalkeeper Blake Kelly, and senior midfielder Leo Brummell. |
|
3 |
College Cup appearances in program history, including two in the last five seasons. |
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3 |
Incoming transfers on this season’s squad as Noah Deitrich (Western Michigan), Lincoln Ulrich (Coastal Carolina) and Vlad Walent (Wake Forest) join the Fighting Irish for the 2026 season. |
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4.80 |
The Irish are first in the ACC with 4.80 saves per game (25 saves so far on the season). |
|
1 |
Goalkeeper Blake Kelly leads the ACC with 22 total saves and 4.40 saves per game so far this season. |
|
1 |
Notre Dame’s incoming freshman class is the top-ranked class in the country according to TopDrawerSoccer.com. |
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1 |
Notre Dame men’s soccer national championship, earned by way of a 2-1 win over Maryland in the final game of the 2013 NCAA College Cup in West Chester, Pennsylvania. |
|
1 |
Notre Dame men’s soccer national championship, earned by way of a 2-1 win over Maryland in the final game of the 2013 NCAA College Cup in West Chester, Pennsylvania. |
BLAKE KELLY NAMED ACC DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
• Announced by the league office on Tuesday, junior goalkeeper Blake Kelly has been named the Atlantic Coast Conference Defensive Player of the Week.
• Kelly helped guide the Irish to a 3-1 victory over Harvard and a 2-1 victory over Michigan.
• Kelly recorded 11 saves and an .846 save percentage across the pair of wins, allowing just two goals on the week. He recorded five saves against Michigan and six saves against Harvard.
• The Holt, Michigan native currently leads the ACC with 22 saves so far this season, averaging a conference-best 4.40 saves per game. Kelly’s save percentage of .759 ranks sixth in the ACC.
LATE GOALS FROM ZIMMERMANN AND SHAUL SECURE 2-1 VICTORY OVER MICHIGAN
• The Notre Dame Fighting Irish (2-1-2) closed out a 2-1 thriller at Alumni Stadium on Sunday as they defeated the Michigan Wolverines (2-1-1) with two late goals coming from the Irish in the final five minutes of play.
• Nate Zimmermann and Ian Shaul each scored their first goals of the season in the 2-1 victory.
• Michael Capretto recorded an assist on Zimmermann’s goal and leads the team with two assists so far this season.
• Junior goalkeeper Blake Kelly finished the day with five saves, allowing just one goal.
2026 CAPTAINS
• McFarland Family Men’s Head Soccer Coach Chad Riley announced that senior midfielder Nolan Spicer, junior goalkeeper Blake Kelly, and senior midfielder Leo Brummell will serve as captains of the 2026 Notre Dame men’s soccer program this year.
• Spicer was a 2025 All-ACC Third Team honoree as the midfielder led the Irish in assists with seven (career high) and was tied for seventh in the ACC in total assists last season. He was also second on the team in points (11) off two goals and seven assists.
• Kelly started in all 20 matches for the Irish last season where he totaled 71 saves, allowing 25 goals for a .740 save percentage on the season. He finished the season with six clean sheets and recorded five or more saves in seven matches.
• Brummell is a senior midfielder, joining the Irish roster in the spring of 2025 as he now serves a captain in the 2026 season.
BALANCED ATTACK
• Ten returning Irish players registered at least one point in their Notre Dame career, as the team returns 54 points from last year.
• Nine players that scored a goal during the 2024 campaign are back on this year’s team.
• Junior Jack Flanagan is the top returning goal scorer on the 2025 squad after firing in a career-high four goals during his sophomore campaign.
THE CHAD RILEY ERA
• McFarland Family Head Men’s Soccer Coach Chad Riley is in his eighth season in charge of the Notre Dame men’s soccer program in 2025.
• Riley became the first head coach in program history to lead the Fighting Irish to two College Cup appearances, coming during the 2021 and 2023 seasons.
• Notre Dame has captured both an ACC regular season and tournament title under his direction, both firsts in program history.