Courtesy Press Release Clemson Athletics
Clemson Rises to No. 1 in United Soccer Coaches poll
Clemson, S.C. – The United Soccer Coaches organization has a new team atop its weekly Top 25 poll. The organization announced earlier today that it has tabbed the Clemson men’s soccer team as the nation’s top squad, as the Tigers received 664 votes and 19 of the available 27 first-place votes in this week’s poll. This is the 29th time in program history that the team has been atop the rankings while in season. The complete rankings can be found here.
Clemson earns its ranking after back-to-back weeks occupying the second-overall position. The Tigers have been ranked within the Top 25 each week this season, entering at 19th overall in the first regular season poll. This is the Tigers’ first time atop the poll under the direction of Head Coach Mike Noonan. During his time at the helm of Clemson’s program, Noonan has led the team to a ranking in the poll’s top three spots on 17 different occasions.
Initially picked to finish fifth in the ACC’s Atlantic Division after the league’s head coaches cast their respective preseason votes, the Tigers have taken the country by storm, steadily climbing the polls and finishing as the league’s regular-season champions. The Tigers have been the most dominant squad in all of Division I on the offensive side of the ball, scoring 63 goals through the team’s opening 17 matches. On the defensive side, the team has been a juggernaut, recording a shutout in 52.9 percent of its matches.
The No. 1 Clemson men’s soccer team will be back in action tomorrow night at Historic Riggs Field as the team hosts the Pittsburgh Panthers in ACC semifinal action. The match is slated to start at 6:00 p.m., with gates opening at 5:00 p.m.
