Weekly Release (PDF)
GREENSBORO, N.C. (theACC.com) – Clemson and Notre Dame square off at 6 p.m. Friday in the semifinals of the 2021 NCAA Men's College Cup at WakeMed Soccer Park in Cary, North Carolina. Georgetown and Washington match up at 8:30 p.m. in the nightcap. The Friday winners move on to the championship game at 2 p.m. Sunday. All three matches will be televised on ESPNU.
The No. 4 national seed, Notre Dame (14-5-4) is making its second Men's College Cup appearance in program history and its first since winning the 2013 NCAA Championship. The Fighting Irish return to Cary after winning the 2021 ACC Championship, 2-0 over Duke, on Nov. 14.
After ousting top-seeded Oregon State Saturday, No. 8 seed Clemson (15-5-1) eits ninth Men's College Cup appearance, which is tied for the second most among current ACC schools. The Tigers won national championships in 1984 and 1987.
ACC teams have won 17 NCAA men’s soccer championships. The ACC has had at least one conference team in the NCAA Men’s College Cup in 20 of the last 21 seasons.
Notre Dame and Clemson played on Oct. 9, with the Fighting Irish prevailing, 2-0, on the Tigers' home field.
2021 NCAA Men’s College Cup
Friday, Dec. 10
WakeMed Soccer Park, Cary, N.C.
No. 8 Clemson vs. No. 4 Notre Dame | 6 p.m. | ESPNU
No. 3 Georgetown vs. No. 2 Washington | 8:30 p.m. | ESPNU
Sunday, Dec. 12
WakeMed Soccer Park, Cary, N.C.
Championship Game | 2 p.m. | ESPNU
Noting ACC Men's Soccer
• Six current ACC programs have won at least one national championship, the most of any conference. Eleven different league programs have reached the Men's College Cup. Sixty-one ACC teams have reached the Men's College Cup all-time.
• Clemson has earned two NCAA titles (1984, 1987), while Notre Dame captured the crown in 2013. Virginia has won seven NCAA men's soccer championships, which is third most all-time. North Carolina (2), Duke (1) and Wake Forest (1) also have won championships.
• Eight ACC teams earned bids to the 2021 NCAA Division I Men’s Soccer Championship, most by any conference in this tournament.
• The ACC not only picked up the most berths of any conference, but also claimed four of the top eight national seeds: ACC champion Notre Dame (4), Pitt (5), Duke (7) and Clemson (8).
• This marks the ninth straight season in which the ACC placed the most teams in the tournament and the 21st consecutive season that at least five league teams earned a bid.
• Louisville, North Carolina, Virginia Tech and Wake Forest also picked up bids. All eight ACC teams started the tournament on their home fields.
• Notre Dame won the 2021 ACC Championship on Nov. 14 with a 2-0 victory over Duke. It marked the Fighting Irish's first ACC crown in men's soccer.
• Notre Dame is the fifth different school to win the ACC Championship in the last five years (2017-20: Wake Forest, Louisville, Virginia, Clemson).
• Three ACC players are among the 15 Hermann Trophy semifinalists: Oskar Ågren (Clemson), Jasper Löeffelsend (PItt) and Thor Ulfarsson (Duke).
• Seven ACC head coaches rank among the top 40 in NCAA Division I in winning percentage by active head coaches: UNC's Carlos Somoano (sixth, .716), Virginia's George Gelnovatch (12th, .681), Wake Forest's Bobby Muuss (15th, .674), Pitt's Jay Vidovich (27th, .642), Clemson's Mike Noonan (28th, .640), Notre Dame's Chad Riley (33rd, .614) and NC State's George Kiefer (39th, .599).