While they may not have a set schedule as of yet, the Clemson Tigers women’s and men’s soccer teams are gearing up and staying ready for whatever challenges they may be dealt this season. Our men’s team finished their 2019-2020 season last school year with an incredible overall record of 18-2-2, making it all the way to the NCAA quarterfinal match before falling in penalty kicks to the Stanford University Cardinal. Meanwhile, our Lady Tigers also excelled last season, finishing with an overall record of 11-7-2 and making it to the second round of the NCAA championship tournament. While this season will definitely be different, and there may not be a NCAA championship to compete for, both teams still have a lot to prove, and it will be exciting to see the impact of their new members.
The women’s soccer team has 17 returning players and seven new athletes joining the squad this season. Also returning for his tenth year as head coach for the Clemson women’s soccer team is Eddie Radwanski. Even with the loss of seven players this season, including four starters, the Tigers still have a very promising future with their 2020 recruiting class being ranked No. 5 by Top Drawer Soccer. While the Tigers have lost defender Dani Antieau, who was the only player on the team to start in all 20 games last season, the remaining three starters on the backline from last season, junior Jackson Moehler, junior Renee Guion and junior Sydney Dawson, are all returning and will surely provide a strong defensive front this season. New to the team are defenders Makenna Morris and Madi Reid, midfielders Devi Dudley and Megan Bornkamp, forward Sam Meredith and goalkeepers Hensley Hancuff and Halle Mackiewicz. While this season may only feature our Tigers playing conference games, there is still a long journey ahead for the women’s soccer team, and it is going to be exciting to see how they add onto last year’s momentum, as well as the impact of the new players.
The men’s soccer team is currently ranked No. 4 in the NCAA after their amazing championship run last season. Head Coach Mike Noonan is once again at the helm of the team for his eleventh season with the Tigers. Losing key starters Robbie Robinson, team captain Tanner Dietrich and Malick Mbaye, all of whom were drafted in the 2020 MLS draft, the Tigers have some big cleats to fill. The loss of Robinson and Dietrich is definitely a big hit to the Tigers’ offense as they led the team in total goals and total assists respectively. However, there is still an abundance of promise with this season’s squad as eight of the 2019-2020 starters are returning. One player to look out for is sophomore Alvaro Gomez who took over for Dietrich in the quarterfinal game after he was ejected in the previous match. Gomez clocked in minutes in 20 of the 22 games last season and provided two goals as well as three assists for the Tigers, making him a strong contender for that starting midfield position. Given the overwhelming success of the previous season, if the Tigers are able to fill the void of Robinson, Dietrich and Mbaye, then they are in good shape to achieve another stellar record.
The Tigers also announced on Aug. 20 that the new team captains are junior goalkeeper George Marks and redshirt sophomore forward James Brighton. Expect Brighton, who had six goals and 30 shots last season, to be a strong presence in the attacking half and hopefully fill that gap left by Robinson. The men’s team is also gaining 10 new players including four defenders, Hamady Diop, Ben Erkens, Brandon Parrish and Titus Sandy Jr., four midfielders, Tyler Hutchinson, Ousmane Sylla, Callum Johnson and Josh Hallenberger, and two goalkeepers, Seth Wilson and Trevor Manion. There are definitely some high expectations for the Tigers this season given their previous NCAA run and it will be very exciting to see how the team handles this pressure while also dealing with any new COVID-19 regulations.
Even without knowing their season schedule, both teams have already been back on campus and are training for whatever opponents they soon may face. While there unfortunately will not be an NCAA championship to compete for, it is important to remember that both our men’s and women’s soccer teams still have the opportunity to snag a conference title this fall.
