Clemson men’s soccer to play for national championship. How to watch, stream

Chapel Fowler
·3 min read

Once again, it’s title game time for the Clemson men’s soccer team.

The Tigers will be going for their second national championship in three seasons when they face Notre Dame in the 2023 NCAA men’s soccer national title match on Monday night in Louisville.

Here’s what you need to know, including how to watch the match.

2023 NCAA men’s soccer national championship

How Clemson got here

Clemson was awarded the No. 9 national seed in the NCAA’s 48-team bracket after going 10-3-5 overall and 4-2-2 in the ACC during the 2023 regular season.

Ahead of the NCAA Tournament, the Tigers also brought home their fifth ACC tournament championship after beating UNC in the title game on penalty kicks.

Clemson blanked Charlotte, 3-0, in a home match in the round of 32; beat No. 8 New Hampshire 1-0 on the road in the round of 16; and advanced to the College Cup after taking No. 16 Stanford 2-0 in round of eight at Historic Riggs Field in Clemson.

Once in Louisville, Clemson toppled No. 5 West Virginia on Friday night, 1-0, to advance to its sixth national championship match. Defender Shawn Smart had the only goal of the night, a gorgeous shot high into the right corner of the goal in the 37th minute.

No. 2 Notre Dame beat Oregon State, 1-0, later that night to clinch its spot in the title game. There was some pre-match controversy, as the NCAA suspended a player and the Beavers’ coach for the match after an eligibility issue (playing a player with too many yellow cards).

Clemson midfielder Ousmane Sylla celebrates scoring against Charlotte during the second half of NCAA Men’s Soccer round of 32 action at Historic Riggs Field in Clemson, S.C. Sunday, November 19, 2023.
Clemson midfielder Ousmane Sylla celebrates scoring against Charlotte during the second half of NCAA Men’s Soccer round of 32 action at Historic Riggs Field in Clemson, S.C. Sunday, November 19, 2023.

Tigers players to watch

Clemson’s star player is Ousmane Sylla, a senior midfielder from Senegal and two-time All-ACC first-team selection who leads the team in every offensive category. In 21 matches, he has a team-high 12 goals, 10 assists and four game-winning goals.

Senior midfielder Brandon Parrish was second-team All-ACC, and three players earned third-team All-ACC honors: junior midfielder and Oregon State transfer Joran Gerbet, freshman defender Pape Mar Boye and sophomore midfielder Nathan Richmond.

Boye was also named to the league’s All-Freshman team and is one of many players who’ve contributed to a stingy defense that’s allowed zero goals in 360 minutes of NCAA Tournament action. Sophomore goalie Joseph Andema has 48 saves and six shutout performances.

Dec 12, 2021; Cary, NC, USA; Clemson head coach Mike Noonan reacts after the game at WakeMed Soccer Park. Clemson defeated Washington 2-0 in the national championship.
Dec 12, 2021; Cary, NC, USA; Clemson head coach Mike Noonan reacts after the game at WakeMed Soccer Park. Clemson defeated Washington 2-0 in the national championship.

Another Clemson championship?

With a win in Monday’s All-ACC championship match against Notre Dame, Clemson men’s soccer would secure its second national title in three years under coach Mike Noonan.

Noonan, Clemson’s coach since 2010, could join football coach Dabo Swinney and the late, great men’s soccer coach Dr. I.M. Ibrahim as the only coaches in Tigers history to win two team national championships.

Swinney has led Clemson football to 2016 and 2018 national championships. And Ibrahim, known as the father of Clemson soccer, led the team to 1984 and 1987 titles.

A win would also give Clemson athletics its eighth all-time team national title and make men’s soccer the winningest among those teams. The current list: men’s soccer with three (1948, 1987, 2021), football with three (1981, 2016, 2018) and men’s golf with one (2003).