2013 Notre Dame Men's Soccer NCAA Championship Commemorative

MEN’S

2013

University of Notre Dame

SOCCER

NCAA CHAMPIONSHIP COMMEMORATIVE

2013 UNIVERSITY OF NOTRE DAME MEN’S SOCCER

NCAA CHAMPIONSHIP

MEN’S

2013

University of Notre Dame

SOCCER

NCAA CHAMPIONSHIP COMMEMORATIVE

The First Word...................................................... 4

THE 2013 FIGHTING IRISH

THE PRESEASON Irish Take to Practice Pitch for First Time................. 50 Fighting Irish Find Themselves High in Preseason Rankings...................................... 51 #7 Fighting Irish Fall at #6 Creighton, 1-0, in Exhibition Opener................................. 52 Irish Inspection: Covering Creighton..................... 53 #7 Notre Dame Takes Exhibition Affair at Drake, 2-0................................................... 54 Irish Insights: Preseason Trip Recap, ACC Poll Released........................................... 55 Giving to Grassroot Soccer.................................. 56 #7 Notre Dame Bests Buckeyes, 1-0, in Exhibition Finale.................................... 57 Irish Insights: Team Taking Shape Heading into Season Opener............................ 58

THE REGULAR SEASON #7 Notre Dame Opens Season With 0-0 Draw Against #9 UCLA...................... 59 Leon Brown Tallies Two Goals As No. 7 Notre Dame Downs SMU, 2-1................. 60 #4 Notre Dame Draws #1 North Carolina, 1-1, in ACC Opener........................................ 62 #4 Notre Dame Tops #25 Syracuse, 3-0, to Notch First ACC Win................................... 63 #1 Notre Dame Remains Undefeated with 3-0 Win over Michigan............................. 64 #1 Notre Dame Draws at Boston College, 1-1....... 65 Irish Not Perfect, but Unbeaten After Six Games..... 66 #2 Notre Dame Scores Twice Late to Take 3-1 Victory Over Duke...................................... 68

THE ACC CHAMPIONSHIPS #1 Notre Dame Edges Duke, 1-0, in ACC Quarterfinals........................................... 83 Harrison Shipp and Bobby Clark Cop ACC Awards........................................... 84 #1 Notre Dame Falls to #10 Virginia in Penalty Kicks, 4-3......................................... 87

THE NCAA CHAMPIONSHIPS Fighting Irish Earn No. 3 Seed for NCAA Championship...................................... 88 Irish Get Offensive in 4-0 Win Over Wisconsin in NCAA Second Round................... 89 #3 Irish Down #14 Demon Deacons 4-2 to Reach NCAA Quarterfinals..................... 90 Fighting Irish College Cup Bound for the First Time...91 Irish Reach First NCAA Soccer Championship over New Mexico, 2-0..................................... 93 Irish Down Terps to Win NCAA Title, 2-1.............. 94 Notre Dame vs. Maryland--Postgame Quotes......... 96 Notre Dame vs. Maryland--Postgame Notes........... 98 The Last Word.................................................. 100 Executive editor of the 2013 University of Notre Dame Men’s Soccer NCAA Championship Commemorative is John Heisler. Primary editorial contributor is Sean Carroll. Layout and design by Cathy J. Scholz, C Graphics.

THE 2013 FIGHTINGINDEX IRISH

Irish in the ACC: Soccer........................................ 6 A New Era for Men’s Soccer.................................. 8 Shipp Helps Steer Notre Dame’s All-Around Success........................................... 11 Grant Van De Casteele: A Domer by Chance........ 12 Brown Coming Up Big for the Irish........................ 18 Bobby Clark: If His Office Walls Could Talk........... 20 Harrison Shipp a Senior CLASS Award Finalist...... 22 Two Irish Soccer Players Named Academic All-Americans....................... 24 Harry Shipp: The Wandering Wizard of Notre Dame Soccer...................................... 26 Bobby Clark: Teaching to Win and ‘Hurrying Slowly’...................................... 36 Patrick Wall: Shooting for the Stars....................... 42 Harrison Shipp a Finalist for the MAC Hermann Trophy..................................... 44 Harrison Shipp and Grant Van De Casteele Named All-Americans...................................... 45 Bobby Clark Named NSCAA Division I Coach of the Year............................................ 47 The 2013 Schedule/Results................................. 48 Honors and Awards............................................ 49

Irish Items: Notre Dame Unbeaten Heading into October...................................... 70 #2 Notre Dame Tops Indiana, 2-0, to Remain Undefeated.......................................... 71 Harrison Shipp’s Golden Goal Lifts #2 Irish Past #13 Clemson, 2-1......................... 73 #2 Notre Dame Draws with #5 Maryland, 1-1...... 74 Shipp Strikes Again as #2 Notre Dame Tops Virginia Tech, 1-0..................................... 75 #2 Notre Dame and #13 Northwestern Play to 1-1 Draw.............................................. 76 Fighting Irish Fit to Be Tied This Season................. 77 #2 Irish Claim 2-1 Come-From-Behind Victory at N.C. State........................................ 78 Second-Ranked Irish Fall at Home to #19 Virginia, 2-0............................................. 79 #2 Notre Dame Downs #12 Wake Forest, 3-1, to Move to Top of ACC........................................ 80 #1 Notre Dame Captures 2-0 Win at #18 Michigan State..................................... 81 #1 Notre Dame Wins Share of ACC Regular-Season Title................................. 82

3

2013 UNIVERSITY OF NOTRE DAME MEN’S SOCCER

NCAA CHAMPIONSHIP

The

FIRST WORD

By Head Coach

BOBBY CLARK

University of Notre Dame men’s soccer coach Bobby Clark routinely sends emails to a long list of Irish soccer alumni and friends to keep them updated on the progress of his teams. This represents a compilation from two of his December missives.

Notre Dame 2, Maryland 1. Campione! Campione! It truly was a wonderful night for the Irish and what a great way to finish the season. Playing in the very last game of the season is always special, but to win it was fantastic. To do so in front of 6,000 fans, many of them Notre Dame soccer alumni, made it a wonderful experience for players and staff alike.

The game was not the prettiest, but it was a real contest with both teams putting their all into a grueling 90 minutes. The wet field and the blustery wind made conditions a little tricky, throw in that it was the second game in 48 hours, and I think it is fair to congratulate both sets of players on serving up an intriguing match.

The Terps opened the scoring in the 35th minute through Patrick Mullins. Patrick Hodan cleared a shot off the Irish goal line only as far as Mullins and the current Hermann Trophy winner hammered home the rebound. This prompted the Irish to push forward and get the game back in the Maryland half. Their reward came five minutes later as the scores were level. This goal also stemmed from a set piece. Luke Mishu took a long throw-in from the right, near the Maryland goal line. He heaved it long onto Nick Besler who back-headed the ball to Leon Brown who shot it into the net to level the score at 1-1.

The all-important goal came 15 minutes into the second half. It was also a set piece goal as it came from a free kick about 28 yards out in a wide area. Harry Ship and Patrick Hodan discussed what they should try and, after some debate, decided that Harry, the wee wizard, would take the kick. He hit a great, curling right-footed cross into the area, and Andrew O’Malley rose above the crowd to nod the neatest of headers past the diving Terp goalkeeper.

The next 30 minutes were a battle. Maryland threw everything forward, but the Irish defense held firm and perhaps had the better chances on the break, with Brown narrowly missing on a couple of occasions. It was an exciting finish and there were two exhausted teams when the final whistle blew--but only one happy team, and that was the Irish.

As our flight home that night settled at around 30,000 feet, there was certainly a happy spirit in the party, though the team would soon enough come down to earth with a bang as finals were about

to begin at 8:30 the next morning. That meant it was a short celebration, but it will be one that will last in all our memories forever.

A great team effort, a great season and a lot of fun!

After the dust began to settle and it came time to send out my Christmas greeting, I felt that winning the national championship had stirred such a blitz of fantastic emails that I hardly felt it necessary. It has been so much fun for the current team to be a part of this joyful frenzy. This is all part of the journey and it is great that the journey can continue after you graduate. So many of our alumni have been a huge part of my era team and, having had Chad Riley, and now Greg Dalby, on staff, it feels that there is a connect from past to present. College sports are different in the United Kingdom but I can best associate with you by still following Aberdeen, the side I played for from 1965 until 1982. Theirs is the first result I look for every weekend and I still stay in touch with former players. Several have already contacted me as the news of a Notre Dame championship win made it all the way across the pond.

Speaking of contacts, possibly the most notable contact was a text I got on the morning of the match from my old mentor, Sir Alex Ferguson. He wished me luck but offered advice to the team and it read as follows: Play the game, not the occasion and remember the 3 Cs – Concentration, Consistency, and Confidence.

We had already spoken about concentrating on playing well and not concerning ourselves about the score. If we play to our potential then we cannot do more. If the other team then beats us all we can do is shake their hand and congratulate them. I felt last year against Indiana we did not play to our potential and it left a sour taste for a long time. By the way, Sir Alex kept track throughout the afternoon as after the match he sent a further text – Well done!

Enjoy the night!

There is no question, we did play the game and, in spite of losing Vince Cicciarelli 10 minutes into the match, then falling behind, we never looked rattled and played with confidence and poise throughout and even during that potentially nervous final 10 minutes of the game.

I would really like to thank all our alumni and friends who made the trip to PPL Park, watched on TV or sent messages before or after the games. Your support has been overwhelming and I want you to know that the entire Notre Dame soccer family should raise a glass to this school and this program of which you all have been a part.

THE FIRST WORD 5

2013 UNIVERSITY OF NOTRE DAME MEN’S SOCCER

NCAA CHAMPIONSHIP JULY 15, 2013

IRISHin the

ACC: Soccer

There is no doubt the Atlantic Coast Conference is one of the premier men’s soccer leagues in the country. Conference teams have claimed five of the last eight NCAA titles and current ACC members have combined to win 15 national championships. The conference has placed at least one team in the College Cup each of the last 12 seasons and an ACC team has appeared in the championship game on 22 occasions.

Twelve of the ACC’s 15 schools sponsor men’s soccer, while Florida State, Georgia Tech and Miami do not have varsity men’s soccer programs.

Notre Dame opened its 2012 season with a 1-0 win over Duke at Alumni Stadium.

The Fighting Irish have a wide-ranging history with the other members of their new conference. Notre Dame is clearly familiar with fellow newcomers Pittsburgh and Syracuse, while Boston College and Virginia Tech also used to compete against the Irish in the BIG EAST. Notre Dame is 35-22-6 (.603) against the other current members of the ACC, including a 25-8-3 (.736) mark during head coach Bobby Clark’s 12 seasons with the program. When including his stints at Dartmouth and Stanford, Clark is 30-10-4 (.727) versus the other teams that compose the league.

A monumental moment for the Notre Dame program occurred on ACC soil in 2006 when the Irish knocked off defending national champion Maryland in overtime, 1-0, in College Park to advance to the quarterfinals of the NCAA Championship for the first time. Joseph Lapira deposited the game winner in the 107th minute and he would go on to win the M.A.C. Hermann Trophy later

that season. Unfortunately, the Irish saw their unprecedented run come to an end at ACC foe Virginia. The Cavaliers won the back-and-forth affair, 3-2.

Another ACC program prevented Notre Dame from reaching the College Cup the following season when eventual national champion Wake Forest clipped the Irish in overtime, 1-0, during the NCAA quarterfinals in Winston Salem, N.C. Since falling to the Demon Deacons in the 2007 postseason, Notre Dame is 3-0-1 against the ACC, including wins over Duke (1-0) and Clemson (2-1) last season. That mark improves to 10-0-1 when factoring in Pittsburgh and Syracuse.

Fittingly enough, the Notre Dame men’s soccer team will open ACC competition against the one conference opponent the program has never faced - North Carolina. The Fighting Irish will play host to the Tar Heels on Sept. 8 at Alumni Stadium and that will mark the school’s first official ACC contest in any sport.

Besides Chapel Hill (N.C.), the only other ACC city the Irish have yet to visit is Raleigh, N.C., but the team will check that trip off the list with a venture to North Carolina State on Oct. 19.

Six ACC members have yet to play a match at Notre Dame. Maryland, North Carolina and Virginia all will visit South Bend for the first time this season. That will leave Clemson, North Carolina State and Wake Forest as the only ACC schools that have never played at Notre Dame. The Fighting Irish and their fans at Alumni Stadium will be eagerly awaiting visits from all of these programs in the years to come.

THE 2013 FIGHTING IRISH 7

HARRISON SHIPP

2013 UNIVERSITY OF NOTRE DAME MEN’S SOCCER

NCAA CHAMPIONSHIP AUGUST 21, 2013

A New Era For

MEN’S

SOCCER Every season presents new challenges and excitement, but the 2013 Notre Dame men’s soccer campaign brings obstacles on multiple fronts for a squad that is coming off one of the top seasons in team history. The Fighting Irish will look to replace two first team All-Americans, who were among a solid group of experienced veterans, all while navigating their first season in arguably the nation’s top conference - the Atlantic Coast Conference.

Notre Dame’s 2012 resume is an impressive one. The Fighting Irish captured the most wins since 1988 (17-4-1), won the program’s third BIG EAST Championship crown and garnered the top seed in the NCAA Championship for the first time. Notre Dame’s 52 goals were the most since 1994 and departed forward Ryan Finley was responsible for 21 of those scores. Finley garnered first team All-America honors in addition to being the BIG EAST Offensive Player of the Year and a finalist for the M.A.C. Hermann Trophy.

Midfielder Dillon Powers, a two-time team captain, also copped first team All-America accolades before joining Finley as a first-round pick in the MLS SuperDraft.

With those accomplishments firmly cemented in the Notre Dame record book, the Fighting Irish look ahead to the upcoming season with a roster that features eight returning starters, including three all-BIG EAST honorees.

“We got close to where we wanted to be last season” Notre Dame head coach Bobby Clark said. “Obviously we didn’t quite make it all the way, but it was satisfying to leave the BIG EAST as champions and that was a special moment. We were disappointed with how last season ended and that makes the returning players hungry for this season.

“We don’t need a lot of motivation for the upcoming season. The fact that we’re now in the ACC is a very exciting moment for the program, the school and also for the individuals. The ACC has been the premier men’s soccer conference in the country. We’re leaving a very good conference, but we are going into the best conference.

That’ll be a challenge for us and there will be great excitement with us entering the ACC. It’s an excitement that’ll hopefully bring the best out of the team.”

Fittingly enough, Notre Dame will open ACC competition against the one conference opponent the program has never faced - North Carolina. The Fighting Irish will play host to the Tar Heels Sept. 8 at Alumni Stadium and that will mark the school’s first official ACC contest in any sport.

ACC teams have claimed five of the last eight NCAA titles and current conference members have combined to win 15 national championships. The league has placed at least one team in the College Cup each of the last 12 seasons and an ACC team has appeared in the championship game on 22 occasions.

The Fighting Irish have varying history with the other members of their new conference. Notre Dame is clearly familiar with fellow newcomers Pittsburgh and Syracuse, while Boston College and Virginia Tech also used to compete against the Irish in the BIG EAST. Notre Dame is 35-22-6 against current members of the ACC, including a 25-8-3 mark during head coach Bobby Clark’s 12 seasons with the program. When including his stints at Dartmouth and Stanford, Clark is 30-10-4 versus the other teams that compose the league.

Here is a position-by-position breakdown of the 2013 Fighting Irish:

ATTACK Despite losing a key presence in Finley, Notre Dame returns four veterans at the forward position, including senior captain Harrison Shipp. Shipp has not missed a match during his collegiate career and leads the current group of Fighting Irish players in goals (11) and assists (14). Last season, he registered six goals and six assists en route to third team all-BIG EAST honors.

Shipp and fellow senior Leon Brown will take care of the underneath forward spot, while senior Alex Priede and junior Vince Cicciarelli are the options at high forward. Brown and Priede were the starters last season, while Shipp and Finley came on midway through the first half and would play the remainder of the match. Priede notched four goals and one assist in 2012, while Brown chipped in one goal and three assists. Cicciarelli battled injuries last season and was limited to just one game, but he will certainly be a factor this season.

“Obviously we have to get some goals up front,” Clark said. “Harry Shipp is a four-year player for us and is back for his senior year as is Leon Brown. Vince Cicciarelli appears to be coming back to his best and hopefully he stays healthy. He did awfully well in the spring and he will have a chance, along with Alex Priede, to take over the high striker role.”

THE 2013 FIGHTING IRISH 9

EVAN PANKEN

2013 UNIVERSITY OF NOTRE DAME MEN’S SOCCER

NCAA CHAMPIONSHIP

MIDFIELD There are holes to fill in the midfield, but the Irish boast a good mix of experienced veterans and some younger players that are eager to burst onto the scene this season.

Nick Besler paired up with Powers last season in the central midfield and the junior will be relied on to be the leader of the group this season. Besler started every match in 2012 and produced one goal and two assists and earned third team all-BIG EAST accolades.

Junior Robby Gallegos and sophomore Connor Klekota are the candidates to join Besler in the center of the midfield. Gallegos has appeared in one match during his career, while Klekota did not see game action during his rookie campaign.

“Nick Besler is now in his third season and last year he was a main anchor for us,” Clark said. “Both Robby Gallegos and Connor Klekota performed well during the spring season. Brandon Aubrey, an incoming freshman, will be an understudy to Nick Besler. Brandon has a strong pedigree coming from Texas.”

Patrick Hodan is coming off a solid freshman campaign in which he totaled six goals and five assists and received all-rookie honors from the BIG EAST. While Hodan will occupy one of the wide midfield spots, junior Brendan Lesch figures to be the other starter out wide.

Lesch has only played in 10 career matches after suffering through injuries during his first two seasons at Notre Dame.

The Irish have seven other midfielders on the roster, but none of them have ever appeared in a match. Senior Kyle Craft and sophomores Evan Panken and Danny Lojek are all in contention to see minutes in the wide areas. Rookies Oliver Harris and Mark Gormley bring additional depth to the wide midfield position, while Harris can also play in the middle. Aubrey and fellow freshman and Patrick Connolly also provide reinforcement in the center of the midfield.

“Patrick Hodan had a terrific year as a freshman,” Clark said.

“Hopefully Brendan Lesch can stay healthy this year. He’s had an awful time with injuries the last two seasons. Evan Panken showed well in the spring as did Danny Lojek and Kyle Craft.”

DEFENSE Entering last season Notre Dame’s most inexperienced group was its defense and just one year later it’s now the team’s most veteran unit as the Fighting Irish return all four starters on the backline. Senior captains Grant Van De Casteele and Andrew O’Malley will pair up once again in the central defense, while fellow senior Luke Mishu will be at right back and junior Max Lachowecki is slotted in at left back. The Fighting Irish went 13-1-1 last season when that quintet was in the starting lineup.

Van De Casteele, a fifth-year senior, is entering his fourth season as a starter and will bring a 60-game starting streak into the 2013 campaign. He also has been valuable on the offensive end of the pitch as he has netted four career goals, including the lone tally in a 1-0 win at Indiana last season. His backline mate O’Malley was plagued by injuries last season that caused him to miss seven matches, including both NCAA tournament contests.

Just like O’Malley, Lachowecki also was a first-time starter last year and burst onto the scene in a major way. He posted two goals, including the game winner in a 1-0 victory over Oregon State, and two assists and was selected to the BIG EAST All-Rookie Team. Mishu earned the full-time right back spot last season and delivered three assists.

Connor Miller did an admirable job when filling in for the injured O’Malley and he will be ready if called upon again for duty in the central defense. Miller, a senior, is the only reserve defender with match experience on the Fighting Irish squad. Junior Trevor Gonzales brings versatility and can be positioned anywhere on the backline, while sophomore Michael Shipp, Harrison’s younger brother, adds key depth at right back. Freshman Matt Habrowski can play in the middle or on the left side and fellow rookie Mark Mishu, Luke’s younger brother, will compete at center back and right back.

“We have a lot of experience in the middle of the defense with (Grant) Van De Casteele, (Andrew) O’Malley and (Connor) Miller,” Clark said. “It would be nice if we can have Van De Casteele and O’Malley healthy together. We never seemed to have a long enough spell with them fit last fall with Andrew going through a series of injuries.

“We also have good experience at the fullback positions with Luke Mishu and Max Lachowecki. Last year, those positions were kind of new and now we have good experience there.”

GOALKEEPER Senior Patrick Wall figures to be the starter in goal after splitting time with Will Walsh last season. Wall went 9-1-0 with three shutouts and posted a 0.97 goals-against average to go along with a .762 save percentage in 2012.

The talented trio of senior Adam LaPlaca, sophomore Brian Talcott and freshman Chris Hubbard will backup Wall. LaPlaca has played in one match during his career, while Talcott did not see game action during his rookie campaign.

“It’s a strong contingent of goalkeepers,” Clark said. “Pat (Wall) is the favorite to start, but he’ll be pushed by the other three goalkeepers. Those guys will be snapping at his heels.”

Senior forward Harrison Shipp has never missed a match during his Notre Dame men’s soccer career and odds are he hasn’t missed very many classes at the University either.

Shipp (Lake Forest, Ill./Lake Forest) recently was named a candidate for the Senior CLASS Award in the men’s soccer division. Shipp, a Fighting Irish team captain, is one of 30 student-athletes up for the prestigious honor.

To be eligible for the award, a student-athlete must be classified as an NCAA Division I senior and have notable achievements in four areas of excellence - community, classroom, character and competition. An acronym for Celebrating Loyalty and Achievement for Staying in School ®, the Senior CLASS Award focuses on the total student-athlete and encourages students to use their platform in athletics to make a positive impact as leaders in their communities.

SEPTEMBER 2, 2013

Shipp Helps Steer

NOTRE DAME

ALL-AROUND SUCCESS -- Sean Carroll, Assistant Athletic Media Relations Director

“One of the reasons I came to Notre Dame was that the school offered more than just a soccer-playing experience,” Shipp said. “It’s nice to be recognized for those things besides just soccer. Obviously this time of year there is a major emphasis on soccer, but I think it’s important to keep those other aspects in mind because it is such an important part of the South Bend community.”

Shipp began his senior class schedule early last week and finished the week helping No. 7 Notre Dame capture its second straight adidas/IU Credit Union Classic title. The Irish tied No. 9 UCLA, 0-0, Friday and topped SMU, 2-1, Sunday. Those were the 61st and 62nd consecutive matches he has played at Notre Dame.

THE 2013 FIGHTING IRISH

Shipp’s career figures of 11 goals and 14 assists are the most of any current Notre Dame player. Last season, he tallied career-high totals in goals (6) and assists (6) and was named Third Team All-BIG EAST and Second Team AllGreat Lakes Region. He was a key part of Notre Dame’s 174-1 campaign that saw the Irish win the BIG EAST Championship and earn the overall No. 1 seed for the NCAA Championship.

A dean’s list selection each of the last five semesters, Shipp boasts a 3.883 cumulative GPA as a finance major in Notre Dame’s nationally-ranked Mendoza College of Business.

He was named to the 2012 Capital One Academic AllAmerica Second Team for excelling both on the field and in the classroom. Along with being one of the top players on the Notre Dame squad, he is a two-time recipient of the team’s Knute Rockne Scholar-Athlete Award (2011 & 2012) and was a BIG EAST Academic All-Star on three occasions (2010-12).

11

While Shipp clearly has an impressive academic resume, his does not stand alone on the Fighting Irish squad. Fifthyear senior Grant Van De Casteele, a Senior CLASS Award candidate last season, was named the 2012-13 BIG EAST Male Scholar-Athlete of the Year. Shipp and Van De Casteele, a central defender, are two of nine Irish players that boast over a 3.5 cumulative grade-point average.

“There’s a lot of joking around on the team (about the competitiveness when it comes to academics),” Shipp said.

“Grant (Van De Casteele) likes to call himself the smartest guy on the team. Last year’s freshman class did really well grade-wise and I think that kind of put some pressure on the older guys to not be lower than the team average GPA, which has been raised every year since I’ve been here.”

Shipp and the rest of his Fighting Irish teammates participate in numerous service initiatives in the South Bend/Notre Dame community. He also has been heavily involved in service work, including Habitat for Humanity, in his hometown of Lake Forest, Ill. In addition, Shipp is a member of Notre Dame’s Rosenthal Leadership Academy, which develops, challenges and supports student-athletes and coaches in their continual quest to become world-class leaders in athletics, academics and life.

“We’ve got some amazing student-athletes on our team,” Notre Dame head coach Bobby Clark said. “Harry is a fantastic representative as a captain because he’s a terrific player and he’s a wonderful student. He’s not a guy that goes looking for the limelight. He’s actually a very quiet leader who leads by example. Harry is a tremendous candidate (for the Senior CLASS Award).”

The list of 30 candidates will be narrowed to 10 finalists midway through the regular season, and those 10 names will be placed on the official ballot. Ballots will be distributed through a nationwide voting system to media, coaches and fans, who will select one candidate who best exemplify excellence in the four Cs of community, classroom, character and competition. The Senior CLASS Award winners will be announced during the 2013 NCAA Men’s College Cup® championships in December.-

2013 UNIVERSITY OF NOTRE DAME MEN’S SOCCER

NCAA CHAMPIONSHIP

GRANT

VAN DE

AD

Some student-athletes are destined to come to Notre Dame. Others are not. And then there are those who parlay chance occurrences into opportunities, and ultimately end up starring under the Golden Dome.

Current men’s soccer co-captain Grant Van De Casteele falls under that third group, to a degree. The Dallas-area native, from the soccer hotbed of Plano, initially was not being seriously recruited by any of the nation’s top soccer schools, despite playing for the highly-regarded Andromeda Soccer Club.

That all changed on a December afternoon in 2007, the day that Notre Dame head men’s soccer coach Bobby Clark first saw the player who would become a rare four-year starting center back for his program.

Since he was 11 years old, Van De Casteele had been playing for the Andromeda Soccer Club, a fierce rival of the nationally-elite Dallas Texans. One of his closest teammates with Andromeda was future Notre Dame classmate Dillon Powers, a top midfielder for the Irish from 2009-12. Powers - currently a top Major League Soccer rookie-of-the-year candidate with the Colorado Rapids - and Van De Casteele helped lead Andromeda, coached by Dillon’s father Michael, to the 2008 USYS national title.

Former Notre Dame assistant coaches Chad Riley and Jamie Clark had targeted Powers as a prime recruit for the Notre Dame program and informed Clark that the head coach had to see the promising midfielder play, while at the Final Four club tournament in Cary, N.C. It turned out to be a highly productive scouting session for Clark, yielding one of those unexpected “2-for1s” that sometimes occur in the world of college sports recruiting.

“I had told my assistants to not tell me the name or number of the primary player they had spotted, but of course it took me all of five seconds to pick out Dillon Powers as being a very good player,” recalls Clark. “As I was watching the game, I saw Grant playing as a left back and really liked him. I thought he was a little bit of a `sleeper’ at that time. He was certainly mobile with very good feet and nice touch.

“As I watched him that day, Grant made good decisions with the ball and I liked the way he came forward out of the left back position, so we decided we would try to watch him a little bit.” The Notre Dame coaches later followed up with Powers seeking input about his Andromeda teammate and Powers confirmed that Van De Casteele indeed was a high-level player who could fit in well into their system at Notre Dame.

Up to that point, Van De Casteele had assumed that Notre Dame did not have any interest in recruiting him, but he soon learned from Powers that there was mutual interest from the Irish.

ed in. When I took my own campus visit, I was pretty much sold.

I’m not gonna lie, Notre Dame probably was the best soccer team trying to recruit me and it presented a great opportunity.”

“Dillon had come back from his recruiting visit to Notre Dame and he told me the coaches really liked me and that I should take a visit to the campus,” says Van De Casteele, who earned third team all-BIG EAST Conference honors following the 2012 season.

After not playing throughout his first season in the program (2009), and thus ultimately maintaining an extra year of eligibility, Van De Casteele has been a mainstay in Notre Dame’s starting lineup ever since - opening all 62 games during the past three-plus seasons as a member of the starting 11.

“Dillon kind of pushed for me to be recruited by Notre Dame and we were really good friends, so the opportunity to play together at the next level was something that we would be interest-

An emerging MLS prospect in his own right, the 6-foot-2 Van De Casteele has carved out an impressive all-around career as a Notre Dame student-athlete. The double-major already has

SEPTEMBER 6, 2013

CASTEELE:

Domer by Chance -- Pete LaFleur

chance to hang out with my friends for a few hours.”

With the class material and soccer field often failing to capture Van De Casteele’s full attention during his prep days, he gravitated to humor. “Yes, it’s true, in high school I was joking around lot,” he says. “I remember being bummed out when I graduated because I was going to miss goofing around in class. I had this idea of college being very strict and structured but was pleasantly surprised that I still was able to joke around in some of my classes here.”

“Max Lachowecki is hilarious, the funniest person I know, so I thought it would work much better if we did the show together. The whole concept was completely foreign to us but we’ve had a blast doing the show so far,” says Van De Casteele.

The resulting show - Grant and Max 1080 (degrees, with of course the degree symbol) - has developed a cult following around the Notre Dame campus. Mike Harrity, a member of the Notre Dame Student Welfare & Development staff, proposed the initial idea after having watched the Between Two Ferns online comedy series, featuring Zach Galifianakis (best known for his role in the Hangover movies). In the online series, Galifianakis conducts a series of celebrity interviews in a low-budget and uniquely offbeat fashion.

The signature episode so far in the young history of Grant and Max 1080 is their interview with ESPN basketball analyst Jay Bilas (it’s only a few minutes and worth the look). received his finance degree and is nine hours short of adding an economics degree to his wall this December. His impressive 3.72 cumulative grade-point average and status as a multi-year starter helped earned Van De Casteele the prestigious BIG EAST Male Scholar-Athlete of the Year for the 2012-13 academic year.

Eight previous Notre Dame student-athletes also have received that top academic honor from the BIG EAST, including women’s soccer players Jen Renola, Jenny Streiffer and Vanessa Pruzinsky and three basketball players (Pat Garrity, Ruth Riley and Tim Abromaitis), plus track hurdler Errol Williams and softball player Jarrah Myers.

Van De Casteele - who recently has combined with teammate Max Lachowecki to become a (minor) YouTube sensation with their online celebrity interview show Grant and Max 1080 readily admits that he was “not very serious” when it came to academics or athletics during his days at Frisco Centennial High School. “Like many people at Notre Dame now, a lot of my schoolwork in high school was not that challenging,” says the current Irish co-captain.

“And in high school I didn’t really take soccer too seriously either, it was just something I did for fun. I had known most of my teammates since we were 11 years old and it basically was a

Prior to his Notre Dame career, Van De Casteele had never played at the center back position. “I started out in soccer as a forward and was really fast as a kid, I think I peaked athletically a little early,” laughs the four-year Irish starter.

“I also played some outside midfield and then moved to outside back for my club team, in a 4-4-2 formation. I would get forward and try to be creative on the ball but I wasn’t that good at defense, I was more offensively inclined.”

Considering the extensive youth soccer network and collection of elite clubs throughout the state

THE 2013 FIGHTING IRISH

Van De Casteele’s humorous side gained a social-media platform a year ago, when he was approached with the idea of hosting a comedybased interview show that would be posted on YouTube as part of the newly-created Notre Dame student-athlete blog, Through Irish Eyes.

As the men’s soccer team’s representative on the Student-Athlete Advisory Council, Van De Casteele seemed a logical choice … but he had an even better idea.

13

2013 UNIVERSITY OF NOTRE DAME MEN’S SOCCER

NCAA CHAMPIONSHIP

of Texas, one would assume that Van De Casteele and his prep teammates had plenty of options to play Division I soccer in their home state. To the contrary, SMU is the only established Division I men’s soccer program in the state of Texas, which nonetheless features noteworthy women’s soccer teams at schools such as Texas A&M, Baylor, Texas, Texas Tech and even Stephen F. Austin.

“There definitely is a big difference between the quantity of high-level men’s soccer players on the youth level in Texas as compared to the limited options to play college soccer in the state, especially of course at DI,” notes Van De Casteele.

“Texas obviously is a state where football is king and Title IX also poses an issue. It’s kind of a fact about Texas that you grow up knowing and just kind of accept that you likely will have to play your college soccer out of state.”

A quick search through the record book reveals that Texas youth soccer has played a big role in the history of Notre Dame men’s soccer, both overall and in recent years. Van De Casteele is one of 28 Texas natives to have played for the Irish, including three others on the current roster: senior goalkeeper Pat Wall (Sugarland), junior defender Trevor Gonzales (Allen) and midfielder newcomer Brandon Aubrey (also a Plano product).

Of course, the state of Texas also has played a huge role in the history of Notre Dame women’s soccer - with the program’s 31 all-time players (five current) from that state including the likes of two-time Hermann Trophy national player of the year Kerri Hanks (Allen) and recent Honda national player of the year Melissa Henderson (Garland). Two Plano natives - All-America midfielder Courtney Barg and defender Jessica Schuveiller - starred for the Irish from 2008-11 - with others of note over the years including forward/defender Monica Gonzalez (Richardson), goalkeepers Liza Wagner (Spring) and Lauren Karas (Flower Mound) and clutch goal scorer Amanda Guertin (Grapevine).

When Van De Casteele first arrived at Notre Dame back in the fall of 2009, the Irish coaches made their pitch for moving the young defender to the inside of the back line and the newcomer naturally was open to the change. Notre Dame was entering that season with a pair of highly-regarded pro prospects - senior Cory Rellas and Aaron Maund - as the likely starting center backs. Rellas ended up suffering a season-ending ACL knee injury 14 minutes into the opener and the Irish ended up sliding another senior, John Schaefer, into the vacated starting position.

Cracking a college soccer lineup - especially with a high-level men’s program - can be a tall task, as Van De Casteele found out during his first semester at Notre Dame. “I was not good enough to see the field that first season, got to spend a lot of time with the bench and the Gatorade cooler,” jokes the current fifth-year senior.

Clark notes that his program, over the years, has welcomed “loads of players” who needed a year or two before melding fully into the team. “Unless you’ve had extensive experience on a high level of soccer - such as Dillon

“We of course liked Grant but he had to acclimatize a bit,” adds Clark, who always is good to provide some vocabulary morsels to any sound bite, with the bonus factor of that his distinctively deliberate Scottish accent.

“I think the adjustment is even harder for a fall sport, because they get to campus and within two weeks we already are playing games. It’s a pretty difficult transition.”

With Rellas and Schaefer both moving on to graduation following the 2009 campaign, Van De Casteele made the most of his opportunity by turning in a strong 2010 spring season. The eager youngster was moved into a starting role and formed a strong tandem with Maund, who currently plays for Major League Soccer’s Real Salt Lake.

Maund and Van De Casteele formed the core of the Notre Dame back line throughout the 2010 and ‘11 seasons, with current senior Andrew O’Malley moving into the open center back position during the past two seasons. The rightfooted Van De Casteele actually played as the left-center back while paired with Maund but now has slid over to the right-center, with O’Malley to his left.

The Irish defense - which has allowed slightly below a goal per game over the past three seasons (19 in 20 games during 2010; 16 in 18 during ‘11; 20 in 22 during ‘12) - has the makings for being a significantly more airtight unit in 2013. With all six defensive-third starters (the ‘keeper Wall, Lachowecki, O’Malley, Van De Casteele, senior right back Luke Mishu and junior defensive midfielder Nick Besler) returning from 2012, the experience and familiarity factor could pay big dividends.

“Our current back line, especially when you factor in Pat Wall and Nick Besler, has that benefit of playing together which will give them a huge advantage when going through a really tough schedule this year,” notes second-year Notre Dame assistant coach Greg Dalby, who knows a little something about playing on a strong back line.

As a sophomore in 2004, Dalby played alongside three fellow defenders (center back Jack Stewart, left back Kevin Goldthwaite and right back Ryan Miller) who similarly became MLS draft picks, while goalkeeper Chris Sawyer also was drafted into the league.

“This group of defenders that we have now has more athleticism and more fitness than the group I played with,” adds Dalby. “And Pat Wall reminds me a lot of Chris Sawyer, he is a clear number-one goalkeeper and really strong leader with great knowledge of the game. He keeps the guys in front of him accountable and has amazing feet, making great decisions while passing out of pressure.

“With all the time that our defensive core guys have spent playing together, their communication and how they relate to each other on the field is only going to get stronger and stronger throughout this season.”

Van De Casteele credits his mom Barbara with helping create his sense of humor and his favorite comedians include Will Ferrell - his anticipation for the release of Anchorman II is palpable - and Jerry Seinfeld, “I used to watch a lot of his old standup stuff,” he says.

“A lot of my friends and I have the same sense of humor. It’s a lot of quick wit stuff, I like to think of it as intelligence humor,” says Van De Casteele.

“There’s not a lot of planning or structure to my humor, I just spit it out and hopefully someone laughs at it.”

Clark - a legendary goalkeeper back in the day while playing in his native Scotland - exudes a wistful charisma but certainly is all business when the whistle blows. And his team follows that lead.

THE 2013 FIGHTING IRISH

Riley, a Houston native, and classmate Greg Martin both came to Notre Dame from Texas and played lead roles with the Irish soccer team during the 2000-03 seasons. Martin joins Van De Casteele as one of several Plano natives to fashion strong careers with the Notre Dame men’s soccer program over the years, with that group also including defender Dale Rellas (‘02-’06) and his brother, midfielder Cory (‘05’-’09), plus Academic All-America defender Chris Dean, who capped his career as a recipient of Notre Dame athletics most prestigious honor, the Byron V. Kanaley Award, in 1995). Other Texans of note that have played for the Irish include early-’90s goalkeeper Bert Bader (Dallas), late-’90s defender Matt McNew (Arlington), and mid-’80s midfielder Marvin Lett (Dallas), who recently served on the board of directors for the Notre Dame Monogram Club.

Powers did with some youth national teams - it’s simply very hard to come into a program as a freshman and make an impact,” says the 13th-year Notre Dame head coach.

15

2013 UNIVERSITY OF NOTRE DAME MEN’S SOCCER

NCAA CHAMPIONSHIP “It was especially painful to see two teams that, prior to NCAA tournament, we had gone 3-0 against and they were playing each other in the final of the College Cup,” says Van De Casteele. “It made everything a little bit more devastating and I ended up not even watching that game, because it was so upsetting.

“The fact of the matter is that last year, despite all of our regular-season success, we didn’t really have true success in the NCAA tournament. The true measure of success is how you finish the year, that’s something that guys on the team should really be able to buy into.”

Van De Casteele was kind enough to provide us with a short scouting report/ information capsule on the three teammates who start alongside him on the back line: • Junior left back Max Lachowecki (Evansville, Ind.) - “Obviously one of the funniest people I’ve ever met, something about his voice it’s kind of nasally and pretty much whatever he says will comes out funny. He could say I just went to the dining hall and had a sandwich and it wound be hilarious. Max is pretty attacking oriented and very good on the ball. Despite being a defender, he is an offensive threat and we try to use him in situations that can work out well for us and lead to goals.

• Senior right back Luke Mishu (Knoxville, Tenn.) - Similar to Max, we like to use Luke offensively and build the attack from the flanks. He is deceptively, freakishly strong and was a gymnast when he was a kid. He destroys it in the weight room. Luke went on a leadership retreat a few weeks ago and was able to climb this incredible difficult rock wall, and his reputation went up in the eyes of everybody in attendance. He also has one of the funniest laughs on the team, I don’t know how to describe it but it makes you start laughing too, even if what was said was not funny.

“Our team knows when to be light and when to focus, but I think it’s nice if at times they can relax,” says the Notre Dame head coach. “When you are being funny, you’ve just got to be careful. There are things we can do in the locker room and there are things we do in public. Grant and Max both are smart guys, they know when things are appropriate and when they are not.”

Only a few years removed from his own collegiate playing career, Dalby adds his own take on mixing humor with seriousness.

“When all our guys cross the line on the field, they know it’s time to be serious, but I also thing they really have fun being serious on the field,” says the former All-American.

“Our players have lot of personality off the field and I think that personality transfers onto what you see on the field, in guys who are resilient, who want to compete, want to fight and want to win. Guys like Grant and Max epitomize that approach.”

With only four months left in his career as a Notre Dame student, Van De Casteele is determined to see his playing days with the Irish extend into the middle of December and the College Cup championship weekend. One year ago, the Irish had compiled an historic season that including winning a Big East title and entering the NCAAs as the tournament’s top seed, with a 163-1 record.

A bitter 2-1 overtime loss to rival Indiana in the NCAA round-of-16 brought an abrupt end to Notre Dame’s promising 2012 season. A couple weeks later, Indiana won the NCAA title after defeating Georgetown in the title game. Earlier in the season, the Irish twice had defeated Georgetown while also beating Indiana, 1-0, in a regular-season matchup. Van De Casteele headed home the lone goal, the fourth of his career, in the win over the Hoosiers in Bloomington.

• Senior left-center back Andrew O’Malley (West Chester, Pa.) - “Andrew is more of an old-school kind of defender, very good at 1-v-1 defense and a strong tackler. He reads the game well and is great at communicating. He is an engineer and if you are ever in need of a random bit of information, just a random question like how fast is the earth spinning right now? then Andrew probably will know the answer. He would be a very valuable asset on a trivia team. And he listens to some `death metal’ music, which is very different, but to each his own.”

In addition to his goal of leading Notre Dame on a deep NCAA run in 2013, Van De Casteele also likely will emerge as a strong professional soccer prospect. He hopes to get invited to the 2014 MLS Combine and ultimately get drafted into the league. And he knows that the advice and lessons learned from the Notre Dame coaching staff will serve him well.

“Coach Clark’s pedigree speaks for itself and of course Greg Dalby also has a big influence on me because we have so much in common, most of the things I have been through Greg went through as well during his Notre Dame career. He has my back and has my best interests at heart,” says Van De Casteele.

“With all of the coaches (Clark, Dalby, associate head coach BJ Craig and volunteer assistant Vern Gingerich), I try to be a good listener and be coachable. You see that our team is very organized defensively, throughout all 11 players on the field, and I think that’s a reflection of the coaching staff. Coach Clark’s attention to detail is something that has rubbed off a lot on me, not only soccer but in everyday life.” Van De Casteele offered an example of how attention to detail and the concept of full-team defending can be manifested on the field.

“Our mentality is one of focusing on doing the work now and doing the little things now, so you don’t have to do the big tasks later,” says the veteran defender. “We try to be a good re-pressing team whenever we lose the ball.

If you lose the ball and make a five-yard sprint to go get it again, that could potentially save the whole team from running 60 yards back into our own box and defending for five minutes. When you think about it like that, there’s no reason that you shouldn’t sacrifice your own five-yard run for the betterment of the team.”

THE 2013 FIGHTING IRISH 17

Clark has no doubt that Van De Casteele’s academic excellence has benefitted him in the athletic realm. “I think if you do hard work in the classroom, it spills over onto the soccer field and vice versa,” says the Irish coach.

“Grant is a smart player on and off the field and he’s made big strides throughout his career. He has improved his one-on-one defending, is much better in his positioning and just understands the game at the highest college level. He and Andrew are a great duo for us at center back. Andrew is a bit more aggressive and Grant more cerebral, but they are a tremendous tandem.”

As a former standout center back in his own right, Dalby most appreciates Van De Casteele’s field vision and consistency. “Grant is very perceptive to the opponent he is playing against and can `put out the fires’ before they even occur,” says Dalby. “He is very calculating, as to know when best to apply pressure and when to drop and provide cover. There’s also something to be said for players like Grant who always give you a high standard of all-around play, game in and game out.”

With what is sure to be a bittersweet end to his college career rapidly approaching, Van De Casteele’s plans beyond the MLS could land him somewhere in the finance industry. He spent the 2013 summer interning with the Notre Dame investment office, specifically gaining insight into the endowment process.

“My internship was very detail oriented and centered around making sure that all micro decisions were made so that the finished product looked good

and up to the standard that the organization would want,” he says. “I got to meet a lot of people who are way smarter than I am, a very humbling experience. It reaffirmed my previous belief that a job in finance could be fun and not just being stuck at a desk all day.”

Roughly 52 months after he first stepped onto the Notre Dame campus as a student-athlete, Van De Casteele will be departing with a strong appreciation for the benefits he has gained becoming part of the Notre Dame family.

“Coming to Notre Dame has given me the opportunity to be exposed to all different kinds of people, in this huge kind of melting pot,” says the Capital One Academic All-America® candidate. “When I first came in as a freshman, in many ways I was stepping out of my comfort zone but that was an important part of the maturing process.

“There’s a very strong sense of tradition and family at Notre Dame, and it’s something I have really enjoyed being around. It’s a feeling of pride that I can share universally with all Notre Dame graduates.” And that sense of pride is not something that ever was foreign to this native of the Lone Star State.

“Notre Dame is like Texas, because people like to brag about it similar to how people from Texas like to talk about how awesome Texas is so Texas gets this bad rap because I guess people are jealous,” concludes Van De Casteele.

“I think that Notre Dame shares a lot of those same qualities … so when I leave here, I’ll be able to brag about both Notre Dame and Texas, which will be a nice thing.”

2013 UNIVERSITY OF NOTRE DAME MEN’S SOCCER

NCAA CHAMPIONSHIP

Efficient is an understatement when talking about the recent play of Notre Dame senior forward Leon Brown.

Brown scored three goals in a span of 52:42 that stretched portions of the SMU and North Carolina matches.

Brown entered the campaign with two career goals and he equaled that mark in the opening 20 minutes of the SMU match, Notre Dame’s second game of the season.

He put the Irish up 1-0 less than five minutes into the contest and then pushed the lead to two in the 20th minute and Notre Dame went on to post a 2-1 victory and win the adidas/IU Credit Union Classic title.

On Sunday, Notre Dame fell behind No. 1 North Carolina, 1-0, in the 18th minute and the Tar Heels held the lead going into halftime. Brown checked into the match at

SEPTEMBER 11, 2013

BROWN Coming Up Big for the IRISH -- Sean Carroll, Assistant Athletic Media Relations Director

the beginning of the second half and was an integral part of the team’s increased offensive pressure. The Irish finally broke through in the 79th minute when Harrison Shipp played the ball to his classmate inside the box and Brown hammered home the equalizer in an eventual 1-1 draw.

“I’m definitely feeling a lot of confidence right now,” Brown said. “Scoring goals, especially for a forward, is how you gain confidence. I’m looking to keep that going into the next game, which should benefit the team and hopefully we get some wins.”

A major question for the Fighting Irish heading into the season was who would pick up the slack at the forward position for departed first team All-American Ryan Finley, who tallied 21 goals last season. It would be unfair to

expect any one player to duplicate that success, but so far Brown has emerged as a threat for the Irish in the final third of the pitch.

“We’ve never doubted Leon’s ability,” Notre Dame head coach Bobby Clark said. “All week (heading into the North Carolina game) he was playing with terrific confidence. I think a lot of that came from getting the two goals against SMU. Nobody doubts Leon’s ability.

He can be a terrific player for us this year.”

While the bright side for the Irish, who are off to a 1-02 start, is that Brown has three goals in the first three matches of the season, the downside is that those are the only three scores for the team. Notre Dame shouldn’t have been expected to produce a lot of goals given

its stiff early-season competition, which included a season-opening scoreless draw with UCLA. However, the squad has been frustrated at times because the opportunities have been there.

incredible how competitive men’s soccer is. You look across the country and there are some interesting results. There are no easy games. We just have to keep getting better every game and that’s our challenge.”

The Fighting Irish have outshot their opponents 59-31, including an 18-13 margin in shots on goal. Notre Dame has had at least a +9 shot margin in all three matches this season. The Irish also have doubled up their opponents in corner kick attempts (24-12).

The Irish hope their goal-scoring karma revisits them during Friday’s match at Syracuse. Last season, the two teams met at Syracuse in the quarterfinals of the BIG EAST Championship and the Irish came away with a 4-2 victory. After falling behind 2-0 in the 49th minute, Notre Dame rattled off four goals in the final 28 minutes of the match en route to the win.

“You always feel these things will level out over the season,” Clark said. “As long as we just keep working at it I think the goals will come. The most important thing is that we’re creating opportunities and that’s very important. We’ve played three very good teams and it’s

THE 2013 FIGHTING IRISH 19

2013 UNIVERSITY OF NOTRE DAME MEN’S SOCCER

NCAA CHAMPIONSHIP OCTOBER 2, 2013

BOBBY

CLARK:

If His Office Walls Could Talk -- John Heisler, Senior Associate Athletics Director for Media Relations

Considering University of Notre Dame men’s soccer coach Bobby Clark was born and raised in Scotland and has both played (extremely successfully) and coached there and elsewhere around the world, it’s hardly surprising to find an international flair to his Joyce Center office: Take a hard right in the interior office and the first photograph you find on the wall is a color team photo of the Soccer New Zealand 1996 team (Under 23 All-Whites squad) that competed in the Oceania Olympic Qualifying Tournament with Clark as its head coach. Four players from that squad competed in the last World Cup for either New Zealand or South Africa.

Just above it is a black-and-white shot from 1983 when Clark coached the Bulawayo Highlanders in the Zimbabwe (in southern Africa) Super League.

To the left of his desk, there are three images of Clark in action as a player.

There’s a black-and-white shot of a Scotland-Belgium game from 1972 in the European Cup (Scotland won 1-0). There’s another from the 1970 Scottish Cup final in which his Aberdeen side defeated Celtic 3-1. Finally, there’s a color close-up of Clark playing for Scotland.

“There’s something from just about everywhere I’ve been,” says Clark.

There’s plenty more to see on the walls: • A dozen framed photos of former academic adviser Mary Ann Spence with senior members of each of his Notre Dame teams.

• A color shot of Notre Dame’s 2007 spring match against Mexico. The Mexico player in the image (next to Michael Thomas of the Irish) is Javier Hernandez, who now plays for Manchester United in the English Premier League. Hernandez plays with the name Chicharito (“little pea” in Spanish) on his shirt.

• The honorary monogram he received in 2011 from the Notre Dame Monogram Club.

• An Alumni Stadium collage.

• A photo of his current Irish captains (#20 Grant Van De Casteele, #12 Andrew O’Malley and #15 Harrison Shipp).

“I always have a picture of my current team captains,” Clark says. “That’s the one thing that changes every year.”

• A framed collage noting his 100th win at Notre Dame on Sept. 26, 2008-a 3-0 victory over Cincinnati. It’s also worth noting that his 100th overall triumph came during his Stanford years--and also came on Sept. 26 (which happens to be his birthday).

• An item presented to him by his Stanford team, with a large “S” formed by dozens of tiny images.

• A team photo combined with other shots from Dartmouth’s 1988 Ivy League champion squad coached by Clark.

“It was Dartmouth’s 100-year soccer celebration, and the player featured in the middle wearing number seven is Andrew Shue, who played Billy Campbell on Melrose Place. His older sister Elisabeth does quite a lot of acting as well,” Clark says.

• A plaque honoring Matt Besler as the National Soccer Coaches Association of America’s 2008 National Collegiate Scholar-Athlete.

• Another plaque noting Notre Dame’s BIG EAST Conference 2011 Team Fair Play award.

• There’s a color team photo on the back wall from Clark’s 1976 San Antonio Thunder squad from the North American Soccer League (NASL). Clark is kneeling in the middle of the front row.

“I came over in the summer because the European season was August to April and so the American season was the offseason there,” says Clark.

In addition, there’s a ball from Notre Dame’s Sept. 11, 2011, victory over Bucknell that gave Clark 129 wins and made him the winningest coach in Irish men’s soccer history.

There’s more to be found in the outer office: • A collage of shots of former Irish coach Mike Berticelli and a plaque listing years and winners of the team’s annual Bert Award.

• Plaques from the NSCAA signifying Irish poll rankings in 2003-04-05-0607-08-10-12.

• Three autographed team photos, including one from the 2003 BIG EAST championship squad.

• NSCAA Team Academic Award plaques from 2010, 2011 and 2012.

All this combines to provide a series of snapshots of a playing and coaching career that has taken Clark around the globe and spanned more than half a century.

As a head coach at Dartmouth (1985-93), Stanford (1996-2000) and now Notre Dame (2001-current), he has firmly established himself as one of the elite coaches at the NCAA level.

Yet none of it indicates the most recent successes of Clark’s Irish squads -- the number-one NCAA Championship seed from the 2012 postseason bracket and a number-one ranking from earlier this fall.

And, so, maybe the best is yet to come.

THE 2013 FIGHTING IRISH 21

2013 UNIVERSITY OF NOTRE DAME MEN’S SOCCER

NCAA CHAMPIONSHIP OCTOBER 24, 2013

Harrison

SHIPP A SENIOR CLASS

AWARD FINALIST

Head coach Bobby Clark calls Harrison Shipp “The Little Wizard” for his craftiness on the soccer pitch. It’s not hard to believe that Shipp, a senior forward on the second-ranked Notre Dame men’s soccer team, may have some magical powers when you consider what he’s able to accomplish on the field, in the classroom and in the community.

Shipp recently was named one of 10 finalists for the Senior CLASS Award in the men’s soccer division. To be eligible for the award, a student-athlete must be classified as an NCAA Division I senior and have notable achievements in four areas of excellence - community, classroom, character and competition. An acronym for Celebrating Loyalty and Achievement for Staying in School ®, the Senior CLASS Award focuses on the total student-athlete and encourages students to use their platform in athletics to make a positive impact as leaders in their communities.

“One of the reasons I came to Notre Dame was that the school offered more than just a soccer-playing experience,” Shipp said after he was named a Senior CLASS Award candidate in August. “It’s nice to be

recognized for those things besides just soccer. Obviously this time of year there is a major emphasis on soccer, but I think it’s important to keep those other aspects in mind because it is such an important part of the South Bend community.”

Notre Dame’s 17-4-1 campaign that saw the Irish win the BIG EAST Championship and earn the overall No. 1 seed for the NCAA Championship. He has never missed a match during his Notre Dame career and has produced 17 goals and 20 assists in 73 games.

Shipp is having a career-best season on the field and is a key reason why Notre Dame is undefeated (8-05, 5-0-3 ACC) and currently tied with Wake Forest for first place in the Atlantic Coast Conference standings. The forward has team-high totals in goals (6) and assists (6). Three of his goals have been game winners, including the golden goal in a 2-1 victory at Clemson. He also tallied Notre Dame’s first goal in the win over the Tigers, which was part of a career-best seven-game point streak for Shipp.

A dean’s list selection each of the last five semesters, Shipp boasts a 3.883 cumulative GPA as a finance major in Notre Dame’s nationally-ranked Mendoza College of Business. He was named to the 2012 Capital One Academic All-America Second Team for excelling both on the field and in the classroom.

Along with being one of the top players on the Notre Dame squad, he is a two-time recipient of the team’s Knute Rockne Scholar-Athlete Award (2011 & 2012) and was a BIG EAST Academic All-Star on three occasions (2010-12).

Last season, Shipp notched six goals and six assists and was named Third Team All-BIG EAST and Second Team All-Great Lakes Region. He was a vital part of

Shipp and the rest of his Fighting Irish teammates participate in numerous service initiatives in the South

Bend/Notre Dame community. He also has been heavily involved in service work, including Habitat for Humanity, in his hometown of Lake Forest, Ill. In addition, Shipp is a member of Notre Dame’s Rosenthal Leadership Academy, which develops, challenges and supports student-athletes and coaches in their continual quest to become world-class leaders in athletics, academics and life.

The Senior CLASS Award finalists were chosen by a media committee from the list of 30 candidates announced in August. Nationwide fan voting begins immediately to help select the winner. Fans are encouraged to vote on the Senior CLASS Award website through November 25. Fan votes will be combined with media and Division I head coaches’ votes to determine the winner. The Senior CLASS Award winners will be announced during the 2013 NCAA College Cup® in December.

THE 2013 FIGHTING IRISH 23

2013 MEN’S SOCCER SENIOR CLASS AWARD FINALISTS Bryan Ciesiulka, Marquette Kevin Cope, Michigan State A.J. Corrado, Indiana Itode Fubara, East Tennessee State Nick Kristock, Oakland Mackenzie Pridham, Cal Poly Chris Ritter, Northwestern Harrison Shipp, Notre Dame Joe Sofia, UCLA Kyle Venter, New Mexico

2013 UNIVERSITY OF NOTRE DAME MEN’S SOCCER

NCAA CHAMPIONSHIP OCTOBER 26, 2013

TWO

IRISH

SOCCER PLAYERS NAMED

ACADEMIC ALL-AMERICANS Two University of Notre Dame soccer men’s standouts have earned the distinction of being named Capital One Academic All-Americans® for the 2013 campaign as chosen by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA). Harrison Shipp (Sr./F) and Patrick Hodan (So./M) were honored for their success on the field and in the classroom.

In addition to being selected to the Academic All-America First Team, Shipp was tapped as the Capital One Academic All-America of the Year® for Division I men’s soccer. He is the first Notre Dame men’s soccer player to earn that accolade and just the seventh in University history (see full list at the bottom of this release). The last Fighting Irish student-athlete to receive that honor was women’s soccer player Vanessa Pruzinsky in 2003.

PATRICK HODAN

UNIVERSITY OF NOTRE DAME ACADEMIC ALLAMERICANS OF THE YEAR Tim Ruddy - Academic All-American of the Year (Football - 1993) Jen Renola - Acacemic All-American of the Year (F/W Women’s At-Large - 1997) Pat Garrity - Academic All-American of the Year (Men’s Basketball - 1998) Ruth Riley - University Division Academic All-American of the Year (2001) Academic All-American of the Year (Women’s Basketball - 2001) Jarrah Meyers - Academic All-American of the Year (Softball - 2002) Vanessa Pruzinsky - Academic All-American of the Year (Women’s Soccer - 2003) Harrison Shipp - Academic All-American of the Year (Men’s Soccer - 2013)

Shipp (Lake Forest, Ill./Lake Forest) has compiled a stellar four-year career at Notre Dame and currently is enjoying his best season ever. Earlier this month he was named the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) Offensive Player of the Year after helping the Irish capture a share of the league’s regular-season title. Shipp leads the Irish in goals (11) and assists (8) this season and on Sunday he scored two goals in Notre Dame’s 4-0 victory over Wisconsin in the second round of the NCAA Championship. The two tallies matched a program record for goals scored in an NCAA tournament contest. He will take a six-game point streak into Sunday’s round-of-16 match against Wake Forest. Shipp had a career-best sevenmatch point streak earlier this season.

Shipp, a team captain, has never missed a match during his collegiate career and has recorded 22 goals and 22 assists in 80 games. Last season, he was named to the Academic All-America Second Team and now has the distinction of being the first two-time Academic AllAmerican in program history. He was a third team allBIG EAST pick last season and was on the BIG EAST Academic All-Star Team three times.

The forward boasts a 3.883 cumulative GPA as a finance major in Notre Dame’s top-ranked Mendoza College of Business. Shipp, who also is a finalist for the Senior CLASS Award, has been named to the dean’s list each of the last five semesters.

THE 2013 FIGHTING IRISH 25

HARRISON SHIPP Hodan (Brookfield, Wis./Marquette University High School) was voted to the Academic All-America Third Team. The sophomore midfielder joined Shipp in the scoring column of Sunday’s triumph of the Badgers as he netted his seventh goal of the season. Despite missing two matches with an injury, he still is second behind Shipp in goals, assists (5) and points (19) on the Fighting Irish squad, which will take a 13-1-6 (7-1-3 ACC) mark into Sunday’s clash with the Demon Deacons.

Hodan, an all-ACC second team selection, has found

the back of the net in each of the last three games, a career-best streak.

Business. He is the ninth Academic All-American in program history and the first sophomore to earn that honor.

Hodan has appeared in 40 matches during his first two seasons with the Fighting Irish and has registered 13 goals and 10 assists. Along with posting a solid rookie campaign on the field with six goals and five assists, he was on the dean’s list both semesters of his freshman year. Hodan earned BIG EAST all-rookie honors and a BIG EAST Academic All-Star nod last season and carries a 3.917 cumulative GPA in the Mendoza College of

Notre Dame is the only men’s program to have multiple players among the 33 Academic All-Americans for the 2013 campaign. Of the final 16 squads remaining in the NCAA Championship, only Notre Dame, Marquette and UCLA have an Academic All-American on its roster.

Notre Dame is one of just six schools with 2013 Academic All-Americans in both men’s and women’s soccer.

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NOVEMBER 28, 2013

HARRY SHIPP: The Wandering

WIZARD

OF NOTRE DAME SOCCER -- Pete LaFleur

Some day, a movie needs to be made about the life of Harrison “Harry” Shipp, the unassuming Notre Dame senior men’s soccer player who was recognized as the Capital One/CoSIDA Academic All-America of the Year® for Division I men’s soccer, as selected by the College Sports Information Directors of America.

Such a movie would need to have the feel of various epic films over the years that have depicted unique individuals, people of distinction who somehow seem to be operating on a different plane than the rest of us. You know the type of characters we are talking about here - those who leave you scratching your head, wondering: “Is this guy for real?”

We’re thinking something combining certain elements of “Forrest Gump,” “Benjamin Button,” “Rain Man” and Russell Crowe’s “A Beautiful Mind.” Throw in some of “Rudy” for the Notre Dame angle and diminutive character story line, maybe even add something akin to “Kicking and Screaming” for the early-life and comedic sequences (hey, you’ve got to have soccer in there

somewhere, and Will Ferrell in anything is box office gold, right?). If you ever saw the old Peter Sellers classic, “Being There,” some aspects of that film even could work, portraying a central figure who rarely speaks - but when he does, his words make a deep impact.

Chicago-area native has compiled virtually all A grades en route to a 3.88 cumulative gradepoint average, as a finance major in the nation’s top-ranked undergraduate business school. Only a couple A-minus marks and four B-plus grades have prevented him from attaining a 4.0.

And for the title of such a movie? Well, Shipp is the type of individual who has attracted various nicknames over the years. Legendary Notre Dame head coach Bobby Clark has attached the moniker of “Wizard” to Shipp, in reference to his magical play with the ball at his feet. A self-described nomad at times, Shipp also has amazed his teammates off the field, with some even coining the name “The Wanderer” to describe the senior forward’s uncanny ability to seemingly float in and out of his own life and the lives of others.

The 5-foot-9 playmaking frontrunner is the seventh individual (first since 2003) in Notre Dame’s storied athletics history to be recognized with a CoSIDA Academic All-American of the Year designation. A few weeks earlier, the nation’s premier collegiate soccer league, the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC), recognized Shipp as its Offensive Player of the Year, a huge honor for first-year ACC team Notre Dame.

So we give you “Harrison Shipp: The Wandering Wizard of Notre Dame Soccer,” coming soon to a theater near you.

But, in all seriousness, Shipp has weaved his own epic tale as a Notre Dame student-athlete.

Set to graduate in only three-and-a-half years, the

Now, Shipp’s days as a student-athlete are ticking down, but the team tri-captain still can help direct one final, major accomplishment for Bobby Clark’s team. The Irish, seeded third in the 2013 NCAA Championship, stand two games away from the college soccer promised land: playing on the final weekend in the College Cup, as one of four teams left standing.

The Notre Dame men’s soccer team twice has reached the NCAA quarterfinals (in 2006 and ‘07) but has yet to take that big step in reaching the final weekend. The next test comes Sunday night, Dec. 1 (7 ET), as the Irish play host to 14th-seeded Wake Forest. By advancing, Notre Dame then would face the winner of 11th-seed Michigan State at 6-seed Georgetown in the following week’s quarterfinal round.

And beyond the college season, Shipp is rated as one of the top collegiate prospects who are set to begin their professional playing careers in 2014 within Major League Soccer (MLS).

But before Shipp heads off to the MLS, his coaches and teammates hope he still has four games left to play for the Irish. And then, they will bid him a fond adieu.

“On the soccer field, Harry is a magician. I call him a wizard since he can conjure up amazing feats when none seem possible. Lastly, he has quietly grown into a true leader of the team.

He really doesn’t talk much, but what he does say has great meaning and carries tremendous weight within the team. He has been an absolute pleasure to coach, and we will miss him greatly.”

An in-depth feature profile of Shipp - the outline of our movie script, if you will - follows below, after some initial notes about Notre Dame’s history within the Academic All-America program.

AN ACADEMIC ALL-AMERICA TRADITION Notre Dame sophomore right-flank midfielder Patrick Hodan (Brookfield, Wis.) also was among the 33 total Division I men’s soccer players named to the 2013 CoSIDA Academic AllAmerica team, as a third-team selection. In the process, Notre Dame became the nation’s only DI men’s soccer team (from among 203) with multiple 2013 Academic All-Americans on its current roster. It also marked the first time that double honor has happened in the history of the Irish men’s soccer program.

Of the final 16 squads remaining in the 2013 NCAA Division I Men’s Soccer Championship, only Notre Dame, Marquette and UCLA have an Academic All-American on their rosters. Interestingly, the Marquette honoree (first team) is goalkeeper Charlie Lyon, a product of the same Chicago Fire developmental academy program that has helped sharpen Shipp’s skills.

Amidst the elite Atlantic Coast Conference, only Notre Dame and Clemson (first-team midfielder Thomas McNamara) can boast any 2013 Academic All-Americans.

Former Notre Dame basketball star post player Ruth Riley was named the 2000-01 Academic All-American of the Year encompassing all Division I women’s sports for that year, while soccer goalkeeper Jen Renola similarly was honored as Academic All-American of the Year for 199697 among an assortment of “at-large” sports, as some such as soccer did not transition to their own Academic All-American of the Year until 2001-02.

In addition to Riley, Renola and Shipp, the four others from Notre Dame who have received Academic All-American of the Year (each in their respective sport) have included: football offensive lineman Tim Ruddy (‘93), men’s basketball forward Pat Garrity (‘98), softball third base standout Jarrah Meyers (‘02), and women’s soccer defender Vanessa Pruzinksy (‘03).

Since the soccer-specific Academic All-American of the Year designation began in 2001, Notre Dame and North Carolina are the only schools that have produced both a men’s soccer and women’s soccer top honoree.

Notre Dame women’s soccer senior left back Elizabeth Tucker joined Shipp in receiving 2013 first team Academic All-America honors. The accounting major with the 4.0 cumulative GPA is the 15th student-athlete in Notre Dame athletics history to be named a first team Academic AllAmerican for multiple seasons (also in 2012).

With the honors for Shipp, Tucker and Hodan, Notre Dame joined five others - Marquette, Denver, West Virginia, Dayton and Kentucky - as the only schools with 2013 CoSIDA Academic AllAmericans in both men’s and women’s soccer.

Notre Dame and Seattle, which produced three women’s soccer Academic All-Americans, tied for the most combined soccer All-Americans (men and women) in 2013. Notre Dame ranks second all-time with 234 Academic All-Americans since the program’s inception in 1952.

During the past 15 years, 108 Notre Dame student-athletes (7.2 per year) have earned the Academic All-America distinction, third-most from any school in the country during that span.

Throughout Notre Dame’s athletics history, an elite group of high achievers has combined All-America and Academic All-America honors during their careers. That esteemed group of 63 all-time Notre Dame student-athletes - which includes former men’s soccer players Ryan Miller (2003-07) and Matt Besler (2005-08) - likely will be joined by Shipp, who surely will be adding some sort of official All-America honors to his 2013 awards haul.

Shipp and Hodan are the 50th different pair of Notre Dame teammates to earn CoSIDA Academic All-America honors during the same season, spanning nine different sports (also football, baseball, women’s basketball, softball, women’s soccer, men’s cross country, men’s track and field, and women’s track and field).

TIGHTLY-BUNCHED FAMILY Not too many people experience having three younger siblings when they are only three-anda-half years old themselves, but such was the case for Harrison Shipp. Twins Michael and Abby were the first to arrive, followed by sister Samantha, known by the family as “Sammy.”

Four kids under the age of four and the Shipp family was good to go, with Harry leading the way. “Even as a little kid, Harry always seemed like an old soul and was very helpful with his siblings,” recalls his appreciative mother, Kathleen Shipp.

THE 2013 FIGHTING IRISH

“Harry Shipp is the perfect example of what a Notre Dame student-athlete is all about,” says the ever-thankful coach Clark. “He is a nearperfect student who has wonderful time management skills.

Hodan, a second team all-ACC performer who intends to follow in Shipp’s footsteps by declaring his major as finance, carries a 3.917 cumulative GPA. The Wisconsin native ranks second on the 2013 team with 19 points (17 goals, 5 assists), trailing only Shipp’s 30 (11G-8A)

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Of course, if you fast-forward the timeline 18 years, that adds up to having all four Shipp children in college at the same time during the current 2013 fall semester. Harry and Michael, a pre-med student and sophomore defender on the Irish soccer team, are experiencing a special time together at Notre Dame. Abby is a sophomore business student at the University of Denver, playing non-varsity club soccer, and Sammy is in the midst of her freshman year at Vanderbilt, intending to major in organizational development and managerial studies.

Lifelong residents of the Chicago suburb of Lake Forest, the Shipp siblings have experienced the various stages of their young lives in similar time frames, with Harry always the first to try certain sports, head off to school, etc. All four of the siblings were together on Sunday, Nov. 24, as the sisters were on break from their respective schools and were able to cheer on Notre Dame’s dominating 4-0 win over Wisconsin in the second round of the NCAA tournament (Harry scored two of the goals).

“We took being together for granted over the years, but it’s harder now that we are going to three different colleges that are not in close proximity,” notes Harry.

“It’s always been nice for me and my siblings to experience the same stages of life at the same time. We grew up together and I always have had the three of them to talk to about things I’m going through. It’s interesting that we’re actually closer now, even though we see each other less.

Moments together are so rare, we appreciate them more when do get to have family time.”

Harry says he shares Abby’s calm demeanor and ability to seemingly “never get rattled,” while he and Michael obviously have a big tie through soccer, academics and Notre Dame.

Like most youngest children in bigger families, Sammy is the most outgoing - “she probably talks more than the three other siblings combined,” grins Harry.

“Sammy is incredibly smart and we have the same sense of humor. We always laugh at each other’s jokes. She also is the only one of us four who is not into soccer, probably because she got dragged to so many of her older siblings’ soccer tournaments growing up.”

SIBLING RIVALRY … BROTHERLY BOND

challenges he faced in this newfound independence.

Harry and Michael Shipp spent two years playing together at Lake Forest High School, followed, of course, by these past two seasons as teammates at Notre Dame. Michael was a high-scoring forward at Lake Forest, but he has converted to the defense at Notre Dame, where an injury limited his production this season

“I’ve always looked up to Harry as a soccer player. He’s been one of my role models for as long as I can remember,” says the equally proud younger brother.

“We had a great team at Lake Forest my senior year and I loved passing Michael the ball, putting him in position to score so many of those goals,” says the proud older brother, who served mostly as a midfielder during his prep days.

The brothers, who shared a bedroom for 18 years, were reunited at Notre Dame in the fall of 2012, although Michael’s draw to the University was more academic-driven. As a pre-med student (technically science pre-professional), the younger Shipp brother has a significantly more demanding curriculum.

“Initially, Michael was not sure if he wanted to play college soccer, because of the academic load he would be undertaking,” recalls Harry.

“When he first joined the soccer team here, he seemed nervous and lacked the type of confidence I had felt when coming in as a freshman.”

While Michael was adjusting to life as a collegiate student-athlete, Harry simply was adjusting to the concept of having his younger brother around.

“When Michael started his freshman year, it was like he was temporarily visiting and I did not grasp that I would be seeing him every day for the next couple years,” says Harry, flashing a little grin.

“He eventually settled in and got into the routine. I’m really proud of how well he is doing in soccer and of course in school. He’s definitely smarter than me. A big part of college is adjusting to the transition of living on your own, and he is doing it successfully at a great place like Notre Dame.”

Some early talks with his older brother gave Michael the encouragement he needed to become more confident and comfortable with the

“I probably never would have started playing soccer if Harry didn’t pick up the game at such a young age. I used to watch his practices and I felt like I was missing out. He always worked so much harder than everyone to get better. It’s been 15-plus years and he still inspires everyone around him to work harder.”

A running joke among the Shipp family members - but also within the Notre Dame men’s soccer program - revolves around one question: which brother is smarter, Harry or Michael (who nailed a 4.0 GPA during his freshman year)?

“It’s funny, in elementary and middle school Michael struggled a little bit academically, not wanting to do the work, and I was one who did a little bit better in school,” recalls Harry.

“But when we got to high school, it was flipped and Michael always was the one going above and beyond. And now it’s the same here at Notre Dame. I’m not quite as good as Michael in the academic realm, but I don’t think my parents can complain too much.”

During the recruiting process over the past few years, the Notre Dame coaching staff naturally developed a close relationship with the Shipp family.

“As a recruit, Harry was an easy admit, but according to his parents, he was the athlete in the family,” recalls Notre Dame associate head coach B.J. Craig, chuckling at the memory. “His brother Michael, we were told by the parents, he was the student.

“As coaches, we had to laugh when Harry received a 4.0 semester GPA for his marks.

Although Michael had the last laugh when he edged Harry by a point or two last semester [4.0 to 3.97]. Competition brings out the best in Harry, and he will be a success in life far beyond the soccer field.”

Shortly after the end of the 2013 spring semester, former Irish standout midfielder Dillon Powers was in a quandary. As one of several recent Notre Dame men’s soccer players to graduate in three-and-a-half years, before transitioning directly into his MLS career, Powers still had hoped to attend the May 18 graduation ceremony back on campus.

With the MLS schedule at its midseason fever pitch, Powers still was able to carve out a narrow window, catching an early-morning flight into Chicago on the day of commencement And who was there to pick him up? None other than Harry Shipp, more than willing to transport his former teammate to Notre Dame.

Now, this story does have one wrinkle.

“But, at the end of the day, I owed everything to Harry for that. If not for him, I don’t know if I would have made it to graduation on time.”

EARLY PASSION FOR THE BEAUTIFUL GAME The first time that Harry Shipp ever played a soccer game, as a five-year-old, his interest was piqued and he quickly became hooked (with a boost from one two-hour, Spanish-language broadcast, see below). A year later, as a firstgrader, Shipp experienced another epiphany: kids were playing soccer inside, allowing for year-round participation.

That revelation, ultimately, was it. Some kids specialize in a specific sport much later in life.

By the time he was 10, and in some cases a couple years earlier, Harry had tossed aside the tennis racket, ditched the basketball and started wearing exclusively soccer cleats (no more baseball spikes for this youngster). It was all soccer, all the time. And he still was in elementary school.

While driving home from that first game, Harry began pestering his mom. He knew there had to be something more to this game of soccer - he had an initial inkling that a “beautiful game” existed beyond this amoeba-like pack of five- and six-year olds. And he soon would get an answer to his question, leading to great interest and appreciation.

“Harry was asking me if soccer was ever played on TV, but all I could find was a Mexican League game on satellite,” recalls Kathleen Shipp. “He sat and watched it, in Spanish, not understanding a word, except of course I guess `goal,’ for the entire 90 minutes.”

In later years, as soccer became more accessible on TV, the young Harry Shipp became an avid follower of the Premier League, Barcelona and the Champion’s League.

Shipp’s second big “lightbulb” moment relative to soccer came while attending a first-grade birthday party that featured a novel activity: indoor soccer.

“Harry came back from that party very excited but also incredulous, amazed that he was only now finding out that you could play soccer all year long,” says his still-amazed mother. “Over the next few years, he had begged off all the other sports, except soccer, and a little golf.”

The Shipps signed up Harry for an indoor 4x4 league, submitting the paperwork as quickly as possible (no doubt to appease/pipe down their eager oldest child).

“Harry would play in a game, but then other kids wanted him to play on their teams. It kept happening and would morph into hours of consecutive games,” adds Kathleen Shipp.

Harry’s quick progression within the sport continued, including two trips to Barcelona, Spain (as a nine- and 10-year old) to participate in a soccer camp and tournament, with younger brother Michael tagging along. Travel soccer earlier had become a way of life for Harry, starting in the second grade. He led several of his teams to tournament titles, including a national championship for the Illinois ODP (Olympic Development Program), and he traveled to Italy and Argentina with two regional ODP teams.

Years later, as a 10th-grader, Shipp joined the U.S. Soccer Development Academy program at its inception, playing two years with the Chicago Magic and then spending his senior year with the Chicago Fire developmental program.

That valuable experience with the Fire came with one caveat, requiring a roundtrip drive that often covered three total hours, in order to play the sport he loved and do so at the highest level available at that time.

HOME AWAY FROM HOME Harry Shipp had plenty of connections to Notre Dame, even before he first stepped foot on the campus. His mother, the former Kathleen Welsh, is a Notre Dame graduate (‘82), as is her father, two of her brothers, her sister and a sister-in-law.

Terry Shipp, Harry’s father, has no direct family ties to Notre Dame … but he has the next best thing. Terry’s deceased father, Jack Shipp, can’t be explained as anything other than a classic member of the Notre Dame “subway alumni,” non-graduates who nonetheless feel a strong affinity to the school they never attended. Jack Shipp so loved Notre Dame that he named Terry after his favorite player, former Notre Dame quarterback and eventual Irish head coach Terry Brennan.

Kathleen Welsh had been a finance major at Notre Dame and later worked in the banking industry in the Chicago area for 12 years. Terry Shipp graduated from the University of Colorado in 1980 as CU’s top undergraduate business student and, for good measure, went on to be the top 4Q MBA student at Northwestern (‘82).

THE 2013 FIGHTING IRISH

“Apparently, right after Harry dropped me off, he ran out of gas,” explains Powers. “The coaches always give Harry a hard time, wondering which Shipp brother is the smartest. So of course they could not resist, telling Harry things like `Michael would never have made that mistake.’

The initial spark was lit after Shipp’s first AYSO recreational soccer game, while playing alongside many of his kindergarten classmates. You know the scene: a pack of kids chasing a ball, some easily distracted by their parents in the crowd, or by something in their own nose. Not exactly the Premier League.

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ACADEMIC STANDARDS & LESSONS Throughout Clark’s 12-year tenure at Notre Dame, and in the years under his predecessor Mike Berticelli, the Irish men’s soccer team has achieved academic excellence as a group and individually. Over the past 19 years, Notre Dame men’s soccer players now have combined to earn CoSIDA Academic All-America honors 10 times, with Shipp the first repeat honoree (he was named to the second team in 2012).

Hodan has his own distinction, as the program’s first player to earn Academic All-America honors during his sophomore season.

In addition to being at Academic All-American while at Notre Dame, current U.S. National Team defender Matt Besler was named the 2008 Scholar-Athlete of the Year, by the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (still TBA for 2013). Grant Van De Casteele, the team’s current fifth-year central defender, was a potential 2013 Academic All-American, after being named the BIG EAST Conference Male Scholar-Athlete of the Year (for all sports) one year earlier. He carries a 3.72 cumulative GPA, as a double major in finance and economics.

When asked to identify his greatest academic influence at Notre Dame, Shipp did not hesitate.

The person who has impacted him the most in the academic realm is the same individual who has shaped his life most on the soccer field: Bobby Clark, affectionately known as “Boss” to all of his players, past and present.

“I’m willing to bet that `Boss’ does a better job than any other college soccer coach in the country in terms of stressing academics on an everyday basis,” declares Shipp, a participant in the Notre Dame Athletics Rosenthal Leadership Academy. “On a fundamental level, he teaches us to use time efficiently and has certain policies, like the first two hours of every road trip are for study hall, with no movies.

“The academic climate within our team and the program gets ingrained within you pretty quickly. It’s really second-nature and just as much a part of who we all are as is our soccer playing style.”

Clark, who was trained as a teacher in his native Scotland, regularly provides his players with suggestions and tidbits for their academic livelihoods. The longtime coach stresses the importance of forming relationships with teachers early in the semester because, notes Shipp, “a teacher who knows you and understands you is more likely to help you out when you’re traveling and having to make up tests and assignments.

“The really effective thing is that `Boss’ will bring up these academic reminders in unexpected situations, like right after a big game in the postgame speech. Instead of focusing on the game we just played, he will jar us with reminders about getting ahead in our studies or talking to professors about having to miss a couple days for a trip. You take those message more to heart because you aren’t expecting it and it’s more impactful.”

At the end of the day, Clark’s focus on taking care of the little things on the academic side “makes life more fun and less stressful about the soccer - it all helps us play better,” adds Shipp.

MATH WIZARDRY From his early days at Everett Elementary, Harry Shipp always excelled in the studies of math and science. As a second-grader, he was allowed to move to the back of the classroom and work on his own, completing more advanced math packets.

“Even now, I really enjoy doing math and analytical puzzles, figuring things out for myself,” says Shipp. “It’s challenging, but fun at the same time.”

As this story progresses, you will begin to sense a pattern throughout the arc of Harry Shipp’s relatively young life. There are classic anecdotes, stories and memories that provide great glimpses into different stages of his development.

One such phenomena unfolded before Harry’s class had even begun learning addition and subtraction. But Terry and Kathlenn Shipp’s oldest son already had that stuff mastered, with several little twists.

As Harry’s mother tells it, he always was comfortable with numbers well before attending

school. He could understand the concept of negative numbers, often blurting out things such as, “Mom, guess what 100 minus 100 minus 100 is? … And he would answer his own question: “Negative 100.”

Young Harry also understood the concept of time, such as the fact that 6:40 and 20 `till 7 were the same (come on, there’s adults out there who struggle with that, right?). Eventually, he “even could add three-digit numbers intuitively from left to right, rather than how it is taught in school from right to left,” explains Kathleen Shipp.

Harry also showed early signs of having an amazing visual memory, able to watch a soccer or golf event on TV and then accurately imitate the action. After playing in a game, he could precisely recall the jersey numbers of all opposing players and could recant the scores of basketball games months later.

Such advanced memory skills naturally transferred over to his academic pursuits. Tests and homework required little time. The phrase “cramming for an exam” never seems to have been part of Harry Shipp’s lexicon.

Remember that Rain Man reference in the introduction to this article? Make a little more sense now?

Harry’s mathematical wizardry from a young age even extended to the realm of sports on TV, while watching football games with his father and adding up hypothetical scoring for each team that could yield possible new scores. Anyone who knows Harry now can easily envision it: “Dad, if the Bears score a touchdown and get a safety and then the Vikings get a touchdown but miss the extra point, then it will be 30-29 and the Bears still would win.”

It all seems amazing now. Back then, not so much.

“None of these things seemed odd to us at the time, since Harry was our oldest child, until friends started commenting,” explains Kathleen Shipp. Formal testing soon revealed that Harry was able to analyze, interpret, store and retrieve data efficiently - so much so that he was placed on a gifted track throughout the rest of

elementary school, followed by a slew of AP courses in high school.

High school, it turns out, was “more of a task to be completed than it was academically interesting for Harry,” notes his mother. Having committed to Notre Dame in October of his junior year, Shipp’s final two years of high school essentially were devoid of much motivation from an academic standpoint.

After years of ho-hum classwork, Harry Shipp headed off to Notre Dame. Would it be more of the same?

“It was the first time he actually seemed interested and challenged academically. Now, he is finishing his last 16 credits and will be graduating in December - hard to believe.”

A BACKGROUND IN BUSINESS

Three of Shipp’s non-A grades came during his freshman year, mostly in his “weak spot” of English and writing. Those first-year classes - in Composition, Freshman Writing Seminar, and Microeconomics - each delivered a B+ grade, as did a sophomore-year class called The Catholic Faith. But Shipp sailed through both semesters of his junior year, with nary a B on either report card.

Shipp’s most challenging class so far at Notre Dame, although he earned an A, has been Foresight in Business and Society.

“That class was extremely open-ended and forced us to think about sustainability in business on a global level,” explains Shipp. “The class involved an extremely large analytical group project and a long paper of our choice.

Our group studied the macroeconomic effects on host countries of the World Cup and Summer Olympics, and under what conditions could a country expect to benefit from hosting such an event.”

Despite growing up around his father Terry, a founding partner of the Merit Capital private equity firm based out of Chicago, Harry Shipp never knew much about the inner dealings of the financial world. That is, of course, until he came to Notre Dame and ultimately became a finance major. It’s not as if father and son used to crouch over their cereal bowls each morning, chatting about the markets.

Of course, all students must complete electives outside of their major. Shipp’s favorite non-business class is one that he enrolled in largely because its four-credit status allowed him to reach the 16 total credits this semester needed to graduate. Unless you work for the University registrar or have a deep knowledge of the Notre Dame course catalog, we’re pretty sure you would never guess what course Harry signed up for.

“When I came to college, I didn’t know what finance exactly meant,” admits Shipp, whose plan to give engineering a try was diverted by veteran teammates who advised against such an ambitious goal.

“I’ve really enjoyed my Introduction to Portuguese class,” reveals Shipp, who conceivably could go to Brazil for the 2014 World Cup or 2016 Summer Olympics and actually have an intelligible conversation with the native speakers.

“I’ve had some amazing teachers and taken a series of great courses that have shown me a lot of real-world examples and situations, ones that have opened my eyes to how companies really are run.”

Any time a senior has a GPA north of a 3.8, it’s always interesting to ask: what’s the deal, what went wrong? Over the course of his first

“Our professor Sandra Teixeira makes class so enjoyable to come to every day. She cares so much about her students and I have frequently seen her in attendance at our soccer games, waving her Brazilian flag in the crowd.”

Much as he caught “soccer fever” some 15 years earlier, Shipp got the bug for finance

when taking the Introduction to Finance course, taught by well-respected Notre Dame professor Carl Ackermann. One thing you need to know about Ackermann: this is not some teacher with cursory knowledge of sports, who might think that soccer players score “points” or that baseball is controlled by referees.

No, Carl Ackermann is a hard-core soccer fan, having refereed for several years within the old APSL (American Professional Soccer League) but now directing his energies in support of the Notre Dame soccer teams along with his son’s Junior Irish squad. It goes without saying that he and Shipp have great appreciation for one another.

“Professor Ackermann has the ability to get his students to have a different approach to finance.

Most importantly, he shows his students that you can use finance to really make a difference in the world, beyond just the numbers and calculations,” notes Shipp.

When Shipp began attending his intro class a couple years ago, Ackermann took note that the soccer player selected a second-row seat, squarely in the middle. The sophomore routinely would arrive early for class, with one benefit of course being getting his pick of seats. The professor notes that Shipp never missed a day and was seated in the same location for each of the 30 classes during that semester.

“Some people are eager to look for reasons to criticize athletes in the classroom, but that’s not possible with someone like Harry Shipp,” explains Ackermann. “He always was attentive throughout each class, and his eyes were directed at me, listening to what I was saying and watching what I was doing.

“There were about 500 students in the class, and he was the only one who exhibited this kind of special behavior and attentiveness. And, oh, by the way - that student in this year’s class is none other than his teammate, Patrick Hodan, no surprise as he is the team’s other Academic All-American.”

Ackermann must know how Shipp’s teachers felt during his pre-college days. “I work very hard to make my class a challenging course, but I don’t know if it challenged Harry,” admits the

THE 2013 FIGHTING IRISH

“Based on how Harry had excelled in academics since he was a little kid, I was shocked and overjoyed to hear him rattling on about his classes as I was driving him home for Christmas break during his freshman year,” says Kathleen Shipp.

six semesters at Notre Dame, Shipp’s extended courseload has yielded virtually all As, plus a couple A-minuses and four pesky B-plus grades.

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15-year Notre Dame faculty veteran. “That’s just evidence of how gifted, talented and hardworking he is.”

Shipp’s favorite business classes also have included one entitled Behavioral Finance, a class that essentially negates, or amends, much of what the students have previously learned.

“That class looks at psychological concepts to show how people choose things and why they do so. It explores case samples where things were not valued correctly and when markets were not perfect,” explains Shipp. “On one hand, you may study a financial textbook about choices people might make, but this class presents other external factors that might alter those choices. You come to understand why some choices may not seem rational, but they end up making sense.

“I enjoy doing basic finance stuff, but I actually enjoy more learning about examples when the textbooks are wrong. In the real world, things are not perfect.”

FOLLOW THE LEADER Whether he realizes it or not, Shipp has been molding Hodan to follow in his footsteps. The younger Academic All-American and fellow Midwesterner plans to declare his major in finance. But possibly the most telling similarity between Shipp and Hodan can be seen in their awareness level and selflessness.

CONSIDER THIS ANECDOTAL EVIDENCE, PROVIDED

BY NOTRE DAME’S ASSOCIATE HEAD COACH: “Harry not only serves the community off the field, but is a servant leader for his teammates by example,” says Craig. “After traveling back from elimination in the ACC tournament, from a game that felt like a defeat, both Harry and Patrick Hodan were found cleaning out the bus while everyone else was inside taking care of things.

“Our top two players in points, both Academic All-Americans, quietly doing the dirty work for the team. It is this humility in life that gives Harry the drive to keep improving as a person and player, influencing our team attitude in everything we do.”

Hodan developed his academic skills over the years at St. John Vienney Elementary School and Marquette University High School. The son of a lawyer (Patrick, Sr.) and a former nurse, mom Kerry, the Hodan’s oldest child has two younger sisters, both athletes: Bridget, a gymnast who will compete next year at the University of Illinois, and Colleen, a ninth-grade track athlete specializing in short distances.

If they are lucky, children can benefit from parents who give them attention on various levels, including academic discourse that often can be disguised as fun games. Such was the case in the Hodan household.

“My parents always have placed an importance on education and my dad often would quiz me on capitals of countries and states. I got to the point where I knew quite a few of them,” says Patrick, Jr. “Sitting around the dinner table, my dad would bring up various current events and then suddenly blurt out a question like: `And what’s the capital of that country?’

“It was a great way to learn about the world while sharing the education process, even in a small way, with your family.”

While primarily preferring math and science coursework during his youth, Hodan also developed an affinity for history and social studies.

In fact, one of favorite classes at Notre Dame is non-business related, a history seminar entitled Lincoln in America.

“Abraham Lincoln is one of my favorite historical figures and I’ve always been interested in politics” says Hodan. “I really enjoyed learning about how Lincoln progressed as a leader and how his childhood affected his politics and his views of slavery. He was very good with his maneuvering and very good tactically with the timing of different aspects of his administration.”

Hodan, a product of the FC Milwaukee club program, shouldered a bigger-than-expected load with the Irish as a freshman in 2012, after preseason ACL injuries ended the collegiate careers of veteran flank midfielders Michael Rose and Adam Mena. The sophomore midfielder then took his game to another level this season, after looking to improve directly on his defense and fitness.

One of Hodan’s most noteworthy attributes is his ability on the ball, both dribbling and serving, as a natural leftfooted player. One would assume that he would be playing on the left flank rather than the right, and if Hodan indeed was on the right, then certainly the midfielder on the left would be another leftfooter, right?

In actuality, the two midfielders who usually are playing on the left side for the Irish this season are a pair of rightfooted players, senior Leon Brown and Hodan’s fellow sophomore Evan Panken. Don’t worry, it’s by design.

“We have our flank midfielders set up this way so that we can cut into our strong foot, so for me I play on the right but am cutting in with my left,” explains Hodan, who writes with his left but throws righthanded. “You are starting to see more teams go with this approach for positioning the flank midfielders, and it has worked well for us.”

TRAVELING ON A DIFFERENT PLANE Several of Shipp’s unique character traits, some of them almost “trademark” quality, have been referenced above. When you consider these elements, some of them quirky to be sure, and then take into account even further aspects of his personality, it seems as if … well, it kind of seems like the guy often is traveling on a different plane than the rest of us.

“One thing I can say about Harry is that he is very comfortable in his own skin, not feeling any need to conform with what is popular or accepted,” says Kathleen Shipp, who certainly would qualify as an expert when it comes to her first-born child. “He also operates within a narrow emotional band, never too high or too low.

“In soccer, Harry is competitive and confident for the team, yet unselfish and humble individually. He also has these instincts and a sense of intuition, whether it be in a social setting, academics or sports. Often, he can’t tell you exactly why he chose to do something. He just makes decisions and moves on, without second-guessing or regrets.”

One such example occurred after Shipp made a verbal commitment to Notre Dame early in his

junior year at Lake Forest High School. “After he made that college decision, he was done with it,” adds Harry’s proud and articulate mom. “He is not a shopper and relies more heavily on his own assessments than others. He is not affected by praise, nor does it motivate him.”

is a futon mattress on the floor, and he has not unpacked any of his stuff. All of his clothes still are in boxes in his room. Sometimes he just goes to the locker room to get ready for the day and will show up wearing nothing but our official team gear, for like four days straight.”

Shipp’s family and teammates alike have come to expect his mismatched socks, bright clashing colors, odd haircuts and ungroomed facial hair.

His youngest sister, Sammy, possibly put it best when she said: “Harry is super smart, but he hides it well.” Albert Einstein, with that crazy hair and generally disheveled look, would be proud.

When asked to provide some unknown-to-most snippets about his brother, Michael Shipp gladly obliged with these responses about Harry:

“Last year it was a mega pop star that he listened to and this year, some fairly random indyrock band that just released their EP during preseason,” laughs junior Vince Cicciarelli, Shipp’s fellow frontrunner in Notre Dame’s usual 4-4-2 formation.

“But that’s Harry for you. He can be all over the place, and yet he’s always in control and knows what he is doing, well in advance I might add. He is his own character. It’s just crazy to think that this hilarious, goofy kid is one of the best soccer players in the country and also is a genius in the classroom, at the nation’s No. 1 business school.”

Adds Powers: “You would think with all of Harry’s diverse talents and accolades, he would be more uptight and anxious, and a perfectionist.

But he just does not emit that vibe, at all.”

Even though the current semester almost is over, Shipp’s bedroom in his off-campus house looks as if he just moved in. Again, a manifestation of his one-of-a-kind essence.

“Harry likes to call himself a nomad and my nickname for him is The Wanderer,” continues Cicciarelli. “He doesn’t even have a real bed. It

2. He started playing golf when he was a few years old and he’s actually a very good golfer.

3. He started doing hot yoga this past summer.

4. The whole facial hair thing started last year.

He finally found out he could grow it, so he didn’t shave for the entire second semester.

5. We liked to ski together as we were growing up, but he hasn’t gone to ski since he’s been at ND, because he doesn’t want to get hurt.

6. He always has come off as being pretty shy.

But when he’s around me and my family, he’s a jokester who likes pulling pranks, especially on my sisters.

7. My twin sister Abby cuts his hair when he’s home.

Even Carl Ackermann, the soccer-crazed finance professor, has Harry Shipp stories to tell, in particular about that social intuition that Kathleen Schipp mentioned above.

“There will be times I see Harry out around campus and he greets me and we have a little chat,” says Ackermann. “Harry always looks you in the eye when talking with you, but he also has high management mastered, in terms of personal interaction, better than most anybody, especially grown adults.

“He always is very friendly and attentive, but he also has this sixth sense to realize when I am out of material, with nothing of substance left to say. Rather than engaging in awkward, somewhat wasteful, small talk, he shakes my hand, says great to see you, and moves on. He knows exactly when to enter and leave a social setting, and I really admire him for that.”

But don’t let him fool you.

AN ELITE TALENT A look into Shipp’s actual soccer skill deliberately was pushed to the bottom of this feature profile. After all, highlighting his athletic side when there is so much else, well, that would have been boring.

It’s safe to assume that Harry Shipp always has been “vertically challenged,” officially listed at 5-foot-9 to “tower” over only three of his teammates on a squad of nearly 30. It’s not as if he was 5-foot-5 in the third grade and then barely kept growing. It’s been a lifelong challenge.

“From an early age, I was able to counteract being undersized by developing the technical aspects of my game,” says Shipp, who checked in at only 5-3 and 104 pounds at the end of his eigth-grade year.

“I also was forced to think faster than opponents, because I was much smaller and less athletic. Even when I finally had a growth spurt, growing several inches taller during my sophomore year of high school, it took me quite a long time to get used to the new height.”

Six years later, Shipp stands as one of Notre Dame’s big men on campus, if not literally than certainly figuratively.

It’s interesting to look back at Shipp’s soccer resume and discover no significant youth national team experience, beyond the state and regional ODP levels. A player who never has worn any sort of Team USA jersey now finds himself among the most coveted professional prospects in all of collegiate soccer.

Due to having a later birthdate than the majority of his classmates growing up, Shipp’s height and development deficiencies were magnified.

But late in his high school career and on into college, the playing field leveled out, one way or another.

“At Notre Dame, I’ve been able to develop by becoming even faster, both physically and men-

THE 2013 FIGHTING IRISH

Affectionately known by his teammates as a “goofy kid,” Shipp truly marches to the beat of his own drummer … and to his own eclectically diverse music, it would seem. During pregame preparations, he typically listens to the same musical artist throughout that season. A year ago?

Taylor Swift. This season? Small Pools. Umm, yes, we also had to look it up.

1. He won a mother-son paddle tennis tournament in sixth grade, with a broken left arm.

A truly complex (yet paradoxically simplistic?) young man indeed, this Harrison Shipp. At one minute, seemingly aloof and scattered. …

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tally,” explains Shipp. “The ability to think faster than most of my opponents has propelled me to the success I’ve had recently.”

Craig notes that, “while it is easy to watch Harry’s magic on display, what makes him special is his willingness to do the dirty work.” Early in Shipp’s freshman season, the coaches called him out during a team video session for not pressuring the ball when the Irish did not have possession.

“Harry didn’t say much after that critique, but he clearly took it to heart and has proven, ever since that day, to be one of the best pressuring players in the country,” adds the Irish associate head coach. “Great players like Harry simply make those around them better, while still having the ability to change a game themselves when the task calls.”

Shipp played what amounted to a true reserve role as a freshman, but we need to clarify that the statistic of games started should be thrown out the window when looking back at the 2011 and ‘12 seasons. It was then that Clark and his staff implemented a brilliant plan, opting to not start Shipp and fellow forward Ryan Finley, before unleashing them on the opponent in the middle of the first half (and for the remainder of the game).

Finley, who had played his first two seasons at Duke, formed a dangerous duo when linking up with Shipp during those two seasons together.

“It’s funny, but people may look back at the stats for Ryan and me during those seasons and see we did not start, but we actually ended up playing 70 minutes or so every game,” notes Shipp.

“We both would use those first 20 minutes on the bench to observe the opposing defense, and we would devise a plan on how to attack them.

Not starting took a little bit of getting used to, but you began to see what a great benefit it was to the team. That experience taught me a lot about patience and accepting my role.”

With Shipp’s deft passing and on-field anticipation regularly putting Finley into great position, the Duke transfer erupted for 21 goals in 22 games during the 2012 season and was one of three finalists for the prestigious MAC Hermann Trophy (national player of the year).

Despite the departure of Finley and dynamic midfielder Powers, who recently was named the MLS 2013 Rookie of the Year, Shipp has only raised his game in his final collegiate season.

Such continued high-end success involved making a new connection with Finley’s replacement, Cicciarelli, who did not play as a freshman in 2011 and missed all of the ‘12 season due to an ACL knee injury. Shipp and Cicciarelli gained their first extensive experience playing together during the 2013 spring season, which proved to be a valuable adjustment period.

“Ryan Finley is more of a technical forward and I am more power, using my athleticism to create my own chances,” says Cicciarelli. “Harry and I actually did not sync quickly at first and a lot of that can be attributed to the fact that Harry is such a unique player. There are not many who do what he does.

“Over time, I could anticipate those littlest touches he uses to evade defenders and I could make my run knowing what sort of pass he had in the back of his mind. Once I got a handle on playing with Harry midway though the spring, it was pretty awesome because he makes my job a lot easier.”

Shipp’s brilliance involves many elements that don’t show up in the boxscore. There’s the nonstop work rate, in soccer parlance known as whistle-to-whistle intensity. There’s the sparkplug effect that ignites the Notre Dame offense, becoming contagious as it spreads to the rest of the team. And then there’s the pure technical skill on the ball, aptly called “witty playmaking” by many of his teammates, who in the past dubbed him “Scooter,” as he would seemingly glide around the field while never losing his dribble.

Realizing that the more casual soccer fans, or those regulated to SportsCenter highlights, likely would not fully appreciate Shipp’s excellence on the field, Cicciarelli drew a bold comparison, one that does a great job clearing the view.

“For a non-soccer person, if you see Lionel Messi’s highlights, the way he is so shifty and crafty, doing things no one would ever predict, well, Harrison Shipp is the U.S. college version of a player like Messi,” proclaims Cicciarelli. “You even could relate Harry to a great point guard in basketball, like Steve Nash in his prime.”

Cicciarelli is quick to add that Messi checks in “at only 5-5 or 5-6, 145 pounds, but he is widely considered the best player in the world right now. Harry has that quickness and magical touch with the ball, so size and athleticism doesn’t really matter, because no one else has that skill.”

PRIME PROFESSIONAL PROSPECT Although the 2014 MLS Super Draft (Jan. 16) still is several weeks away - and, ostensibly, Shipp may not even be part of the draft as a potential homegrown-product designation to the Chicago Fire - there have been several projections that rank Shipp as a top-5 prospect among collegians who are set to enter the MLS. Shipp has been included on that short list of top MLS prospects, alongside the likes of fellow forwards Patrick Mullins (Maryland) and Steve Neumann (Georgetown), defenders Steve Birnbaum (California) and Kyle Venter (New Mexico), and midfielders Pedro Ribeiro (Coastal Carolina) and Jared Watts (Wake Forest). As a team, Notre Dame joined its upcoming opponent Wake Forest in each featuring five different players (most from any team) on a top-100 list of prospects for the 2014 MLS Super Draft (per TopDrawerSoccer.com). Other Irish players on that list include the aforementioned center back Van DeCasteele in the top 25, right back Luke Mishu on the fringe of the top 50, and two others (center back Andrew O’Malley and forward/midfielder Brown) also listed among the top 100.

Notre Dame NCAA round-of-16 game at Alumni Stadium likely will see Shipp doing battle against Wake Forest’s Watts, generally considered the top defensive midfielder in collegiate soccer today.

Every college sport annually features players who are elite-level talents on the collegiate level but do not project to a similar status on the professional stage. Shipp, despite his diminutive stature, does not appear to be such a “limited ceiling” talent.

“Some people might knock Harry’s size, but I don’t see that being an issue,” says Powers, who estimates that he has watched 80 percent of the Notre Dame men’s soccer games this season online.

Anyone who saw the movie A Beautiful Mind, starring Russell Crowe as Nobel Laureate John Nash, can remember the main character’s ability to observe a real-like situation and rearrange it spatially, shifting various objects through a series of anticipated movements.

While clearly not on John Nash’s level, Shipp has shown the ability to use his deeply analytical mind when approaching the game of soccer - a unique skill that could further aid his transition into the professional game.

“Harry’s analytical mind definitely helps him on the soccer field, as he can see shapes and patterns developing as if he is viewing the game from above,” explains Kathleen Shipp.

When Shipp’s playing career is over, possibly 10 or so years down the line, he likely will pursue a career in the financial sector, hearkening back to the many lessons he has learned as an undergraduate at Notre Dame.

Shipp recently asked Ackermann if they could meet to discuss Harry’s opportunities and prospects for the future. Knowing that such a meeting would entail a lot of detail, the professor suggested they block out an hour … but Harry felt it could be done in half that time.

It turns out, Harry was dead-on.

“I could not believe how much ground we covered in half an hour, basically in half the time it would have taken with another even strong student,” recalls Ackermann. “Harry had done his research coming in and had very pointed and directed questions. We would quickly shut off certain avenues and pursue others he was interested in.

“The sky is the limit for Harry. Like many athletes, he likely will reach his true calling and potential later in life, when things slow down a bit. But with his tremendous leadership and time management skills, imagine all that energy and focus devoted for a single profession. All I can say is, look out when Harry Shipp bursts on the scene.”

Ackermann notes that Notre Dame finance majors, like all students in the Mendoza College of Business, are required to take a Business Ethics course. Many of the specific finance classes, including his own, stress to their students that the finance industry can help those in need - essentially, that it can encompass more than simple wealth creation and management.

“The Business Ethics classes, often taught by priests, help our students appreciate the potential ethical dilemmas they could face later in their business careers,” says Ackermann. “With many of the recent major corporate controversies, it often would have taken only one person in the room to stand up and ask, `Are we comfortable with this?’

“Our charge to our students is to be that person preventing some future corporate scandal.

Someone like Harry Shipp clearly would be that guy, waiting for the right time and speaking his mind, and people would really take notice. His words always are well-chosen, meaningful and impactful.”

LITTLE THINGS … LEADING TO BIG THINGS With the sand slipping through the hourglass of his college career, Shipp remains grateful for the special experience afforded him.

“The most important thing that Notre Dame has given me is a greater passion for things I do,” says Shipp. “Beginning freshman year, I was genuinely interested in the subjects that I had chosen and I love coming to practice every day, even more now than ever. Everyone associated with the program puts such an emphasis on growth and development, that it’s impossible not to get excited every day. There is a special level of trust and mutual respect amongst the team and coaches.

“I also believe that a very strong focus on `the little things’ has been such a crucial part to my growth here at Notre Dame. An example of this would be after a tough overtime game, rather than going on and on about how proud he was of us, our coach instead would talk about how to already prepare for the next game and then to make sure we leave the visitors’ locker room even cleaner than when we first arrived.”

Such “little things” over the years also have included treating the team’s bus drivers and other support personnel as if they were part of the coaching staff. “It’s all about `who we are, where we are, and what we represent’ whenever we are traveling or making public appearances,” concludes Shipp. “It is for these life lessons that I am most grateful towards Notre Dame and our soccer program.”

So speaketh the Wondering Wizard of Notre Dame men’s soccer.

End scene.

THE 2013 FIGHTING IRISH

“Harry will adapt to the pro game really quickly and is going to have a lot of success in the MLS, because he is a smart player. “Harry can really unlock defenses, and that is what teams will be looking for. I watched some of the Notre Dame games this season with some of my Rapids teammates, and they were pretty impressed with Harry and the way he plays the game. I’ve never had a connection with any other teammate like I had with Harry. It’s been great watching him somehow take it to another level this season - he has a hunger to get on the ball, make plays and will the team to a win.”

(FINANCIAL) PLANNING FOR THE FUTURE

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DECEMBER 1, 2013

BOBBY CLARK: Teaching To

WIN &

`HURRY SLOWLY’

When you hear Bobby Clark’s voice from afar, you can picture his face.

And when you see his face, beyond earshot, you still can hear that voice. It’s there, bouncing around your head - like one of those super bouncy balls, except in slow motion.

Whether it’s his classic Scottish accent or that impish grin, with a little twinkle in the eye, it’s all genuine. It’s Bobby Clark. They are his trademarks, and if you get them together, the voice and the grin, well that’s a bonus.

But, there’s much, much more. This is no simple happy-go-lucky coach, a “great guy” who makes us all feel better. You see, when you are a coach for a program, and at a university that believes in the value of excellence - which certainly includes winning - it’s never enough just to be a great guy.

But it’s a great starting point.

The Notre Dame men’s soccer coach, now in his (lucky?) 13th season guiding the Irish, once again has his team on the precipice - oh, so close, to college soccer’s promised land. Clark’s 2013 squad heads into Sunday night’s NCAA round-of-16 game versus Wake Forest only a couple steps away from reaching the College Cup’s final weekend, a spot in the national semifinal field.

When visiting with Bobby Clark’s past players and assistant coaches - whether they be from Dartmouth (1985-93), Stanford (1996-2000) or Notre Dame (since 2001) - so many of them clearly are living testimonials to his coaching excellence. Several of them unflinchingly dub Clark the “John Wooden of college soccer,” placing him on a relative level with the legendary UCLA basketball coach.

These people from Clark’s life, past but certainly even present, quickly will bring up the longtime coach’s stressing of the point that “coaching really is teaching.” But these same people won’t let you walk away without understanding another important follow-up point: as much as he cares about teaching, Bobby Clark also is as competitive as they come.

Clark’s “teaching style” is centered on a learning process that includes a crucial element of fun and enjoyment. He insists that everyone associated with the program treat each other, all they meet - and even the game of soccer - with constant respect.

“Remember who you are, where you are, and what you represent.” That is one of Bobby Clark’s mantras to his team. As noted by current Notre Dame assistant coach Greg Dalby, a recent All-American with the Irish, Clark “says this short, but important, statement to the players whenever they are in public. It’s a great reminder of acting and living in humility.”

To provide you with a quick introduction to some of our contributors in this Bobby Clark retrospective … Four recent Notre Dame assistant coaches - Brian Wiese (Georgetown), Bobby’s son Jamie Clark (Washington), Mike Avery (Valparaiso) and Chad Riley (Dartmouth) - now direct their own Division I men’s soccer programs, as does former Notre Dame player Nate Norman with the Western Michigan women’s soccer team. Current Castleton State (Vt.) head coach John O’Connor was on Clark’s staff at Dartmouth, while current Wesleyan coach Geoff Wheeler was an assistant under Clark at Stanford.

Wiese and his family, including older brother Andrew, have become very close to the Clark

-- Pete LaFleur

family over the years. Both Wiese brothers played for Bobby at Dartmouth and Brian later was on Clark’s staff at Stanford. Clark often refers to Brian Wiese as his “third son” - so, you get the point, they’re the tightest of friends and colleagues.

Before we head into the sectional format of this Bobby Clark profile, the current Georgetown coach Wiese provides a unique comparison for his longtime coaching mentor.

“Bobby Clark is a little bit like Mary Poppins,” claims Wiese. “He shows up at a situation that is tumultuous and messy, uses a bit of magic to tidy everything up and right the ship, and flies off to help somewhere else leaving everyone wishing he would stay.”

When Clark left Dartmouth, Wiese was a senior on that team “and everyone was heartbroken, as the program had been flying.” At Stanford, Clark left after he had “just created a juggernaut,” adds Wiese.”He has always been more interested in building a program up than sitting at the helm of one that is in cruise control. If he had stayed at Stanford, there is no doubt he would have a handful of national championships to his name, but that has never been what Bobby is about.”

Hold your horses there, Irish fans, don’t freak out just yet. You need to read this quote from Wiese to its conclusion: “Notre Dame is now in that position of being the best team in the country on an annual basis, and I think Bobby has a feeling of some unfinished business there. A national championship at Notre Dame is inevitable as long as Bobby is in charge. It’s not a matter of if, but when. And then it could be a matter of how many?”

A LIVING LEGEND One good jumping off point when exploring the interesting life of Bobby Clark would have to be his status as a living legend - an element that links his past, present and even future.

Clark’s distinguished professional career in the Scottish League spanned parts of three decades (1962-82) and saw him make more than 800 first-team appearances, 696 of which were with the Aberdeen Dons from 1965-1982. With the Dons, Clark won the 1970 Scottish Cup, the 1976 League Cup and the 1980 Premier League Championship. He also was involved in three of Scotland’s World Cup campaigns as a player in 1970, ‘74 and ‘78, contributing to the squad that advanced to the 1978 World Cup finals in Argentina.

Clark’s strengths as a goalkeeper were his great ability at snaring crossed balls - a “mixture of jumping, timing and bravery,” notes his proud eldest son, Tommy. Clark also displayed tremendous organizational skills while directing the players in front of him.

“My dad’s great organizing abilities at `keeper were quite like coaching, really,” adds Tommy Clark. “You have the whole team in front of you and you’re giving orders, watching plays develop.”

In 2002, Clark was honored as one of the Aberdeen Dons’ top 25 players of all-time. All of the Clark children grew up with plenty of reminders that their father was a soccer icon. As a middleschooler during the Clark family’s Dartmouth years, Jamie even started jokingly referencing his father as “Bobby Legend.” Such a moniker of course related to one of the biggest sports stars in the northeast at the time, Boston Celtics basketball player Larry Bird (Bobby and Jamie Clark both are avid basketball players/fans).

Even though he spent only one season coaching in Africa, Clark also developed a strong following among soccer fans in that area of the world.

“In Zimbabwe, my dad was given godlike status within the Christian tradition there,” explains Tommy Clark. “At one point, the Highlanders soccer board was meeting to discuss signing me and, while making reverential glances to the heavens, they mentioned that Bobby had `made the ultimate gift, sending us his son.’ “

Andrew Wiese was a senior during the Dartmouth soccer team’s visit to Scotland. When the the team would head into Aberdeen bedecked in team gear, the locals would proclaim with fondness: “Oh, you’re Bobby’s boys,” recalls the older Wiese brother.

“We all know he was a professional player, world-class in his day, but it sometimes gets lost what that actually means to the fans who lived those moments with him. It made me realize what it means to be successful. It’s not about hanging it around your neck and shouting it from the rooftops. It’s about doing `it’ the right way, whatever ‘it’ is.

“Do it right, and people will want to be a part of it. They’ll seek you out. And that’s what Bobby does so well to this day. You want to play well for him. You want him to be proud of your effort. He instills the inspiration to try and achieve your best, and what more could you ask for in a coach?”

The Notre Dame contingent made its trip across the pond in 2002 and members of that travel party similarly were impressed with the respect that the Scottish natives held for their native son.

“Bobby is one of Scotland’s all-time great goalkeepers, but he must have given up a ton of goals along the way - because every single cab driver in Scotland claimed to have scored a goal against him when they were boys,” jokes Avery, the former Notre Dame assistant coach now running his own program at Valparaiso.

Clark’s iconic status throughout Great Britain even had a funny anecdote from home soil, in fact right within the Notre Dame campus The worldwide-famous rock band U2 had been on campus for a week, rehearsing in anticipation of its show at the Joyce Center. As a result, the facility was on lock-down, making it tricky to gain entrance to the various team locker rooms and other such areas.

“The access issues that whole week frustrated Bobby, because he wasn’t quite sure who U2 were,” recalls Avery. “I am a big U2 fan and spent hours trying to explain to Bobby how big of a deal it was that this band was playing at Notre Dame.

“Bobby finally asked me how old Bono was, although he kept pronouncing it like Bo-Know.

I told him he was in his 40s. Bobby thought for a minute, then matter of factly said ‘Grew up in Ireland, in his 40s … yeah, he probably knows who I am.’ “

LOVE OF THE GAME Bobby Clark was born as World War II was coming to a close, in 1945, the second son and final child of Tom and Marion (Maesy) Clark.

Tom Clark had played a bit of semi-pro futbol, well before Bobby came along, but he spent most of his life as a bottling line manager for Joseph Dunn Bottlers Limited, which most notably packaged Guinness and Bass beers. Bobby’s brother George, four years his elder, had dabbled in futbol like any Glasgow kid would have at that time - but the younger Clark boy ended up finding his life’s calling on the pitch.

As “just a lad,” Clark played the sport wherever he could find it - formally at East Bank Primary School (grades 1-7) but also at various playgrounds and “stair lots,” akin to courtyards or alleyways. Raised in the southwest Scotland bustling area of Glasgow, Clark went on to attend Glasgow High School, which sponsored a sport that involved playing with a larger ball … but it was not futbol (soccer).

“Glasgow High School was an academic school, which meant they played rugby but not soccer,” explains Clark. “So I would play rugby at my high school in the morning but in the afternoon I played my soccer with the Sandy Hills YMCA team.”

By our count, per Clark’s telling, these childhood soccer games were played on at least four different surfaces - grass (extremely rare in Glasgow), dirt, concrete and, most interestingly, an entire field of compressed ash.

“Full grass fields would not last long in Glasgow.

With overuse, they’d turn to mud,” says Clark.

“We had a heavy steel industry and they would grind up the ash to make these ash parks where we would play a lot of our soccer.

“These ash fields had proper goals and all that. They allowed the kids to play all the time and the ash fields actually worked quite well, except when you had to make a slide tackle, of course.”

The playground games featured a more improvised “field.” For starters, the games usually were played with tennis balls, as “very few kids could afford a real soccer ball but every kid would carry around a tennis ball, just in case,” notes Clark. The goal on one end might be marked by two piles of jackets, or between a couple exhaust fans. “One thing I vividly remember is that for one goal we used the gateway into an old air-raid shelter that was left over from the war,” adds Clark.

THE 2013 FIGHTING IRISH

For nearly 40 years, Clark held the British topflight record for shutout streak (1,155 minutes; with Aberdeen in 1970-71), with that mark bested a few years back by Manchester United’s Edwin Van der Sar. Clark’s streak of scoreless minutes also stood as the world record for a brief time.

While at both Dartmouth and at Notre Dame, Clark has been able to take one of his teams over to Scotland for a training and competition trip. Of course, the trip provided his assistant coaches and players with a front-row seat for viewing Bobby Clark’s legendary status.

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2013 UNIVERSITY OF NOTRE DAME MEN’S SOCCER

NCAA CHAMPIONSHIP “CLARK, GET IN GOALS”

son then hired Moyes, because he knows he is likely to uphold these values.

FUTBOL FAMILY

Clark had been an accomplished field player and had no reason to anticipate that he ultimately would build his legend while playing in the goal. That all changed one day at East Bank Primary School, when the 10-year-old Clark made a life-changing position change.

“I say the same holds true for Bobby, who of course played several years for Ferguson at Aberdeen,” continues Graham. “Bobby is a values-driven coach who creates as environment where an ethos centered on hard work, commitment, fun and fairness is what is required and expected of players.

Bobby Clark and his future wife Bette (pronounced Bet) Sutherland met while both were attending Glasgow’s Jordanhill College. They raised their three children - Tommy, Jennifer and Jamie - primarily in Scotland, in addition to some of those pre-adult years in the United States - plus a year for the entire family in Africa and two years in New Zealand, for Jamie and his parents only.

The East Bank 6th-/7th-grade teacher, a Mr. McNaught, was looking to insert a different boy into goal and asked who could play the position. That’s when a lad by the name of Sandy Kelso played his small role in the Bobby Clark tale, blurting out, “Clarky is a good goalkeeper.”

That was all it took. McNaught ordered - Clark wants it clear, he was not asked but directed - that Tom and Maesy’s second son “get over there, let’s see you in goals.”

“These values enhance not only on-field performance but also life performance - which is why Bobby’s impact stays with you for life. This is the Bobby paradox: he demands the win, but somehow cares more about you as a person.”

For his own part, Clark has a specific theory as to why such legends as Shankly, Stein and Ferguson (and, of course, himself) all sprang from the same region of Scotland.

“I became locked into being a goalkeeper pretty quickly at that point, but I felt quite good about it,” recalls Clark. “And looking back at it now, I’m pretty happy with how things turned out.”

“Young soccer players of that time did not have very much parental or adult involvement during those early stages. They had to think a lot and sort things out themselves,” explains Clark. “Top players often had to take the roles as leaders and organizers, and that helped them form coaching abilities earlier than normal. It will be interesting to see if that area of Scotland continues to produce the same quality of coaches.”

Clark and his buddies often had played a game called 3-and-1, well before his sudden transformation into a full-time goalkeeper. The game involved three players trying to score on one goalkeeper, and the first to score three goals then becomes the `keeper.

Before being called up to Aberdeen, Clark spent a couple years with second-division Queens Park, where he benefitted greatly from being coached by Eddie Turnbull. A tremendous player in his day, Turnbull went to Germany after his playing career to study native soccer methods.

“Even in those days, I actually liked being the goalkeeper but I also loved playing certain games where as the `keeper I still could go out play in the field,” adds Clark. “I felt if I played that role as the `running goalkeeper,’ my team usually would win.”

In years prior to Turnbull’s arrival, Queens Park had trained significantly on the running track with less time spent doing on-ball drills. Turnbull essentially flipped the priorities.

The next thing he knew, Clark was the starting goalkeeper on the Glasgow City Select team that won the Scottish Cup. He also helped East Bank win all the Glasgow Cups that year.

CRADLE OF COACHES Western Scotland has become known as a breeding ground for elite soccer coaches, including the likes of 1965-78 Celtic manager Jock Stein, 1959-74 Liverpool manager Bill Shankly, recently retired longtime Manchester United manager (1986-2013) Alex Ferguson, and Ferguson’s handpicked successor, David Moyes … one even can add Bobby Clark to that list.

Richie Graham, who played for Clark at Dartmouth in the late 1980s/early ‘90s, has a deep understanding of western Scotland’s impact on professional soccer and the link between Clark and some of the other names on this list.

“The culture in western Scotland is a unique and important factor in creating great coaches who use values and culture to drive on-field performance,” explains Graham. “The success of Man U is not about the drills or tactics, but rather the values and culture Ferguson put in place. Fergu-

“For my money, Eddie Turnbull was the best coach in Scotland at that time,” claims Clark.

“When Turnbull arrived, every player had a ball and everything was done with a ball, plus a small bit of running. Every practice, players were involved in working the techniques and tactics - it was a revolutionary approach in the country at that time.”

When Turnbull was named coach at Aberdeen, located in the opposite corner of the country (northeast), he took his trusty goalkeeper Clark along with him to the first division squad, in 1965. Years later, at the end of his Aberdeen career, Clark played four seasons with the Dons while being coached by future legend Ferguson.

During this time, from 1977-82, Clark and Len Taylor also ran Aberdeen’s youth program and Ferguson had a keen interest in scouting the future talent.

“Alex Ferguson often would be observing the youth players, and we would have daily conversation about potential players,” says Clark.

“Without knowing it at the time, I was able to glean so much knowledge from these discussions”.

Noted for her deep knowledge of soccer and her tremendous support of her husband’s teams - including whipping up legendary pancake breakfasts for the entire team - Bette has been a central part of Bobby Clark’s success for nearly 50 years.

“Ever since we met in college, Bette and I have been very close friends. She is the smartest person I know and has been an unbelievable support throughout our life together,” says Bobby, who has joined Bette over the past few years in enjoying time with their six grandchildren.

“I was lucky to marry a great woman who was the person I credit for raising our three children.

Fortunately, they all enjoyed soccer so I was close to them in that capacity, but their mum was a tremendous influence on all of them and they all dearly love her.”

All three of the Clark children have been involved with the game of soccer, collegiate and otherwise, during their postgraduate careers.

Both sons, Tommy, a 1992 Dartmouth graduate, and Jamie (Stanford ‘99) played for their father’s teams, while middle child Jen (Dartmouth ‘94) has her A-level coaching license and has been a collegiate women’s soccer coach at Stanford (assistant), Claremont McKenna (head coach) and currently at Middlebury (assistant), where her husband Mike Morgan is the men’s tennis coach. Morgan previously was an assistant tennis coach at Notre Dame.

Tommy Clark played professionally in Zimbabwe, New Zealand and New Mexico, before later graduating from the Medical School at Dartmouth. The Clark’s oldest son is founder and CEO of Grassroot Soccer (grassrootsoccer. org), an international AIDS awareness and education organization that reaches youth in Africa through soccer clinics.

Although Bobby Clark never even nudged any of his children into coaching, it’s become a highly successful endeavor for the family’s youngest child. Jamie - who converted from midfield to the defense at Stanford and promptly earned All-America honors - played professionally for Major League Soccer and in Scotland. He then essentially fell into a four-year assistant coaching position at the University of New Mexico, joining first-year head coach Jeremy Fishbein’s staff in 2002.

Jamie Clark had been training in New Mexico while helping his brother set up the Grassroot Soccer Web site, before receiving a life-changing phone call from Fishbein looking to gauge his interest in a coaching position. Jamie later coached on his father’s staff at Notre Dame for two seasons (2006-07) before embarking on an impressive career running his own Division I programs, at Harvard (2007-08), Creighton (2009) and at the University of Washington since 2011. If the Huskies and the Irish reach the NCAA semifinals, it would be Jamie Clark coaching against his father’s Notre Dame team.

“I never pushed coaching on Jamie but at Stanford our staff always felt he was a coach in the field, a great playmaker who also could organize the team on the field,” notes the proud papa. “Jamie has a good brain for soccer and for all sports really. There always will be similarities between us, but he’s very much his own guy.”

Former Notre Dame player Chad Riley later coached for the Irish, including a couple years alongside Jamie Clark. It usually was easy to tell Bobby and Jamie Clark apart, but not from a distance.

“Jamie doesn’t have that Scottish accent, but he and Bobby have a similar vocabulary,” noted Riley, during the 2006 season. “One of the biggest things is that they stand the same way.

Sometimes, you can’t tell who is who from far away.”

In a couple weeks, the father and son could be standing in close proximity to one another, coaching their respective teams for a chance to reach the NCAA title game.

COMING TO AFRICA … AND AMERICA Shortly after retiring from his playing career in 1982, Clark had several options open to him: teaching, coaching, or even becoming a fulltime sportswriter for a local Aberdeen newspaper (he already had dabbled in writing a sports column for some time). Coaching ended up being the path he took, but that route initially took him to an entirely different continent.

During his days at Jordanhill College, Clark had a class lecturer by the name of Roy Small, a FIFA-sanctioned soccer coach who had been in Africa during the early 1980s before returning to Scotland. Small called Clark, essentially out

tem and it was something I truly believed in,” says Clark. “In retrospect, I made the right decision bringing my family to America and pursuing a career as a college coach.”

Clark indeed had someone in mind: himself.

“This was a great opportunity for me to take my family to Africa and for me to see if I enjoyed coaching,” says Clark. “We all loved our year in Zimbabwe and I realized that I liked coaching. We had a tremendous year, with no television which I guess would be hard for people to fathom now. Of course, the experience made a deep impact on Tommy and led him to helping found Grassroot Soccer.”

A DIVERSE SPORTSMAN

Twice previously in his career, Clark actually had spent a couple off-seasons playing professionally in the United States, essentially with a roster comprised mostly of fellow Aberdeen players. Clark and his Scottish teammates played the 1967 offseason with the Washington Whips of the United Soccer Association and nine years later he was a member of the San Antonio Thunder of the North American Soccer League.

Austrian native Hubert Vogelsinger had been running an assortment of soccer camps throughout the United States and became familiar with Clark during that summer of 1976. A former collegiate coach at Yale, Vogelsinger became the latest person to somewhat randomly call Clark about a coaching opportunity, one that came open in 1984, as the Clark family was returning from Africa.

“Vogelsinger asked me if I ever fancied being a college coach in the United States and he essentially put me on track for interviewing with Princeton for its open head coaching position,” recalls Clark.

Princeton ultimately hired Bob Bradley (yes, the future U.S. Men’s National Team coach), but Clark had interviewed well. So well, in fact, that the Princeton representatives called back to indicate that they would be more than happy to serve as a reference for Clark’s future job applications. Such an opportunity came one year later and Clark was hired in 1985 to become the next men’s soccer coach at Dartmouth.

As you might assume, Clark clearly was intrigued by the American collegiate scene, so much so that he was willing to uproot his entire family and move to America. The merging of high-level, young adult athletics within an academic environment was the perfect combination for Clark. A life combining sports and studies had been part of his life for several years, starting at Jordanhill College but even continuing in Aberdeen. You see, when agreeing on his contract with Aberdeen, Clark had stipulated that he be able to teach every afternoon at a local high school.

“I loved learning about the U.S. collegiate sys-

Bobby Clark’s nearly 30 years in America have included being involved in several sports other than soccer. During his first two years at Dartmouth, he also served as coach of the junior varsity lacrosse team, despite having no knowledge of the sport, “but I was a teacher,” Clark always is quick to remind us.

Clark - who gained the rare distinction of being a professional futboler who also had a college degree (in physical education, from Glasgow’s Jordanhill College) - further distinguished himself on the links, as a near-scratch golfer who played the game almost daily during his time in Aberdeen. While keeping up with his golf game when he could while in America, Clark also developed into quite a talented squash player at Dartmouth.

“Bobby always has been competitive in everything he does, and squash was no exception,” notes O’Connor, the former Dartmouth assistant.

“He even played a little basketball and was a good rebounder, but a lousy shooter.”

Clark even teamed with O’Connor, current Maryland head coach Sasho Cirovski and current Virginia head women’s soccer Steve Swanson as the rotating roster for the team that won the inaugural 3-v-3 soccer tournament at the National Soccer Coaches Association of America convention. That 3-v-3 tournament has grown to be a widely popular event at the annual NSCAA gathering.

“Bobby was very proud of winning that tournament and with how we played,” recalls O’Connor. “He saw it as a teachable moment for those watching as well as for those we played against, many of whom were former pros and college All-Americans.”

COAST TO COAST Before embarking on the second leg of his college coaching career at Stanford, Clark spent two years as head coach of the New Zealand National Team. During that time, he not only coached the full national team, but also directed the younger Olympic squad plus the under-20 and u-17 teams.

Similar to their stay in Africa, the Clarks (Bobby, Bette and Jamie) enjoyed their time in their new country. In fact, New Zealand apparently has been a popular destination for the Scottish people for some time.

Much as he had done at Dartmouth, where he

THE 2013 FIGHTING IRISH

Jamie Clark was immersed in sports throughout his youth. “It was basketball all day and soccer all night,” he says. “Most kids get plenty of exposure from just playing but I also would watch the training sessions for my dad’s teams and then he and my older brother Tommy would discuss soccer tactics at home. I was around the game maybe three times as much as the average kid and came to understand soccer at a different level.”

of the blue, and asked his old student if there was anyone that he knew who could come to Zimbabwe and run the the Bulawayo Highlanders club team in the Zimbabwe Super League.

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NCAA CHAMPIONSHIP guided two of his teams to the NCAA quarterfinals, Clark immediately breathed new life into the Stanford program. His five seasons in Palo Alto (1996-2000) produced two more seasons that reached at least the NCAA quarterfinals, highlighted by an NCAA runner-up finish in 1998.

Clark’s primary title at Stanford actually was director of soccer, as he coached the men’s program while overseeing both the women’s and men’s teams. One of his first tasks was hiring a women’s coach and he tabbed Steve Swanson, whom he had worked closely with during their years together at Dartmouth (where Swanson was the women’s coach).

Swanson, of course, now is head coach of the Virginia women’s team that has gone nearly unbeaten (24-1-0) and is two games away from winning the 2013 NCAA title. Swanson ultimately spent large chunks of 10 seasons working in close proximity to Clark, five each at Dartmouth and Stanford. Along the way, some things naturally rubbed off.

“I nearly got a Scottish accent from being around Bobby so long,” jokes Swanson. “Whatever success I have in the game is directly related to that man. It’s hard to spend time with him and not learn many important things. I picked his brain all those years.”

Swanson holds fond memories of the cooperative spirit between Clark’s men’s programs and his women’s programs during those 10 years.

“At Dartmouth, the budget was pretty limited and I’ll never forget Bobby insisting with an equipment sponsor that if they wanted to sponsor the men’s soccer team, they also would have to sponsor the women,” says Swanson, who also helped coach the Upper Valley Lightning local youth club team that Clark had helped revive.

“At Stanford, it was similar as the men’s and women’s programs ran our summer camps together and combined a lot of our fundraising and things like that. It was very much a partnership with the programs and that’s something I miss. But Bobby and I were together a lot - our wives likely would say too much. One of the things I always enjoyed and admired was how inclusive Bobby was. A lot of people are not that way. It’s their territory and they want to control their turf.”

ACADEMIC EMPHASIS Clark counts himself fortunate to have coached at three prestigious universities, all with a “great percentage of high achievers.

“I love all the messages that Notre Dame gives out and what it stands for,” continues Clark.

“There is tradition. There is faith, tradition and there is the pursuit of excellence. These are great things to have.

“There is something about when you come to Notre Dame, they want you to be a great athlete but they also want you to be a good person, and that fits very well with my philosophy. We want guys who are good students and good people, but we also want excellence and we want to win.”

Notre Dame was the only men’s soccer program in the nation to produce multiple 2013 CoSIDA Capital One Academic All-Americans® (33 total honorees), led by senior forward Harrison Shipp - the Academic All-American of the Year® who also so happens to be the Atlantic Coast Conference Player of the Year. Shipp carries a 3.88 cumulative grade-point average as a finance major while his teammate, sophomore midfielder Patrick Hodan, is a 3.91 student as a prospective finance major (Hodan was a third team Academic All-American). Of the final 16 squads remaining in the 2013 NCAA Division I Men’s Soccer Championship, only Notre Dame, Marquette and UCLA have an Academic AllAmerican on their rosters.

Student-athletes such as Shipp and Hodan are not the exception among the Notre Dame men’s soccer team; their type of academic excellence is more the norm.

When asked to identify his greatest academic influence at Notre Dame, Shipp did not hesitate.

The person who has impacted him the most in the academic realm is the same individual who has shaped his life most on the soccer field: Bobby Clark, affectionately known as “Boss” to all of his players over the past 10 years or so.

“I’m willing to bet that `Boss’ does a better job than any other college soccer coach in the country in terms of stressing academics on an everyday basis,” declares Shipp. “On a fundamental level, he teaches us to use time efficiently and has certain policies, like the first two hours of every road trip are for study hall, with no movies.

“The academic climate within our team and the program gets ingrained within you pretty quickly. It’s really second-nature and just as much a part of who we all are as is our soccer playing style.”

Clark regularly provides his players with suggestions and tidbits for their academic livelihoods.

The longtime coach stresses the importance of forming relationships with teachers early in the semester because, notes Shipp, “a teacher who knows you and understands you is more likely to help you out when you’re traveling and having to make up tests and assignments.

“The really effective thing is that `Boss’ will bring up these academic reminders in unexpected situations, like right after a big game in the postgame speech. Instead of focusing on the game we just played, he will jar us with reminders about getting ahead in our studies or talking to professors about having to miss a couple days for a trip. You take those message more to heart because you aren’t expecting it and it’s more impactful.”

Clark’s program at Notre Dame has a proven track record of preparing its elite-level players for the next level. Since 2008, 14 Notre Dame players have been MLS SuperDraft picks, the most for any school during that span. Recent Notre Dame players Matt Besler and Justin Morrow have cracked the U.S. National Team roster, with Besler becoming a regular on the U.S. back line.

Possibly most impressively, not only have the program’s elite players received their degrees from Notre Dame, many of them have done so in three and half years. Recent standouts who have graduated early before moving directly into the MLS include Besler, who was both a first team All-American and first team Academic All-American, along with the 2012 All-America duo of Justin Finley and Dillon Powers, the 2013 MLS Rookie of the Year.

TEACHING TO WIN As mentioned earlier, Clark’s former assistants and players are quick to stress that the pursuits of teaching and winning can go hand-in-hand.

“By nature, a coach is focused on winning.

Bobby wins games by educating his players, which is why so many go on to coach or be in the game in different ways,” observes Graham, who admittedly has spent much time over the years studying Clark’s coaching and leadership style.

Graham is a part-owner in the MLS’s Philadelphia Union and has become quite involved in youth development in that region, noting that he “uses a lot of Bobby Clark’s wisdom when thinking through what we are trying to accomplish with the Union in youth development.”

Avery, the current Valparaiso coach, considers Clark to be the “ultimate teacher on the field,” one who takes a simple approach and “patiently instructs, encourages and corrects until it happens.”

Clark always has told his staff that a coach’s thumbprint is seen in how a team plays. “The players may change, but Bobby’s thumbprint is always there,” adds Avery. “Bobby’s teams have great consistency relating to the team shape, and the understanding of roles within that shape.

“His teams are always supremely organized, and that comes from his training and his teaching. Bobby uses just a handful of activities in training, and the brilliance in it is that they never seem to get stale or boring. He allows enough creativity and competition to keep the energy levels and motivation high, but at the same time he drills into his team how each individual role connects to the bigger picture. I have never seen a coach who does this as well as Bobby: transferring how they train, and the activities they use to train, to perfectly fit how the team actually plays on game day.”

HURRY SLOWLY Always known as a clever wordsmith, Clark loves to call upon the classic adage “festina lente” - an (apparent) oxymoron, meaning “hurry slowly.”

“Constant high standards, constant hard work, and constant improvement are at the core of everything Bobby does.”

Some coaches, especially those who have been at it for several decades, often take on more the role of administrator. They can be seen at camps and public events glad-handing and taking the credit for other people’s hard work.

BOBBY CLARK, UMM, NOT SO MUCH. “You will always find Bobby Clark on a field teaching,” says Craig. “One of the hardest things for good players to do is to play simply, but the same can be said for coaching. Bobby keeps the game simple and you will learn more in a word or two than you will over a whole session from others.

“Bobby has a way of letting the game be the teacher and he teaches you how to make good decisions. The same can be said about life, too.

He puts his trust in you and helps you learn how to make good decisions, life lessons that you will always have in your back pocket.”

The concept of “hurry slowly” seems to pervade Clark’s very existence. Consider the following testimonials (some a bit more relevant to festina lente and others loosely related, largely due to the humor): • “Bobby claims to be the master of the unfinished sentence, but is not uncommon for him to be speaking about a game or player, fall asleep

• “One funny thing when I first started at Dartmouth was with our secretary Shirley Barnes. At that time, Bobby would handwrite letters to Scotland and he would spell in `Scottish’ with words like `programme’ and `labour.’ He would give the letters to Shirley to type up and she would correct those words, only to have him go back to her and nicely ask her to type them as is.” John O’Connor • “Bobby listens and he is fair and even. He is a master of how to use tone and emotion to evoke action. We once were at a hotel and a lot of the other guests were upset with travel issues, taking it out on the lady at the front desk. When Bobby reached the desk, he smiled and started by asking `How are you?` Of course, she really took care of us. Bobby told me a couple minutes later, ‘You’ll be surprised how far you can go in life when you start out a sentence with a smile.’

A wee comment, but so true. He took the time to connect and communicate with her and that made a difference. He does the same with his players.” - Richie Graham • “I can remember Bobby in his office slowly pecking away on his computer, Bette’s polkadotted reading glasses (he was always losing his own) would be perched on the tip of his nose, and he would roar for someone to come help because the darned computer wasn’t working correctly. Turns out Bobby was typing on his desktop keyboard while staring at the laptop screen.” - Mike Avery And, of course, you can hear several “variations” on a theme pertaining to Clark’s greeting towards his team, even if there is a driving rainstorm or a foot of snow on the ground. “It’s a great Scottish day” is an old standard, as is “It’s a great day for soccer, lads.” When unsuspecting new freshmen are on hand, they will be baited with the line, “It’s a great day for the race.” What race, Boss? “The human race!”

TACTICS & TECHNIQUE Bobby Clark exudes a wistful charisma, but it certainly is all business when the whistle blows.

And his team follows that lead. Led by plenty of playful veterans, the 2013 Irish squad has its core style of play ingrained in their consciousness.

ONE SUCH CENTRAL TENET: PRESSING THE OTHER TEAM “Our mentality is one of focusing on doing the work and the little things now, so you don’t have to do the big tasks later,” says fifth-year central defender Grant Van De Casteele. “We try to be a good re-pressing team whenever we lose the

ball. If you lose the ball and make a five-yard sprint to go get it again, that could potentially save the whole team from running 60 yards back into our own box and defending for five minutes.

“When you think about it like that, there’s no reason that you shouldn’t sacrifice your own five-yard run for the betterment of the team.”

A zonal system of defense has been a Bobby Clark staple for as long as anyone can remember, stretching back to his early days playing for Eddie Turnbull in the late 1960s.

“Bobby’s entire coaching philosophy is centered around playing as a team, and the zonal defense concept is a big part of that,” says Swanson. “His concept of having the 11 players on the same page on both sides of the ball is something he values and instills in all his players.

“Another core thing with Bobby is to have thinking players, not only skillful ones. They have to be unselfish and sacrifice for the team, with an emphasis on syncing, playing smart soccer, and being respectful of the game and all those involved with it.”

Norman, the current Western Michigan head women’s soccer coach, was a self-described selfish player in high school and through parts of his Notre Dame career. But he learned a valuable lesson through Clark’s discipline technique (or seeming lack of needing discipline), a lesson that already had helped with Norman’s own coaching career.

“Bobby Clark is such a great coach that he does not need to discipline - he creates a culture of respect that players have for him,” says Norman.

“When you do something wrong, he does not have to come and yell and scream at you. He just comes and talks to you.

“And at the end of the day, you never want to let him down. That’s the worst punishment of all.”

NIGHT, NIGHT One thing about conducting an interview with Bobby Clark: the man is always good to provide some vocabulary morsels to any sound bite, with the bonus factor being his distinctively deliberate Scottish accent. In one recent talk, he noted that a certain player needed to “acclimatize” a bit. But it’s possibly the more simple, signature words in his vernacular that carry a lasting presence. Words such as lads, wee (as in tiny) or mum (for mother).

The capper came recently, after an extended chat over the phone.

“Night, night,” he said.

A classic, genuine signoff. From a classic, genuine man.

THE 2013 FIGHTING IRISH

“Bobby’s passion is contagious and it permeates the culture of his programs,” notes current associate head coach BJ Craig. “Festina lente can describe a day in the life with Bobby best.

He is up at 5 a.m. watching a game while working out, first one into the office, the last one off the field, and the last one to go home at the end of the day.

mid-sentence, and wake up in the morning picking up where he left off.” - B.J. Craig

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2013 UNIVERSITY OF NOTRE DAME MEN’S SOCCER

NCAA CHAMPIONSHIP

DECEMBER 11, 2013

PATRICK

WALL

Shooting for the Stars -- Maura Jones

As the starting goalkeeper of the third-ranked Notre Dame men’s soccer team, senior Patrick Wall has a lot to be excited about. At the beginning of the season he set out with a list of goals, and one by one he and his team have been checking them off. Already the Atlantic Coast Conference regular-season co-champions, and one of the best defensive teams in soccer, the Irish recently advanced to the College Cup for the first time in program history.

However, far from resting on his laurels, Wall is more ready than ever to compete, looking to take the team to new heights.

“There is a level of excitement that you feel. A lot of people are congratulating us for getting to the final four, but our goal from the beginning of the season was to win the national championship,” Wall says. “The way we see it, we are not done yet.”

Wall’s enthusiasm for competing in soccer stretches the whole way back to when he was three years old, and his older brother Chris introduced him to soccer. Ever since his childhood, soccer has been a major part of Wall’s life as he has grown up through the Houston Dynamo’s farm teams.

“I decided to come to Notre Dame because of the tradition and the way everyone acts around here,” he says. “Obviously it is a special place. When I came out here the campus was beautiful. The fact that the student athletes get mixed in with all of the other students stuck

out to me. For me, I got thrown into St. Ed’s for my dorm, and I met some of my best friends there who I still live with today.”

Since coming to Notre Dame, Wall has made a big impact both on and off the field. He will be a three-time monogram winner at the end of this season, he is the starting goalie for one of the most successful soccer teams in Notre Dame history, and on top of that he is pursing a degree in aerospace engineering.

In his academic pursuits, Wall helps the Notre Dame rocket team with its designs, is designing a 6’ by 6’ airplane in one of his classes, and had the opportunity to work with NASA scientists this summer. Through his internship with L-3 Communications, Wall worked at the Johnson Space Center.

“I got to work on the Orion spacecraft, which will be going into space in about a year,” he says. “Just saying that you put something into space is a pretty cool accomplishment.”

While some only dream of reaching for the stars, Wall’s work could literally land him there. His hard work earned him recognition as a BIG EAST Academic All-Star last year.

The Michigan State game that sealed the deal for the Irish to move to the College Cup semifinals was another big game for Wall, who had to make some crucial saves toward the end of the game to ensure Notre Dame’s win over the Spartans.

With the team’s first trip to the College Cup ahead of them, Wall says, “When you go into the national championship you kind of need three things. You need talent, character, and a little bit of luck. Our team has a lot of talent; they are filled with character, and our guys fight through tons of games; we have gotten a lot of luck. It always helps.”

Wall says that the team is now taking it one game at a time and is concentrated on beating New Mexico on Friday. He says that the team’s new training program that everyone completed during the summer is one of the major advantages they have over other teams this year.

“Matt Howley, who is our fitness coach, redid everything that we were doing and wrote a very difficult fitness program for the summer, and all of the guys pushed through it and did it, and now we are the most fit team in the country,” Wall explains.

“Throughout the whole season, we haven’t met a team that is more fit than us. That’s been one of the crucial factors. I think that and hard work has gotten us here.”

During the game, Wall says that he is always anticipating what is going to happen next and trying to prevent opponents from ever even getting a shot off. He and the back line work together and communicate during the game to guard the goal cohesively.

Admittedly, Wall says that he can get cold during the game, especially playing in South Bend where

temperatures have been below 20 degrees for some of their postseason games.

“I am from Sugarland, Texas, and that is pretty far south, so I freeze during the game. I just try to act like I am warm,” Wall laughs. “I have to be ready though, because at the end of the game, even if I don’t do anything early on in the game, I am expected to save the ball in the last minute.”

Wall will need to stay warm and ready during Friday’s game against New Mexico if the Irish want to make it to the title game. If they win, they will play either Maryland or Virginia on Sunday. They tied Maryland earlier in the season, and Virginia is the only team to whom they lost. Wall feels ready for his potential opponents, saying, “Obviously it is the national championship, so you never know what could happen. I think that if we face Virginia or Maryland that we are more than prepared to play them.”

Friday night’s game at PPL Park near Philadelphia will determine whether or not the Irish will have a second chance against one of those two teams.

As Wall’s season comes to a close, he reflects back on his time at Notre Dame. During his time here, he has overcome some adversity concerning his height as a 5-11 goalie. Wall, who has made many critical saves for the team this year, says that he embraces that scouting reports often comment on his height, and he enjoys being challenged during games.

He comments, “As a goalie that is seen as being very short. Most people would look at me and say, `Oh, he’s too short. He can’t really do the job.’ The challenge has been fighting through what people expect of you and earning the faith of your team to know that you will do your job. It has definitely been a thing that I have had to overcome.”

He has also learned many other valuable lessons during his time at Notre Dame.

“I think that one of the main things is just how to carry myself. I think that Coach (Bobby) Clark is one of the most liked college coaches of any sport.

When you have that guy teaching you how to act everyday, not only just professionalism but also how to treat other people and put other people first, I mean that’s one of the values that this university stands for. I think that leaving here, I will be a better person than when I came in.”

Wall has racked up a number of accomplishments during his time with the Irish, including putting the Irish at the top of both the ACC and the BIG EAST, and possibly being a four-time monogram award recipient.

“Hopefully winning the national championship will outdo everything that I have done so far,” He adds.

“When I do get the degree that will be my top accomplishment.”

Going forward, Wall anticipates that he will stay with the Irish for one more year. As a protected player for the Houston Dynamo, he could possibly go with them as soon as this year, but will not be in contact with them until the end of this season. Another option would be for Wall to pursue a career as an aerospace engineer, but he anticipates that soccer is what is in his immediate future, not that he can go wrong choosing between careers in NASA or professional soccer.

As he enters the final push towards a possible national championship, Wall says that he has enjoyed his time with his teammates the past four seasons, and he has been proud to represent the University.

“I am just excited to win the whole thing with these guys. I have worked with these guys for the past four years, and even if I don’t leave after this year, to be able to say that the people you worked with for four years, you ended with being the top team would be great,” Wall says. “I would say thank you to everyone who came out and supported us and to everyone who I worked with and got me to this stage. I am very appreciative.”

THE 2013 FIGHTING IRISH

Wall’s accomplishments on the field are equally as striking as his academic success. He began seeing more game action last year as he switched off starting with then-senior Will Walsh. His most memorable game from that season was against Georgetown when he and the team clinched the BIG EAST tournament title, 3-2. Wall says, “That was one of the more dramatic games that we have played. It was really exciting to win and play in.”

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2013 UNIVERSITY OF NOTRE DAME MEN’S SOCCER

NCAA CHAMPIONSHIP

Harry

DECEMBER 12, 2013

SHIPP A Finalist for the

MAC HERMANN TROPHY

While the Notre Dame men’s soccer team is in the final four of the NCAA Championship, standout senior forward Harrison Shipp is in the final three for the Missouri Athletic Club (MAC) Hermann Trophy. Shipp has been named a finalist for the top individual honor in collegiate soccer.

Shipp (Lake Forest, Ill./Lake Forest) is one of three finalists up for the prestigious player-of-the-year award, which is presented annually during a January banquet at the Missouri Athletic Club in St. Louis. Joining Shipp as finalists are 2012 MAC Hermann Trophy recipient Patrick Mullins of Maryland and Leo Stolz of UCLA. This season’s banquet will be held Jan. 10, 2014.

The Fighting Irish team captain becomes the fourth MAC Hermann Trophy finalist in the history of the Notre Dame program. Ryan Finley was among the final three in contention for last season’s award and Joseph Lapira, the 2006 MAC Hermann Trophy winner, also was a finalist in 2007.

Shipp has been a key reason why the Fighting Irish have reached the College Cup for the first time in program history. He has produced 12 goals, including five game winners, and eight assists this season in helping the Fighting Irish to a 15-1-6 record and a share of the Atlantic Coast Conference regular-season title.

He scored three goals in Notre Dame’s tournament run to the College Cup. He netted two goals in Notre Dame’s 4-0 win over Wisconsin in the second round and deposited the team’s fourth goal in the 4-2 triumph of Wake Forest in the round of 16. Those tallies were part of his second seven-game point streak of the season.

Shipp has made a habit of collecting accolades this season. He was selected as the ACC Offensive Player of the Year, the Capital One Academic All-America of the Year® for Division I men’s soccer and he also is a finalist for the Senior CLASS Award.

While Shipp is garnering more notoriety this season, he has been a mainstay for the program ever since his rookie campaign. The forward has never missed a match during his collegiate career and has amassed 23 goals and 22 assists in 82 games.

Shipp also has excelled in the classroom. He is the first two-time Academic All-American in program history and he boasts a 3.883 cumulative GPA as a finance major in Notre Dame’s topranked Mendoza College of Business.

Shipp has been named to the dean’s list each of the last five semesters.

GRANT VAN DE CASTEELE

HARRISON SHIPP

Harry Shipp Grant Van De Casteele

&

Named ALL-AMERICANS

The National Soccer Coaches Association of American (NSCAA) released its All-America teams and two Notre Dame student-athletes were among those honored. Senior forward Harrison Shipp was named to the first team, while fifth-year senior Grant Van De Casteele, a central defender, appeared on the third team.

Shipp (Lake Forest, Ill./Lake Forest) leads the Fighting Irish in goals (12) and assists (8) this season and was named a finalist for the MAC Hermann Trophy. Last month, Shipp was named the Atlantic Coast Confernce Offensive Player of the Year and he was a finalist for the Senior CLASS Award. He also was tapped as the Capital One Academic All-America of the Year® for Division I men’s soccer.

Five of Shipp’s goals this season have been game winners and he has deposited three goals in the NCAA tournament to help the Fighting Irish reach the College Cup for the first time in program history. The team captain has never missed a match during his Notre Dame career and he has totaled 23 goals and 22 assists.

This is his first All-America citation. Shipp is the ninth first team All-American in program history.

Van De Casteele (Plano, Texas/Frisco Centennial) is a force in the Fighting Irish backline and he has helped the team post nine shutouts this season. He was a thirdteam all-ACC pick and this is his first All-America accolade.

Van De Casteele has started every match over the last four seasons and has totaled four goals, including three game winners, and one assist during that time.

He assisted on Notre Dame’s goal in this season’s 1-1

draw with Maryland. With Van De Casteele anchoring the defense, Notre Dame has produced 29 shutouts over the last four seasons.

In addition to the All-America honorees, Notre Dame had five players garner NSCAA All-Region accolades.

Junior midfielder Nick Besler joined Shipp and Van De Casteele on the All-South Atlantic Region First Team, while senior goalkeeper Patrick Wall and sophomore midfielder Patrick Hodan were named to the third team.

Those players weren’t the only members of the program to claim all-region hardware. Associate head coach BJ Craig was tapped as the South Region Assistant Coach of the Year. Craig has been a valuable member of the Notre Dame coaching staff for the past six seasons.

THE 2013 FIGHTING IRISH

DECEMBER 13, 2013

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2013 UNIVERSITY OF NOTRE DAME MEN’S SOCCER

NCAA CHAMPIONSHIP

DECEMBER 17, 2013

BOBBY

named NSCAA DIVISION I

COACH OF THE YEAR Two days after leading the program to its first national title Notre Dame’s Bobby Clark has been named the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) Division I Coach of the Year.

The Fighting Irish defeated Maryland, 2-1, in Sunday’s national title game to conclude the campaign with a 17-1-6 record. After suffering its lone loss of the season on Oct. 26 to Virginia (2-0), Notre Dame went 9-0-1 and outscored opponents 25-8 during that seasonending stretch. During their five-game run in the NCAA tournament, the Irish held a 14-4 scoring advantage over their competition.

“I’m not really into coaching awards, but this is a great award to the team and to my assistant coaches; we

coached just as hard last year and the year before,” Clark said. “Good players make good coaches. Obviously, I’m delighted and it’s another honor for the program and I’m the lucky recipient. This is an award given to the whole program and everyone associated with it.”

Clark also guided the Fighting Irish to a share of the Atlantic Coast Conference regular-season title with a 7-1-3 league mark in their first season in the challenging conference. He was selected as the ACC Coach of the Year, marking the sixth time in his career that he was named a conference coach of the year.

This is the first NSCAA national coachof-the-year honor for Clark, who just completed his 27th season as a col-

lege head coach and his 13th at Notre Dame. He boasts a career mark of 323-132-66 (.683) and is 170-69-41 (.680) at the helm of the Fighting Irish program. The 170 victories are the most in Notre Dame history and Clark is the first Fighting Irish men’s soccer coach to be named the national coach of the year.

“Our coach (Bobby Clark) probably is the most underappreciated college soccer coach in the country in terms of the lessons he teaches you on the field and off the field,” senior All-America forward Harrison Shipp said following Sunday’s title match. “I can tell you that I’m so much a better person and player now than I was three and a half years ago when I first came to Notre Dame.”

THE 2013 FIGHTING IRISH

CLARK

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2013 UNIVERSITY OF NOTRE DAME MEN’S SOCCER

NCAA CHAMPIONSHIP

The 2013

SCHEDULE/RESULTS COMBINED TEAM STATISTICS ALL GAMES RECORD OVERALL HOME AWAY NEUTRAL ALL GAMES 17- 1- 6) ( 8- 1- 3) ( 6- 0- 1) ( 3- 0- 2) CONFERENCE ( 7- 1- 3) ( 2- 1- 2) ( 5- 0- 1) ( 0- 0- 0) NON-CONFERENCE (10- 0- 3) ( 6- 0- 1) ( 1- 0- 0) ( 3- 0- 2) W/L SCORE T (2OT) 0-0 W 2-1 T (2OT) 1-1 W 3-0 W 3-0 T (2OT) 1-1 W 3-1 W 2-0 W (OT) 2-1 T (2OT) 1-1 W 1-0 T (2OT) 1-1 W 2-1 L 0-2 W 3-1 W 2-0 W 2-0 W 1-0 T (2OT) 3-3 W 4-0 W 4-2 W 2-1 W 2-0 W 2-1

DATE OPPONENT @Aug 30 vs #9 UCLA @Sep 01 vs SMU *Sep 08 #1 NORTH CAROLINA *Sep 13 at Syracuse Sep 17 MICHIGAN *Sep 21 at Boston College

*Sep 27 DUKE Oct 02 INDIANA *Oct 05 at #13 Clemson *Oct 08 #5 MARYLAND *Oct 11 at Virginia Tech Oct 15 #13 NORTHWESTERN *Oct 19 at NC STATE *Oct 26 #19 VIRGINIA *Nov 02 at #12 Wake Forest Nov 05 at #18 Michigan State *Nov 08 PITT ^Nov 12 DUKE ^Nov 15 vs #10 Virginia $Nov 24 #19 WISCONSIN $Dec 01 #14 WAKE FOREST $Dec 07 #11 MICHIGAN STATE #Dec 13 vs #7 New Mexico #Dec 15 vs #5 Maryland @ - IU Classic (Bloomington, Ind.) * - ACC Game ^ - ACC Tournament $ - NCAA Tournament # - College Cup (Chester, Pa.)

ND

TEAM STATISTICS

OPP

SHOT STATISTICS 47-395 18-236 1.96 0.75 .119 .076 152-395 95-236 385 .403 16.5 9.8 138 114 2-3 2-2 61 50

Goals-Shot attempts Goals scored per game Shot pct Shots on goal-Attempts SOG pct Shots/Game CORNER KICKS PENALTY KICKS OFFSIDES PENALTIES Yellow cards Red cards

17 0

32 3

15850 12/1321 5/4738

15191 7/2170

ATTENDANCE Total Dates/Avg Per Date Neutral Site #/Avg

## PLAYER GP G A Pts Sh Shot% SOG SOG% GW PK-AT 10 HARRISON SHIPP

24 12 10 34 95 .126 37 .389 5 2-3 27 PATRICK HODAN

22 11 5 27 65 .169 30 .462 4 0-0 21 VINCE CICCIARELLI

24 6 3 15 55 .109 30 .545 3 0-0 9 LEON BROWN

24 5 3 13 30 .167 10 .333 1 0-0 15 EVAN PANKEN

24 5 1 11 36 .139 13 .361 2 0-0 6 MAX LACHOWECKI

23 3 2 8 27 .111 9 .333 1 0-0 12 ANDREW O’MALLEY

24 3 1 7 10 .300 5 .500 1 0-0 3 CONNOR KLEKOTA

24 1 3 5 35 .029 6 .171 0 0-0 22 LUKE MISHU

23 0 3 3 9 .000 2 .222 0 0-0 8 NICK BESLER

16 0 1 1 10 .000 2 .200 0 0-0 18 ROBBY GALLEGOS

20 0 1 1 8 .000 1 .125 0 0-0 25 BRANDON AUBREY

14 0 1 1 5 .000 2 .400 0 0-0 20 G. VAN DE CASTEELE

24 0 1 1 5 .000 2 .400 0 0-0 7 ALEX PRIEDE

8 0 1 1 2 .000 1 .500 0 0-0 17 DANNY LOJEK

11 0 0 0 3 .000 1 .333 0 0-0 19 KYLE CRAFT

1 0 0 0 0 .000 0 .000 0 0-0 16 MICHAEL SHIPP

2 0 0 0 0 .000 0 .000 0 0-0 11 OLIVER HARRIS

1 0 0 0 0 .000 0 .000 0 0-0 4 CONNOR MILLER

5 0 0 0 0 .000 0 .000 0 0-0 Total 24 47 36 130 395 .119 152 .385 17 2-3 Opponents 24 18 12 48 236 .076 95 .403 1 2-2 |-GOAL AVERAGE-| |-SAVES-| ## GOALTENDERS GP Minutes GA Avg Sv Pct W L T Sho 1 Patrick Wall 24 2281:55 18 0.71 74 .804 17 1 6 10.0 Total 24 2281:55 18 0.71 77 .811 17 1 6 10 Opponents 24 2281:55 47 1.85 105 .691 1 17 6 2

GOALS BY PERIOD 1st 2nd OT OT2 Total 23 23 1 0 - 47 Notre Dame Opponents 7 11 0 0 - 18 SHOTS BY PERIOD 1st 2nd OT OT2 Total 172 204 11 8 - 395 Notre Dame Opponents 85 144 4 3 - 236 SAVES BY PERIOD 1st 2nd OT OT2 Total 30 46 1 0 - 77 Notre Dame Opponents 50 52 1 2 - 105 CORNER KICKS BY PRD 1st 2nd OT OT2 Total Notre Dame 72 58 3 5 - 138 46 61 2 5 - 114 Opponents FOULS BY PERIOD 1st 2nd OT OT2 Total Notre Dame 94 117 6 12 - 229 Opponents 144 166 8 9 - 327

HONORS AWARDS

& NICK BESLER (JR./M)

ANDREW O’MALLEY (SR./D)

• NCAA Championship All-Tournament Team

• NCAA Championship All-Tournament Team

• NSCAA All-South Atlantic Region First Team

• College Soccer News National Team of the Week (11/25)

• All-ACC First Team

LEON BROWN (SR./F) • IU Classic All-Tournament Team

VINCE CICCIARELLI (JR./F)

• IU Classic All-Tournament Team

• NCAA Championship All-Tournament Team

• NCAA Championship Most Outstanding Offensive Player

• NSCAA All-South Atlantic Region First Team

• NCAA Championship All-Tournament Team • MAC Hermann Trophy Finalist

• College Soccer News National Team of the Week (11/11)

• College Soccer News All-America First Team

• NCAA Championship All-Tournament Team • NSCAA All-South Atlantic Region Third Team • All-ACC Second Team

GRANT VAN DE CASTEELE (SR./D)

HARRISON SHIPP (SR./F)

• All-ACC Third Team

PATRICK HODAN (SO./M)

• NCAA Elite 89 Award

• NSCAA All-America First Team • NSCAA All-South Atlantic Region First Team • ACC Offensive Player of the Year

• NSCAA All-America Third Team • College Soccer News All-America Third Team • All-ACC Third Team • NSCAA Scholar All-America Second Team • NSCAA Scholar All-North/Central Region First Team

PATRICK WALL (SR./GK)

• All-ACC First Team

• NSCAA All-South Atlantic Region Third Team

• ACC Championship All-Tournament Team

• IU Classic All-Tournament Team

• ACC Championship All-Tournament Team

• Academic All-American of the Year for D-I men’s soccer

• Academic All-America Third Team

• Academic All-America First Team

• NCAA Champion

• Academic All-District V First Team

• Academic All-District V First Team

• ACC regular season co-champions

• College Soccer News National Team of the Week (12/3)

• NSCAA Scholar All-America First Team

• adidas/IU Credit Union Classic champions

• ACC Player of the Week (9/17)

MAX LACHOWECKI (JR./D) • Top Drawer Soccer National Team of the Week (10/2)

LUKE MISHU (SR./D) • All-ACC Third Team • NSCAA Scholar All-North/Central Region Second Team

• NSCAA Scholar All-North/Central Region First Team

TEAM

BOBBY CLARK (HEAD COACH)

• ACC Player/Week (10/8)

• NSCAA Division I Coach of the Year

• College Soccer News National Player of the Week (9/23 & 10/7)

• ACC Coach of the Year

• College Soccer News National Team of the Week (9/23 & 10/7) • Top Drawer Soccer National Team of the Week (10/8 & 11/27) • Senior CLASS Award finalist

BJ CRAIG (ASSOCIATE HEAD COACH) • NSCAA South Region Assistant Coach of the Year

THE 2013 FIGHTING IRISH

• IU Classic All-Tournament Team

MICHAEL SHIPP (SO./D)

49

2013 UNIVERSITY OF NOTRE DAME MEN’S SOCCER

NCAA CHAMPIONSHIP AUGUST 14, 2013

PRESEASON:

IRISH Take To Practice

PITCH for the First Time

When the University of Notre Dame men’s soccer team is setting its sights on a deep NCAA Championship run in November and December the first day of practice will seem like another lifetime, but that was the day the foundation officially was laid. Wednesday was that day.

The Fighting Irish, who are ranked seventh in the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) preseason poll, took to the practice pitch for the first time this morning under bright blue skies and unseasonably cool temperatures. It may have seemed like a fairly routine training session directed by head coach Bobby Clark and his staff, but the opening of fall camp always is an exciting time to see how the players have matured over the summer.

EVAN PANKEN

Since returning to South Bend last weekend the team has been through a myriad of activities - dorm movein, University-related meetings, conditioning tests, senior-led workouts and photo day. A couple annual events provided the players an opportunity to bond with each other and their fans. The Meet the Team barbecue was held at South Bend’s Kroc Center and that allowed the student-athletes to connect with their fans from the local community. Clark welcomed the players, coaches and support staff to his house for the season-opening dinner, which always is a favorite for those in attendance.

But the real reason why the 29 members of the Fighting Irish squad arrived on campus two weeks before classes commence occurred Wednesday morning.

“We’ve been waiting for today for about four months”, Clark said. “This is why it’s fun being a coach because we get to work with the players. The players were excited and the coaching staff was excited and the weather even cooperated nicely. It was a beautiful day and it was a good start for the team.”

“Getting on the field in front of the coaches for the first time today was kind of a big relief for everyone,” senior captain Andrew O’Malley said. “There have been a lot of meetings, a lot of sitting around and a lot of not playing soccer. Everyone really wanted to get out here and get some touches on the ball.”

The first practice of a season can bring many different emotions to a student-athlete. For members of the Fighting Irish squad Wednesday’s session brought normalcy from a recent schedule that usually didn’t involve cleats and a ball.

These next two weeks will be extremely valuable for the team because they only have to concentrate on soccer-related tasks since they will not have to crack open a textbook. This is when distractions are limited and team bonding is at a premium.

“These first two weeks of preseason are pretty much everyone’s favorite time of the year,” O’Malley, a central defender, said. “You have 24 hours a day together and all you do is play soccer. It’s kind of a best case scenario for everyone.”

The squad will have two practice sessions Thursday and one on Friday before departing for Omaha, Neb., where Notre Dame will open the exhibition slate Sunday versus No. 6 Creighton. As they head back east the Irish will stop in Des Moines, Iowa, for a preseason showdown against Drake on Wednesday.

Notre Dame will conclude exhibition play Aug. 26 with a home tilt against Ohio State. The regular season gets underway Aug. 30 versus No. 9 UCLA at the adidas/IU Credit Union Classic in Bloomington, Ind. “The players love this time with nothing else to worry about except for their sport,” Clark said. “It’s a fun time. We’ll have two-a-days and game video, but you’re not worried about getting to the library in order to get a paper done. But, we have to use our time very well. It seems like a lot of time before our first game, but there’s a lot to do.”

AUGUST 16, 2013

FIGHTING

IRISH

Find Themselves High In

-- Sean Carroll

Garnering a high preseason ranking is much like scoring a goal with the offsides flag up - neither count in the end.

But as the early-season polls continue to trickle out a couple things are very clear - the University of Notre Dame men’s soccer team appears very high on most lists as do several Fighting Irish opponents.

Notre Dame debuts at No. 7 in the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) poll, 11th in the College Soccer News rankings and sixth according to BennettRank. Eight Irish opponents appear in the NSCAA poll, including four in the top 10 alone.

That figure doesn’t include their first exhibition foe Creighton, which is No. 6. The Irish and Blue Jays will square off Sunday in Omaha, Neb., in what should be an outstanding early-season test for both squads.

Fighting Irish head coach Bobby Clark feels preseason rankings need to be taken with a grain of salt and rightfully so. A year ago, Notre Dame was nowhere to be found in the NSCAA preseason poll, yet went on to post its most victories since 1988, win the BIG EAST Championship and earn the top seed for the NCAA Championship.

However, seeing your team’s name high in the polls along with several of your opponents may give the players a little extra “juice” during the dog days of preseason training.

“The teams we play are some of the toughest in the country and we need to go out and prove how good we are every day,” senior forward Leon Brown said. “We want to improve on last year and get farther than we did (in the NCAA tournament). We just have to keep that edge knowing that every team wants to beat us and we have to want to beat every team just as bad.”

Having such a difficult schedule is nothing new for Notre Dame. Clark, who is entering his 13th season at the helm of the Irish program, routinely lines up a daunting slate for his squad. Last season, Notre Dame finished with the nation’s No. 1 RPI after compiling a 17-4-1 record against some of the best teams in America.

“Facing tough teams in the preseason will prepare us for what we’re going to see in the regular season,” Clark said.

“Some people say you can play an easy team in the preseason but I often feel an easy team can give you a false sense of security. Since every team on our schedule is very good, we have to warm up against teams that are good and then we have to see where we are.”

Notre Dame’s annual journeys through the BIG EAST never were walks in the park, but the program’s move to the Atlantic Coast Conference places the Fighting Irish in arguably the nation’s best league. Fellow ACC members

Maryland, North Carolina, Wake Forest and Duke occupy the top four spots, respectively, of the BennettRank preseason rankings. Irish opponents UCLA (fifth) and Indiana (eighth) also appear in the top 10.

A snapshot of just how difficult the Irish schedule appears on paper can be found in early October. Notre Dame will play host to defending national champion Indiana, who is ranked No. 1 in the NSCAA and College Soccer News polls, and Maryland, a national semifinalist last season and current No. 2 according to the NSCAA, less than a week apart. Sandwiched in between those matches is a trip to Clemson.

“The ACC is one of the toughest conference in the country,” Clark said. “The BIG EAST also was a very difficult conference and hopefully that prepared us for the ACC. I know the coaching staff is very excited and I know the players are tremendously excited about playing in the ACC. Last year the RPI had us with the second-hardest schedule in the country. I would be really surprised if there’s a harder schedule in 2013 than the one that we have.”

Clark’s squad certainly will be battletested throughout the season in preparation for the only “ranking” that truly matters - the NCAA Championship bracket.

THE 2013 THE FIGHTING PRESEASON IRISH

PRESEASON RANKINGS

51

2013 UNIVERSITY OF NOTRE DAME MEN’S SOCCER

NCAA CHAMPIONSHIP

AUGUST 19, 2013

#7 FIGHTING IRISH Fall At

#6 CREIGHTON

1-0 In Exhibition Opener Even though the scoreboard read 1-0 in favor of Creighton, the No. 7 Notre Dame men’s soccer team was able to take away some positives from the exhibition-opening setback to the sixthranked Blue Jays in front of 3,212 fans Sunday afternoon at Morrison Stadium in Omaha, Neb.

“I felt we played really well,” Clark said about the first match. “I thought it was a very good game. Creighton is a very good team and they were a final four team last season. It was a good test for us and I thought we deserved a tie, but we got caught on a transition goal that we didn’t defend well.”

A goal from Carlos McCrary, which was assisted by Marvin Iskra, in the 87th minute was the difference as the Blue Jays topped the Irish in Sunday’s first game. The two squads played to a scoreless draw during the day’s second match, which was 60 minutes in length.

Learning from a loss is a key element of sports and it’s a bonus when that loss didn’t count. Sunday’s setback luckily will not make it into the all-time records, but the lessons learned could have a big impact on what final record will be listed for the 2013 edition of the Fighting Irish.

The first contest mostly featured Notre Dame’s veterans, while the second game showcased some of the team’s younger players. The fact that every available student-athlete competed was crucial for head coach Bobby Clark and his staff since they were able to evaluate where they stand less than a week into fall training camp.

“There are a lot of things we have to do better,” Clark said. “We didn’t handle their pressure well enough, especially in the first half. There were still more positives than negatives from today especially since our first practice (of the season) was on Wednesday. Both teams are in the same situation with

that and if you take that into consideration it was a very good game. It was a fantastic atmosphere in one of the nicest college soccer venues in the country. It was a fun atmosphere to be a part of. “ The Fighting Irish held a 3-2 edge in shots on goal in the opening match.

Notre Dame started Patrick Wall in goal and the senior made one save in just over 65 minutes of action. Omaha native Brian Talcott, a sophomore, replaced Wall and played the rest of the match. Creighton’s Alex Bolowich was in goal for the entire game and made three saves.

“Earning a tie in the second game was fair,” Clark said. “It was a nice game and all of our guys played, which was a lot of fun. It’s fun when you can get everyone in and it makes the trip better.”

AUGUST 19, 2013

IRISH

INSPECTION: Pressure was the name of the game for Notre Dame men’s soccer head coach Bobby Clark when discussing Sunday’s preseason opener at Creighton, a 1-0 loss.

learning process began today as the Fighting Irish got back on the bus and headed east to Des Moines, Iowa, where they will face Drake in exhibition play on Wednesday.

“We didn’t handle their (Creighton) pressure very well,” Clark said. “They pressured us hard and we were not ready for that. We made some hurried decisions and we need to avoid turning the ball over.

“We’ll have a video session today and a walk-thru to work on some of these things,” Clark said. “We just have to grow every game. Drake will be a hard test and we need to be ready for that on Wednesday.”

“Our pressure was okay. We didn’t let them penetrate us, but we also didn’t force enough turnovers. Our spacing could have been better and our two forwards could have done a better job as our first line of pressure.”

Wednesday will feature a similar twogame format just like at Creighton where following the first game the Irish and Blue Jays played a 60-minute match that ended in a scoreless draw. That contest allowed Clark and his staff to play and evaluate some of the younger players on the squad.

Overall, Clark was pleased with how his team played and felt a tie would have been deserved, but the Irish saw that slip away in the 87th minute when Carlos McCrary scored for Creighton.

While wins are nice, the key during the preseason is to pinpoint where the weaknesses are and address them. That

“Having two games is great because it means everyone is playing,” Clark said.

“It’s fun when you can get everyone in and it makes the trip better.”

While regular-season road trips are mostly about the business of soccer and studying since classes are in session, preseason trips tend to have a different feel.

The team has been in training camp less than a week so establishing good rapport and team chemistry on and off the field is important.

“Road trips are really big for team bonding,” senior captain Andrew O’Malley said. “It’s good to have a trip in the beginning of preseason so all the freshmen can get acclimated and more familiar with the older guys. Since school hasn’t started no one has any work to do so there’s a lot of team bonding. A lot of the guys can hang out with each other because no one has to go off on their own and study.”

While Clark will focus on increasing the team’s defensive pressure on the field, the players will try to enjoy these next couple of days with limited pressure off the field.

THE 2013 THE FIGHTING PRESEASON IRISH

Covering Creighton

53

2013 UNIVERSITY OF NOTRE DAME MEN’S SOCCER

NCAA CHAMPIONSHIP

AUGUST 22, 2013

#7 NOTRE DAME

TAKES After spending the past three days in Des Moines, Iowa, the Notre Dame men’s soccer team will be able to leave with a victory as the seventh-ranked Fighting Irish bested Drake, 2-0, Wednesday night in exhibition action at the Cownie Soccer Complex.

The match was scoreless at halftime, but the Irish offense produced two goals less than 10 minutes apart to secure the win. Junior forward Vince Cicciarelli put the Irish on the board with a goal in the 64th minute that was assisted by Leon Brown. Fellow junior Max Lachowecki, a left back, made it 2-0 in the 73rd minute off a feed from Luke Mishu.

Notre Dame owned the stat sheet. The Irish outshot Drake 19-7, including an 8-2 advantage in shots on goal, and they also earned the only two corner kicks of the night. Fighting Irish senior Patrick Wall started in goal and made one save in 61 minutes, while sophomore Brian Talcott played the rest of the

Exhibition Affair at Drake 2-0

way and also made one stop. Creighton’s Rich Gallagher made four saves and Darrin MacLeod had two, yet allowed both goals.

“We opened the game really well tonight,” Notre Dame head coach Bobby Clark said. “The first 20 minutes were very, very good and we actually could have had a couple of goals in the first half. We kind of took our foot off the gas there for a bit, but we finished the game well once we got the goals.”

The Fighting Irish and Bulldogs opened the evening’s action with a 60-minute match that the hosts won 1-0. Notre Dame used several of its younger players in that contest.

“We were able to get a look at some of the younger guys in the first game and that’s always important,” Clark said.

“It was also nice that we were able to work in some of the freshmen into the second game as well.”

Notre Dame opened exhibition play Sunday with two games at Creighton.

The Fighting Irish fell 1-0 in the full match and the shortened contest was a scoreless draw. The squad departed for Des Moines Monday morning and it has spent the past two days training in Iowa. The team’s seven-day journey will end Thursday afternoon when they arrive back on the Notre Dame campus. The Irish will continue preseason practice Friday morning.

“This has been a great trip for us because we’ve been able to play a lot of games and getting on the road also brings the team closer together,” Clark said. “Today was also important because we were able to play in humidity for really the first time this preseason because the weather has been so nice.

That’s important because I know we’ll have to play some more games in the humidity.”

PATRICK HODAN

AUGUST 23, 2013

PRESEASON

Trip Recap, ACC Poll Released After a weeklong trip together maybe the last thing members of the Notre Dame men’s soccer team wanted to do was spend more time with each other, but they didn’t have that option as they were back on the practice field Friday morning.

There still is work that needs to be done since the seventhranked Fighting Irish are just one week away from their regular-season opener against No. 9 UCLA at the adidas/IU Credit Union Classic. The trip allowed the team to play four matches against two high-caliber opponents in addition to having quality training sessions during a crucial stretch of preseason camp. It also provided an opportunity for the younger players to learn about life on the road.

“The team spirit was very good during the trip,” Notre Dame head coach Bobby Clark said. “The freshmen always have chores to do on the road, but I loved the way the upperclassmen all pulled their weight and didn’t leave it to the younger guys. I thought that was really, really good. That’s the way it has to be with everyone pulling their weight and I thought that was a really good message.”

The squad left last Friday for Omaha, Neb., and opened its 2013 exhibition slate Sunday against Creighton.

Notre Dame fell 1-0 in the regulation match and then the two teams played to a scoreless draw in a 60-minute affair. The shorter match featured many of the team’s younger players.

The Irish got back on the bus Monday morning and departed for Des Moines, Iowa, and a date with Drake.

Following two days of training, the Fighting Irish and Bulldogs squared off Wednesday evening. The Notre Dame offense was ignited by second-half goals from juniors Vince Cicciarelli (64’) and Max Lachowecki (73’) en route to the 2-0 victory. Drake captured a 1-0 win in the shorter match.

“The first trip of the season is always pretty interesting because the freshmen are trying to find their role on the team,” junior midfielder Nick Besler said. “For the most part I thought it went pretty well. It was nice that we could get four games in total. The freshmen got in two games and everyone else got in two games. The chemistry and the morale of the team is probably the highest it’s been since I’ve been here. Overall, I thought it was a great trip.”

The team returned to campus Thursday afternoon and following today’s practice the players will have some time away from the field. Saturday will be a day off from training and the rookies will attend freshman orientation, while the upperclassmen get readjusted to campus life before fall semester classes begin Tuesday. The Irish return to the practice pitch Sunday afternoon to prepare for their final exhibition contest against Ohio State. Monday’s showdown with the Buckeyes is slated for 7 p.m. (ET) at Alumni Stadium.

“We’re starting to find a rhythm and a system that fits this group,” Clark said. “We still have a little way to go with that. We have one more scrimmage with Ohio State and hopefully we can fine tune things a little bit more.”

The Ohio State match will be Notre Dame’s annual game to benefit Grassroot Soccer (GRS), which is an international non-governmental organization that uses the power of soccer to educate, inspire and mobilize communities against the spread of HIV. GRS has a special connection to Notre Dame soccer as Dr. Tommy Clark, the eldest son of Irish head coach Bobby Clark, founded the organization. This will be the 10th season that Notre Dame has held a match to benefit GRS. Admission to the game is a $1 donation to GRS. Further donations will be accepted throughout the match.

Notre Dame has been selected to finish fourth in its inaugural season of Atlantic Coast Conference regular-season play according to a vote of the league’s 12 head coaches. Maryland was first followed by North Carolina and Wake Forest. The Terrapins had 10 first-place votes, while the Irish and Demon Deacons both had one. Virginia was picked in fifth place, followed by Clemson in sixth, Duke in seventh, and Boston College in the eighth slot. Syracuse, North Carolina State, Virginia, and Pitt rounded out the preseason voting.

THE 2013 THE FIGHTING PRESEASON IRISH

IRISH INSIGHTS:

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2013 UNIVERSITY OF NOTRE DAME MEN’S SOCCER

NCAA CHAMPIONSHIP AUGUST 24, 2013

Giving To Grassroot

SOCCER Monday’s exhibition men’s soccer match between Notre Dame and Ohio State will have an impact over 8,000 miles away. The journey will begin with A (Alumni Stadium) and end with Z (Zimbabwe).

The seventh-ranked Fighting Irish will conclude their preseason slate when they play host to the Buckeyes at 7 p.m. (ET). The match can be seen live and for free on WatchND. tv. No matter the final result Grassroot Soccer (GRS) will be the victor.

This marks the 10th straight season that Notre Dame has held a preseason match to benefit GRS, which is an international non-governmental organization that uses the power of soccer to educate, inspire and mobilize communities against the spread of HIV. GRS has a special connection to the Notre Dame program as Dr. Tommy Clark, the eldest son of Irish head coach Bobby Clark, is the founder and CEO of the organization.

There is no admission for the game and donations to GRS will be accepted throughout the match. The Notre Dame men’s soccer camp will match all donations dollar-fordollar.

“We hope that we can raise some money for Grassroot Soccer, which is a very worthwhile cause,” Bobby Clark said. “It raises awareness that HIV is still a huge killer in Africa and I hope people are aware of that. It’s nice that we can use soccer to help. Grassroot Soccer uses soccer in Africa as the main medium to educate and it’s great that we can use our sport here to help their cause.

“Tommy (Clark) will be at the game on Monday. He’s going to be a part of it, which is really good.”

A special twist this season is that the Fighting Irish will be donning “retro” jerseys for the match. The uniforms will be similar to those worn by the team in the 1980s and the gold

color is quite similar to the one GRS uses for its official t-shirt. The jerseys will then be up for auction and Notre Dame soccer alumni and the current players’ parents will have a chance to purchase them to help fund the team’s trip to Zimbabwe that will take place next summer.

Previous foreign trips under Clark have sent the program to Scotland (2002), Brazil (2006) and Sweden/Denmark (2010).

Those journeys have been focused on training, competing and soaking up the culture of another land. In addition to accomplishing those tasks, the Zimbabwe trip will be about helping those in the African country who are dealing with the brutal reality of HIV and AIDS. Clark, who is entering his 13th season on the Notre Dame sidelines, is familiar with the areas that are getting hit hard by HIV. The Fighting Irish head coach was the director of coaching for the Bulawayo highlanders in the Zimbabwean Super League during the 1983-84 season.

“Tommy was about 13 (years old) when I coached in Zimbabwe and after he graduated as an undergraduate from Dartmouth, he went back to Zimbabwe and many of the youngsters that were on his team had died from HIV and I think that made a big impact on him,” Clark said. “When Tommy went back to medical school at Dartmouth he was asked to do a project to help the public at large and he conjured up this idea of how soccer could help educate young Africans with life skills. Grassroot Soccer grew out of that. Since it (GRS) has grown so much, he’s not doing as much pediatrics any more, he’s doing a lot of fundraising and a lot of work in sub-Saharan Africa.”

GRS not only has an impact on the current Fighting Irish players, but it also remains

with those who have graduated. GRS recently hosted an event in conjunction with a Colorado Rapids match and former Irish All-American Dillon Powers, a Rapids rookie, donated his game jersey so GRS could auction it off to raise money.

Tom Crotty, a team captain of the 1979 Irish squad, is the chairman of GRS and he also created the Crotty Challenge, which helps fund the program’s foreign trips that take place every four years. The journeys provide lasting memories for the program and next summer’s trip will have an impact beyond the lives of the coaches and student-athletes.

“We plan on traveling to Zimbabwe and teaming up with the Grassroot Soccer team in Bulawayo where we will play games but will also work in the townships putting out the message to young Africans,” Clark said. “It will be part soccer, part service. I coached in Zimbabwe back in 1983 and took my family with me. It was a life-changing experience and I hope it will have a similar effect on our current Notre Dame team.”

Helping those in need is a hallmark of the University of Notre Dame and the people associated with the school.

“It’s exciting to be able to help this cause,” junior midfielder Nick Besler said. “Our team does a lot of community service. Our captains set up service events and a bunch of guys always volunteer. We really enjoying being able to do things like that. Having the new jerseys is an exciting part of the Grassroot game this season.”

While the Fighting Irish kits will be a tribute to the program’s past, they will provide the present squad with a chance to do its part to help Grassroot Soccer protect future generations in Africa.

AUGUST 26, 2013

#7 Notre Dame

BESTS Buckeyes, 1-0

IN EXHIBITION FINALE

Notre Dame owned the stat sheet, outshooting Ohio State 25-6, including a 12-2 margin in shots on goal. The Irish also produced eight corner kicks compared to three for the Buckeyes. The Fighting Irish played most of their first unit for the first 60 minutes of the match, which was the exhibition finale for the squad.

The Irish peppered the Buckeye goal with several shots in the first half. Sophomore midfielder Patrick Hodan put two shots on goal and had another one hit the right post in a span of 15 minutes during the middle portion of the opening stanza. Senior forward Harrison Shipp had two shots saved late in the half and junior midfielder Nick Besler had his close-range header headed back out by an Ohio State defender. The Irish outshot the Buckeyes 13-1 in the first half.

Notre Dame junior forward Vince Cicciarelli had a game-high six shots, including two on goal. Four of Hodan’s five shots on the night were on frame and Shipp had three attempts saved.

“Up to that point (Priede’s goal) we had a lot of chances,” Notre Dame head coach Bobby Clark said. “We should have put some more away. The starting squad conjured up a multitude of chances.”

The goal sequence began with a deep blast from freshman midfielder Brandon Aubrey that ricocheted off the crossbar and senior forward Leon Brown gathered the ball and sent it to the far post and Priede tapped it in.

“The team was doing very, very well prior to me coming in and I thought there were so many chances we could have had and one was bound to go in,” Priede said. “I just tried to slide and keep the ball from going out of bounds and it got in the goal.”

Priede nearly scored again minutes later, but his attempt on a breakaway went just wide of the post. The senior duo of Priede and Brown came on during the second half, but both have played major minutes for the Irish during their careers and they give the Irish a good amount of depth in the attack.

“Leon (Brown) did a really good job of getting the ball there and then it came to Alex (Priede),” Clark said about the goal. “Alex is good around the box and he should have had another goal soon after that. Alex is a goal scorer and that’s what he lives on.”

Senior goalkeeper Patrick Wall played the opening 61:40 for the Irish and did not have to make a save. Sophomore Brian Talcott was in goal for the remainder of the contest and he made two stops, including one off a free kick with just over two minutes left to play. Ohio State’s Alex Ivanov made seven saves in the first half, while Andrian McAdams had three in the second half.

“I thought both of our goalkeepers played very well,” Clark said. “(Central defender) Andrew O’Malley really marshaled the defense. I thought the whole defense was good.”

All proceeds from tonight’s match benefitted Grassroot Soccer, an international non-governmental organization that uses the power of soccer to educate, inspire and mobilize communities against the spread of HIV in Africa. Clark’s eldest son, Tommy, is the founder and CEO of Grassroot Soccer and he was in attendance Monday night. Bobby Clark and the Notre Dame men’s soccer camp matched the donations dollar-for-dollar.

Notre Dame will begin regular-season play Friday against No. 9 UCLA at the adidas/ IU Credit Union Classic. The game is slated for 5 p.m. (ET) at Bill Armstrong Stadium in Bloomington, Ind.

ALUMNI STADIUM • NOTRE DAME, IND. Ohio State

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#7 Notre Dame

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Scoring: ND: Alex Priede (Leon Brown) 65:19 Shots: OSU 1-5 - 6, ND 13-12 - 25 Corner Kicks: OSU 1-2 - 3, ND 5-3 - 8 Goalkeepers: OSU: Alex Ivanov - 7 SV, 0 GA, 45:00, L; Andrian McAdams - 3 SV, 1 GA, 45:00 ND: Patrick Wall - 0 SV, 0 GA, 61:40, W; Brian Talcott 2 SV, 0 GA, 28:20 Offsides: OSU 2, ND 4

THE 2013 THE FIGHTING PRESEASON IRISH

On Notre Dame’s 22nd shot of the evening senior forward Alex Priede delivered the game’s lone goal as the seventh-ranked Fighting Irish bested Ohio State, 1-0, Monday evening in exhibition men’s soccer action in front of 1,856 fans at a warm Alumni Stadium.

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2013 UNIVERSITY OF NOTRE DAME MEN’S SOCCER

NCAA CHAMPIONSHIP AUGUST 27, 2013

IRISH INSIGHTS:

Team Taking

SHAPE

HEADING INTO SEASON OPENER Following six-and-a-half hours of preseason game action and several more spent on the practice field, Notre Dame men’s soccer head coach Bobby Clark likes where the team stands heading into Friday’s regular-season opener against No. 9 UCLA at the adidas/IU Credit Union Classic.

The seventh-ranked Fighting Irish defeated Ohio State, 1-0, last night at Alumni Stadium to conclude exhibition play with a 2-1 mark. The Irish opened the preseason with a 1-0 setback at No. 6 Creighton before posting a 2-0 victory at Drake. The team also played shorter matches, which featured the squad’s younger players, against Creighton and Drake.

“I think we are well prepared,” Clark said. “The first two (preseason) games were great because we got a lot of people in by playing a two-game format, which allowed us to have a 60-minute game and a 90-minute game. Last night we played the first group for 60 minutes because we wanted to make sure everyone was suitably rested for the games on Friday and Sunday (vs. SMU) this weekend down in Bloomington.

“We also were able to get a look at some of the younger guys. We put them in the second half against Ohio State, which was chasing to try and get back into the game. It was a good test that they had to play in a game where they were playing against a highercaliber team that was trying to get a result out of it.

“We got a good look of who we think can help us from the freshman class.

That’s why I like having three scrimmages because it gives us that opportunity to see the freshmen. But, things can change because it’s an ongoing process. What we might think today could change because of how they practice, for good or bad. Like I said to the team last night `You could look like a lock right now but if you don’t continue to play well somebody else can come up and catch you and vice versa’.”

One of the last question marks entering the season is in the central midfield.

Clark and his staff are still deciding whom to pair with junior Nick Besler, but the Irish head coach likes his options.

The Irish will be looking for consistency on the offensive end of the pitch since they have to replace 31 of their 52 goals scored from last season. A good sign from the preseason is that a different player tallied all three of the team’s goals. Juniors Vince Cicciarelli, a forward, and Max Lachowecki, a left back, tallied goals in the Drake contest, while senior forward Alex Priede scored last night against the Buckeyes.

There was no admission to last night’s game versus Ohio State, but donations for Grassroot Soccer (GRS) were taken during the match. GRS is an international organization that uses the power of soccer to educate, inspire and mobilize communities against the spread of HIV/AIDS across the globe and specifically in Africa. Clark’s eldest son, Tommy, is the founder and CEO of Grassroot Soccer and he attended Monday night’s match.

The senior trio of Harrison Shipp, Leon Brown and Priede brings a tremendous amount of experience to the attack unit, but Cicciarelli has been hampered by injuries during his Irish career. However, he is someone to keep an eye on this season.

“This is the first time we’ve really seen Vince Cicciarelli,” Clark said. “He is starting to feel much more comfortable.

He’s really been dogged with injuries up until now. A torn ACL really put him out of the picture last year and he really worked hard over the summer.”

“I thought both Robby Gallegos and Connor Klekota did a really good job (in the preseason) and showed they have the potential to fill that slot.”

GIVING TO GRASSROOT SOCCER

This was the 10th season that the Notre Dame men’s soccer team held an exhibition match for GRS. Nearly $2,000 was raised last night.

“It’s always good to be able to raise money for Grassroot Soccer, which is such a good cause,” Bobby Clark said. “I want to thank everyone who donated and I also want to thank the Notre Dame men’s basketball team, which helped gather donations for us at the game. That was a very nice thing for them to do.”

AUGUST 31, 2013

THE REGULAR

SEASON #7 Notre Dame Opens Season With 0-0 Draw Against #9 UCLA

The stat sheet clearly belonged to the Fighting Irish as Notre Dame outshot UCLA 18-9, including 10-4 in the opening half. Both teams had five shots on goal. The Irish had 12 corner kicks compared to five for the Bruins.

“We really controlled the game and had some good scoring opportunities,” Notre Dame head coach Bobby Clark said. “I was very happy with how we controlled possession, but it was disappointing that we couldn’t finish.

Finishing was our Achilles heel in the preseason. Hopefully we can rectify that going forward.”

Senior goalkeeper Patrick Wall made five saves for the Fighting Irish to collect his fourth career shutout. His career record now stands at 9-1-1. UCLA’s Earl

Edwards, Jr. also had five stops for the Bruins.

ADIDAS/IU CREDIT UNION CLASSIC

Including the preseason, the Fighting Irish defense has not surrendered a goal in over 292 minutes.

BILL ARMSTRONG STADIUM BLOOMINGTON, IND.

“Our back four didn’t give up any chances and I was very happy with how they played,” Clark said. “Pat Wall was very, very solid for us tonight.

He has been terrific this season.”

Sophomore midfielder Patrick Hodan led the Irish with two shots on goal, while Vince Cicciarelli, Connor Klekota and Leon Brown all put a shot on frame. Brian Iloski had a team-high two shots on goal for UCLA. Tonight was the first time in the last 24 matches that Notre Dame has been held without a goal. The Irish were not blanked all of last season.

The Fighting Irish now are 22-10-5 all-time in season openers, including a 7-3-3 mark under Clark. Notre Dame is 1-4-1 against UCLA, including a 1-2-1 record in games played in Bloomington.

#9 UCLA

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#7 Notre Dame

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Shots: UCLA 4-4-1-0 - 9, ND 10-80-0 - 18 Corner Kicks: UCLA 2-2-1-0 - 5, ND 5-4-0-3 - 12 Goalkeepers: UCLA: Earl Edwards, Jr. - 5 SV, 0 GA, 110:00, T ND: Patrick Wall - 5 SV, 0 GA, 110:00, T Offsides: UCLA 4, ND 8

THE THE 2013 REGULAR FIGHTING SEASON IRISH

Friday’s men’s soccer showdown between No. 7 Notre Dame and No. 9 UCLA that kicked off the adidas/IU Credit Union Classic ended in a scoreless draw at a hot and humid Bill Armstrong Stadium in Bloomington, Ind. The match was the season opener for both squads.

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2013 UNIVERSITY OF NOTRE DAME MEN’S SOCCER

NCAA CHAMPIONSHIP LEON BROWN

2013 ADIDAS/IU CREDIT UNION CLASSIC FINAL STANDINGS 1. Notre Dame 1-0-1* 2. UCLA 1-0-1 3. Indiana 1-1-0 4. SMU 0-2-0 * - Won tournament on a tiebreaker

ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAM Nick Besler (Jr./M), Notre Dame Patrick Wall (Sr./GK), Notre Dame Leon Brown (Sr./F), Notre Dame Andrew O’Malley (Sr./D), Notre Dame Brian Iloski, UCLA Jordan Vale, UCLA Victor Chavez, UCLA Tommy Thompson, Indiana Patrick Doody, Indiana Jaime Ibarra, SMU Damian Rosales, SMU

SEPTEMBER 1, 2013

LEON

BROWN TALLLIES TWO GOALS

As No. 7 Notre Dame Downs SMU, 2-1

CONNOR KLEKOTA

THE THE 2013 REGULAR FIGHTING SEASON IRISH

Senior forward Leon Brown entered Sunday’s game versus SMU with two career goals and he matched that total less than 20 minutes into the contest as the No. 7 Notre Dame men’s soccer team bested the Mustangs 2-1 in the second and final day of the adidas/IU Credit Union Classic at Bill Armstrong Stadium in Bloomington, Ind. UCLA’s 1-0 overtime win over No. 1 Indiana in Sunday’s second match gave Notre Dame its second straight adidas/IU Credit Union Classic title. The Irish and Bruins both finished 1-0-1, but Notre Dame won on the tiebreaker of goals scored. It is the third IU Classic title for the Irish in 14 all-time appearances. Notre Dame also won in 1993.

After squandering scoring opportunities during Friday’s 0-0 draw against No. 9 UCLA in the tournament opener, it didn’t take the Irish offense long to strike on Sunday.

Brown scored in the fifth minute when he received a pass from Alex Priede and put his shot into the back of the net from 25 yards out.

“We played very well in the first half and could have been up by more,” Notre Dame head coach Bobby Clark said. “Leon (Brown) scored two very good goals, but we also missed some chances. His first goal was set up by a nice run from Alex Priede. Patrick Hodan sent him a nice cross that he one-touched for the second goal.”

The second tally came in the 20th minute when Hodan sent a low cross into the box and Brown deposited the ball from eight yards away. Notre Dame (1-0-1) outshot SMU 9-1 in the first half and led 2-0 at intermission.

“We just have to be a little more focused in the final third of the field,” Brown said. “Sometimes we lose our focus in that part of the field and we don’t finish well when that happens. We had good chances that we didn’t finish against UCLA on Friday and again today, but those are things we can fix in practice. It was good to start the season with a win and a tie against two good teams.”

SMU’s Brenden Lee sliced the Irish lead to one in the 71st minute after he took a pass from Will Smith and scored from outside the left side of the box.

“SMU came out revitalized in the second half and pressured us hard,” Clark said. “When they scored the goal there was no real panic on our side. We regained a grip of the game at that point, which was a positive. We weren’t as crisp in the early part of the second half, but once they scored we realized we had to figure things out and we did.”

Notre Dame held a 20-10 advantage in shots for the match, including a 5-4 edge in shots on goal. Senior goalkeeper Patrick Wall made three saves to improve his career record to 10-1-1. Jaime Ibarra also had three

saves for SMU (0-2-0). The Fighting Irish earned six corner kicks, while the Mustangs attempted four.

“It could have been a fantastic weekend for us if we got two wins because we were in position to win both games, but we’ll take a win and a tie against two very good teams,” Clark said. “Now we have a week to prepare for what will be a very difficult match against North Carolina.”

ADIDAS/IU CREDIT UNION CLASSIC BILL ARMSTRONG STADIUM BLOOMINGTON, IND.

SMU

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#7 Notre Dame

20-2

Scoring: ND: Leon Brown (Alex Priede) 4:45; ND: Leon Brown (Patrick Hodan) 19:18; SMU: Brenden Lee (Will Smith) 70:04 Shots: SMU 1-9 - 10, ND 9-11 - 20 Corner Kicks: SMU 0-4 - 4, ND 3-3 - 6 Goalkeepers: SMU: Jaime Ibarra 3 SV, 2 GA, 90:00, L ND: Patrick Wall - 3 SV, 1 GA, 90:00, W Offsides: SMU 2, ND 4

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2013 UNIVERSITY OF NOTRE DAME MEN’S SOCCER

NCAA CHAMPIONSHIP

SEPTEMBER 8, 2013

#4 NOTRE DAME

DRAWS #1 North Carolina, 1-1, IN ACC OPENER

Just when it appeared the Notre Dame men’s soccer team might enter Atlantic Coast Conference play on the wrong end of the result with No. 1 North Carolina, senior forward Leon Brown deposited the equalizer in the 79th minute and the two teams ended deadlocked, 1-1, following two overtime periods Sunday afternoon at Alumni Stadium.

ACC could have stood for “another close chance” for the fourth-ranked Fighting Irish as they produced several good scoring opportunities in the second half, yet were unable to convert until Brown put home his third goal of the last two games. Harrison Shipp assisted on the score, which was the first goal allowed by North Carolina in three games this season. It also was redemption for Brown, who just missed high of the frame from six yards out in the 67th minute.

“Missing the first (attempt) was tough, but I just had to stay focused and then I had another chance and finished it,” Brown said. “It was a good way to get back into the game. We felt like we should have won because we had a lot of chances in the second half and overtime.”

Notre Dame (1-0-2, 0-0-1) continued the early-season trend of owning the stat sheet by outshooting the Tar Heels 21-12, including 8-4 in shots on goal.

The Irish also had a 6-3 advantage in corner kicks.

“It was a great game, but it was disappointing that we didn’t win,” Notre Dame head coach Bobby Clark said.

“North Carolina is a very good team.

There were chances for us to score and it was the same situation as last week against UCLA (a 0-0 tie). You have to win these games.”

North Carolina (2-0-1, 0-0-1) grabbed the lead in the 18th minute when Tyler Engel chipped the ball over Irish goalkeeper Patrick Wall and into the top right of the goal. The Tar Heels outshot the Irish 4-3 in the first half and they also had the only corner kick of the period.

The Fighting Irish upped the offensive pressure in a major way in the second half and that resulted in Notre Dame claiming a 13-5 shot advantage for the stanza. The Irish appeared to even the match in the 51st minute when central defender Grant Van De Casteele deposited the ball off a corner kick from Shipp, but the score was nullified due to an Irish foul in the box.

Another opportunity occurred in the 65th minute when there was a flurry in front of the goal and sophomore midfielder Patrick Hodan put a shot on frame, but North Carolina defender Jordan McCrary cleared it away. Hodan had a shot hit the crossbar in the 87th minute and less than a minute later midfielder Nick Besler sent a header just wide.

Both teams had close calls in overtime.

North Carolina’s Josh Rice hit the left post in the 94th minute and Notre Dame forward Vince Cicciarelli appeared to have the golden goal in his sights in the 106th minute but his shot that he tried to chip over Tar Heel goalkeeper Brendan Moore was saved.

Cicciarelli had a game-high five shots, including three on goal. Moore had seven saves on the day and Wall had three for the Irish.

“We have a tough group and they won’t give in easily and lie down (after going down 1-0),” Clark said. “We still have to be a little more clinical in the final third (of the field) because that’s

three games now that we’ve clearly outshot every team and have made good chances, but we aren’t putting the numbers on the board.”

Six yellow cards were issued in the second half and overtime. The Tar Heels collected four, while the Irish were booked twice.

Today’s match was the first ACC contest for any sport at Notre Dame. It also was the first-ever meeting between the Fighting Irish and Tar Heels in men’s soccer. Notre Dame is 1-3-3 against top-ranked teams under Clark.

ALUMNI STADIUM • NOTRE DAME, IND. #1 North Carolina

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#4 Notre Dame

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Scoring: UNC: Tyler Engel (Cooper Vandermaas-Peeler) 17:33; ND: Leon Brown (Harrison Shipp) 78:24 Shots: UNC 4-5-2-1 - 12, ND 3-13-1-4 - 21 Corner Kicks: UNC 1-1-0-1 - 3, ND 0-5-0-1 - 6 Goalkeepers: UNC: Brendan Moore - 7 SV, 1 GA, 110:00, T ND: Patrick Wall - 3 SV, 1 GA, 110:00, T Fouls: UNC 24, ND 16 Offsides: UNC 1, ND 1

SEPTEMBER 14, 2013

#4 Notre Dame Tops #25 Syracuse, 3-0 THE THE 2013 REGULAR FIGHTING SEASON IRISH

TO NOTCH FIRST

ACC Win There was no bad luck on this Friday the 13th for the fourth-ranked Notre Dame men’s soccer team as the program picked up its first Atlantic Coast Conference victory with a 3-0 triumph over No. 25 Syracuse at a damp and chilly SU Soccer Stadium in Syracuse, N.Y. It also was a night of firsts for two Fighting Irish players. Sophomore midfielder Evan Panken and senior central defender Andrew O’Malley both netted their first career goals, while Patrick Hodan had the third tally to help the Irish (2-0-2, 1-0-1) remain undefeated this season. Hodan, a sophomore midfielder, also had an assist as did senior forward Harrison Shipp.

Notre Dame controlled the match, outshooting Syracuse 17-4, including a 10-1 margin in shots on goal.

The Irish earned 11 corner kicks compared to five for the Orange. Senior goalkeeper Patrick Wall made one save to collect his second clean sheet of the season for the Fighting Irish. Syracuse (3-2-0, 0-2-0) goalkeeper Alex Bono had seven saves.

Panken opened the scoring in the 17th minute when he deflected in a corner kick from Shipp at the near post and the Irish went up 2-0 six minutes later when Hodan sent a corner kick to the back post and O’Malley knocked it home. Shipp and Hodan both have a team-high two assists this season.

Notre Dame led 2-0 at halftime. The Fighting Irish outshot the Orange 9-3 in the opening stanza in addition to gaining six more corner kicks (8-2).

“I felt we opened a bit sloppily in the first 10 minutes or so, but then we started connecting passes and we started to find Harry (Shipp) and (Patrick) Hodan,” Notre Dame head coach Bobby Clark said. “We made a lot of chances, which is always important.”

Hodan pushed the lead to three in the 51st minute when he deposited one of his game-high four shots on frame to record his first goal of the season and the seventh of his career. It was another big night at Syracuse for Hodan, who had two goals and one assist in last season’s 4-2 win over the Orange in the quarterfinals of the BIG EAST Championship.

“It was a good win,” Clark said. “The team played very well. Full marks to Syracuse because they are a good side and they kept fighting the entire game.

Their goalkeeper made some big-time saves.

“Our team is making progress and I’m pleased with how we’re playing. Our set pieces weren’t very good against North Carolina (on Sunday) and they were a lot better tonight. We still have room for improvement, but the team is really taking ownership of the season.”

SU SOCCER STADIUM • SYRACUSE, N.Y. #4 Notre Dame

21-3

#25 Syracuse

00-0

Scoring: ND: Evan Panken (Harrison Shipp) 16:35; ND: Andrew O’Malley (Patrick Hodan) 22:34; ND: Patrick Hodan (unassisted) 50:07 Shots: ND 9-8 - 17, SU 3-1 - 4 Corner Kicks: ND 8-3 - 11, SU 2-3 - 5 Goalkeepers: ND: Patrick Wall 1 SV, 0 GA, 90:00, W SU: Alex Bono - 7 SV, 3 GA, 90:00, L Fouls: ND 11, SU 9 Offsides: ND 6, SU 1

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NCAA CHAMPIONSHIP

SEPTEMBER 18, 2013

#1 NOTRE DAME

UNDEFEATED With 3-0 Win Over Michigan The University of Notre Dame men’s soccer team began Tuesday finding out it is the new No. 1 in the Soccer America poll and the Irish finished the day living up to the ranking by topping Michigan 3-0 at Alumni Stadium.

Notre Dame (3-0-2) needed two saves from senior goalkeeper Patrick Wall in the opening minute, but once the Irish got the ball on their end of the pitch they converted on their first shot of the match. The attempt came from senior forward Harrison Shipp in the fourth minute when he dribbled around the Wolverine defense and tucked his shot into the lower left corner of the netting from 10 yards away for his first goal of the season.

Shipp nearly produced a second goal in the 13th minute when he put a free kick on frame from 25 yards out, but Michigan goalkeeper Adam Grinwis made a diving save to negate the chance.

Wall, who tied a career high with eight saves on the night, saved a James Murphy shot in the 17th minute to keep the Irish in front.

The Fighting Irish went up 2-0 in the 25th minute as right back Luke Mishu sent a cross over from the endline and Grinwis deflected it, but sophomore midfielder Evan Panken was able to head it home for his second goal of the campaign and Notre Dame led 2-0 at halftime.

“It was a funny game because we got goals and made some chances, but I thought that was per-

haps our poorest playing display of the year so far,” Notre Dame head coach Bobby Clark said.

“You have to give Michigan credit for that. They kept in the game even though they lost goals. We were a little disappointed because we know when we play well.”

Notre Dame’s Patrick Hodan threatened early in the second half as he drilled a free kick off the crossbar. In the 69th minute, Hodan, a sophomore midfielder, blasted a shot on goal that Grinwis saved. The Michigan (1-2-2) goalkeeper finished with five saves.

Notre Dame put the game away in the 82nd minute when Shipp played the ball ahead to fellow senior forward Leon Brown, who put it past Grinwis and into the lower right corner of the net for his team-leading fourth goal of the season.

The No. 1 ranking is the first for the Fighting Irish in either the Soccer America or National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) polls.

However, Notre Dame was the No. 1 overall seed for the 2012 NCAA Championship.

“It puts a big target on your back because everybody is always excited to play the No. 1 team,” Clark said about the team’s No. 1 ranking. “If we’re going to be good, which I think we can be, we have to handle that. That’s part of growing as a team.”

ALUMNI STADIUM • NOTRE DAME, IND. Michigan

00-0

#1 Notre Dame

21-3

The Irish outshot the Wolverines 19-12 and both teams had eight shots on goal. Michigan earned six corner kicks, while Notre Dame had three.

Wall picked up his third clean sheet of the season.

He and the Irish defense have allowed just two goals all season long and they currently have a scoreless streak of 272:27.

Scoring: ND: Harrison Shipp (unassisted) 3:29; ND: Evan Panken (Luke Mishu) 24:09; ND: Leon Brown (Harrison Shipp) 81:31

“Having great guys like Max Lachowecki, Andrew O’Malley, Grant Van De Casteele and Luke Mishu in front of me makes my job so much easier,” Wall said. “Those guys deserve all the credit for us only giving up two goals so far this season.”

Goalkeepers: UM: Adam Grinwis - 5

Shots: UM 7-5 - 12, ND 7-12 - 19 Corner Kicks: UM 4-2 - 6, ND 2-1 - 3 ND: Patrick Wall - 8 SV, 0 GA, 90:00, W Fouls: UM 23, ND 13 Offsides: UM 3, ND 3

SEPTEMBER 22, 2013

#1 NOTRE DAME

The No. 1 Notre Dame men’s soccer team fell behind Boston College 1-0 in the 17th minute but responded 12 seconds later on a goal from senior forward Harrison Shipp and the match ended as a 1-1 draw on Saturday evening at Newton Campus Field in Newton, Mass.

Boston College (2-2-2, 1-1-1) went on top with 16:06 elapsed in the match when Isaac Normesinu found the back of the net. The goal snapped Notre Dame’s scoreless streak, which ended at 288:33 in length, and it was just the third goal allowed all season by the Irish.

The tie keeps Notre Dame unbeaten on the season with a 3-0-3 mark. The Fighting Irish move to 1-0-2 in Atlantic Coast Conference play.

It did not take Notre Dame long to respond as Vince Cicciarelli sent a cross into the box and Shipp deposited it for his second goal of the season. Shipp has notched at least one point in each of the last four matches. The assist gave Cicciarelli, a junior forward, his first career point.

The Irish held a 17-5 overall shot advantage, yet both teams had three shots on goal. Senior goalkeeper Patrick Wall made one save for the Irish, who also had a team save. Keady Segel made two stops for the Eagles.

Notre Dame held a 6-4 edge in corner kicks.

“I was very pleased with how we played tonight,” Fighting Irish head coach Bobby Clark said. “We were very good in the first half. It was unfortunate to go down a goal, but we came right back with a very good goal from Harry Shipp. It was a great environment tonight and to play that well in front of an opposing crowd like that is a positive for us.”

Notre Dame played a man-up for the final 50 minutes of the match after Boston College defender Nick Butler was issued a second yellow card in the 60th minute.

“I felt we really dominated play after their guy got sent off with the red card, but Boston College has some really fast players who can give you some problems in transition and that kept it exciting,” Clark said. “Overall it was a very positive performance for us. There may have been a little period of time that we got frustrated, but we just have to stay composed. If we keep playing like this the results will come.”

NEWTON CAMPUS FIELD NEWTON, MASS. #1 Notre Dame

1000-1

Boston College

1000-1

Scoring: BC: Isaac Normesinu (unassisted) 16:06; ND: Harrison Shipp (Vince Cicciarelli) 16:18 Shots: ND 6-8-3-0 - 17, BC 1-4-0-0 - 5 Corner Kicks: ND 2-3-1-0 - 6, BC 3-1-0-0 - 4 Goalkeepers: ND: Patrick Wall - 1 SV, 1 GA, 110:00, T; 1 Team Save BC: Keady Segel - 2 SV, 1 GA, 110:00, T Fouls: ND 8, BC 13 Offsides: ND 1, BC 1

THE THE 2013 REGULAR FIGHTING SEASON IRISH

DRAWS

At Boston College, 1-1

65

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Getting positive early-season results is like putting money in the bank and the Notre Dame men’s soccer team is striving to ensure its deposits aren’t fool’s gold.

For the second straight year the Fighting Irish do not have a loss through their first six matches of the season. While this year’s 3-0-3 mark isn’t quite as nice as last year’s 6-0-0 record, the lack of a loss still is a noteworthy achievement especially since they have faced three ranked foes, including two top-10 squads.

Notre Dame is one of 15 teams in NCAA Division I that have yet to suffer a loss this season (through games played Sept. 22). That list includes Notre Dame’s Atlantic Coast Conference rival North Carolina. The Fighting Irish and Tar Heels, who played to a 1-1 draw on Sept. 8, are the only two ACC squads without a setback. North Carolina also stands at 3-0-3 overall (0-0-3 ACC).

The Fighting Irish currently are No. 1 in the Soccer America poll and they will have to wait and see if Saturday’s 1-1 draw at Boston College will cost them the top spot when

SEPTEMBER 23, 2013

IRISH NOT PERFECT, BUT

UNBEATEN After Six Games

the new rankings are released Tuesday. However, the squad isn’t concerned with its ranking and the players and coaches know the win-loss tally doesn’t always tell the whole story.

“Obviously we’re aware of wins and losses but we always concentrate on the performance and how well we play,” head coach Bobby Clark said. “We critique ourselves fairly strongly and there are certain things that we talk about and compare ourselves from game to game.”

The Irish fell behind in two of their draws but responded with the equalizer in both contests (the tie with UCLA was scoreless). Leon Brown deposited the tying goal in the 79th minute versus North Carolina and Saturday’s match against Boston

College became level when Harrison Shipp scored just 12 seconds after the Eagles grabbed the lead in the 17th minute.

The Fighting Irish have allowed just three goals this season and their 0.45 goals-against average ranks 10th nationally and is second among all ACC teams. Senior goalkeeper Patrick Wall’s .875 save percentage is good for 11th in the country.

“We say that if we can outwork the other team then we’ll be very difficult to beat,” Clark said. “We have a very hardworking mentality on this squad and when you have that mentality as a group you don’t lie down. The players work very hard in the spring and in the summer and when you put in the hard work you don’t give in very easily.”

Six matches do not make a season and there are no trophies awarded for the best six-game start to a campaign, but last year’s fast start spring-boarded the Irish to a 17-4-1 final record and along the way the team won the BIG EAST Championship and earned the top seed for the NCAA tournament.

“It’s like golf. When you’re sitting at the 10th tee you don’t start trying to work out what your final score will be. You start thinking about the next shot and that’s very much the way we are. We take one game at a time and it’s very important that you do that, especially with the type of schedule that we play,” Clark said.

THE THE 2013 REGULAR FIGHTING SEASON IRISH 67

MAX LACHOWECKI

2013 UNIVERSITY OF NOTRE DAME MEN’S SOCCER

NCAA CHAMPIONSHIP

SEPTEMBER 27, 2013

#2 NOTRE DAME

SCORES TWICE LATE

To Take 3-1 Victory OVER DUKE

No. 2 Notre Dame scored twice in the final three minutes of the match to come away with a 3-1 victory over Duke in Atlantic Coast Conference men’s soccer action on Friday evening in front of a capacity crowd of 3,007 at Alumni Stadium.

It was better late than never for the Fighting Irish as sophomore midfielder Patrick Hodan put the team up 2-1 in the 88th minute when he placed the ball into the upper left corner from 22 yards away for his first goal of the season.

With just under a minute left in regulation Harrison Shipp was taken down in the box and he converted a penalty kick to ice the game away. The tally extended the senior forward’s career-best point streak to five games. Shipp has a team-high nine points on three goals and three assists this season.

“Our guys know they played well in the second half and I was so happy they did because we had a great crowd here tonight,” Notre Dame head coach Bobby Clark said. “It was a great atmosphere and the students were phenomenal. That was the best I’ve ever heard students in my 13 years here at Notre Dame and what a difference that makes for the players because it keeps them going right through to the end.”

Notre Dame (4-0-3, 2-0-2) grabbed a 1-0 lead less than a minute into the second half when right back Luke Mishu sent a perfect cross over to left back Max Lachowecki and he headed it into the right side of the netting for his first goal of the season.

“At halftime the coaches mentioned that our right back (Mishu) had been getting up into the attack and they told me to try the same thing,” Lachowecki, a junior, said. “(Luke) Mishu and I practice crossing all the time.

He served it in to me and Evan Panken was standing right in front of me and I told him to leave it and I scored.”

Duke (4-3-2, 0-3-1) answered back in the 51st minute when Jack Coleman tucked a cross into the upper right corner of the goal from distance.

Notre Dame outshot Duke 17-6, including 7-0 in the opening half, and the Irish held a 6-3 advantage in corner kicks. The best chance for either team in the first half came off the foot of Shipp, who hit the crossbar from 20 yards out in the 21st minute. Shipp and Hodan both had a game-best four shots, while Hodan put two of his on frame.

“Patrick (Hodan) is a goal scorer and it was great to see him finally get a goal,” Clark said. “He’s just been missing, but hopefully that’s the start of many for him.

“Max (Lachowecki) had a terrific game tonight. He worked so hard and always looked dangerous and so did Luke (Mishu). Our two fullbacks were terrific tonight.”

Senior goalkeeper Patrick Wall made three saves for the Irish, while his counterpart Alex Long also had three stops for the Blue Devils.

ALUMNI STADIUM • NOTRE DAME, IND. Duke

01-1

#2 Notre Dame

03-3

Scoring: ND: Max Lachowecki (Luke Mishu) 45:50; DU: Jack Coleman (Sean Davis) 50:07; ND: Patrick Hodan (unassisted) 87:57; ND: Harrison Shipp (penalty kick) 89:02 Shots: DU 0-6 - 6, ND 7-10 - 17 Corner Kicks: DU 3-0 - 3, ND 2-4 - 6 Goalkeepers: DU: Alex Long - 3 SV, 3 GA, 90:00, L ND: Patrick Wall - 3 SV, 1 GA, 90:00, W Fouls: DU 16, ND 6 Offsides: DU 3, ND 3

THE THE 2013 REGULAR FIGHTING SEASON IRISH 69

VINCE CICCIARELLI

2013 UNIVERSITY OF NOTRE DAME MEN’S SOCCER

NCAA CHAMPIONSHIP SEPTEMBER 29, 2013

IRISH ITEMS: NOTRE DAME

UNBEATEN Heading into October A successful August and September has the second-ranked Notre Dame men’s soccer team heading into October undefeated with a 4-0-3 record.

This is the fifth time in 37 seasons as a varsity program that the Fighting Irish will go into October without a loss. The feat also occurred in 1978 (7-0-2), 1981 (7-0-2), 1987 (10-0-1) and 1988 (10-0-1).

This is the second straight season - and the seventh time ever - that Notre Dame has been undefeated following the first seven matches of the season. The Irish started 7-0 last year.

The Fighting Irish open October action Wednesday evening when they play host to in-state rival and defending national champion Indiana. The match is slated for 7 p.m. (ET) at Alumni Stadium and it will be broadcast live and for free on WatchND.tv.

QUITE A CROWD Friday evening’s capacity crowd of 3,007 at Alumni Stadium that witnessed the Irish defeat Duke, 3-1, was the sixth largest crowd in program history and the largest ever in the five-year-old venue. The previous high at Alumni Stadium was 3,002 for the 2011 tilt versus Indiana.

VINCE CICCIARELLI

“It was a great atmosphere and the students were phenomenal,” Fighting Irish head coach Bobby Clark said. “That was the best I’ve ever heard students in my 13 years here at Notre Dame and what a difference that makes for the players because it keeps them going right through to the end.”

son, Lachowecki knew exactly what to do after the ball hit the back of the net.

“I told the guys at halftime that I was going to score a goal and then I’m going to start a rock band (during the celebration). Evan (Panken) said he’d do the drums. I rocked the corner flag like it was the microphone and I can’t remember who was playing the guitar.

“At halftime the coaches mentioned that our right back Luke Mishu had been getting up into the attack and they told me to try the same thing. Mishu and I practice crossing all the time. He served it in to me and Evan Panken was standing right in front of me and I told him to leave it and then I kind of blacked out and I look up and it’s in the net and then I went over (to the corner flag) and started my rock band.”

Head coach Bobby Clark may not have an opinion on Lachowecki’s music aspirations, but he was happy with how the left back performed against the Blue Devils.

“Max had a terrific game. He worked so hard and always looked dangerous and so did Luke (Mishu),” Clark said. “Our two fullbacks were terrific.”

Hopefully Lachowecki will be able to get the band back together a few more times this season.

SHIPP STREAKING

LACHOWECKI GETS THE BAND TOGETHER

With his converted penalty kick in the 90th minute during the victory over Duke, senior forward Harrison Shipp upped his career-best point streak to five games.

Shipp has three goals and three assists in those five contests.

Junior left back Max Lachowecki put the Irish up 1-0 just 50 seconds into the second half of Friday’s 3-1 victory over Duke.

Even though it was his first goal of the sea-

Shipp has never missed a match during his Notre Dame career. He has tallied 14 goals and 17 assists in those 67 games.

Friday was the first penalty kick attempt of his career.

MAX LACHOWECKI

#2 NOTRE DAME TOPS INIDANA, 2-0, TO REMAIN UNDEFEATED

OCTOBER 2, 2013

#2 NOTRE DAME Indiana, 2-0, to

REMAIN UNDEFEATED The Notre Dame men’s soccer program initiated a new member to its goal-scoring fraternity Wednesday evening when junior forward Vince Cicciarelli put the secondranked Fighting Irish on the board in the 21st minute en route to a 2-0 victory over Indiana at Alumni Stadium.

Cicciarelli has battled through injuries during a good portion of his Fighting Irish career, but Wednesday it was the Hoosier defense that he was battling. The goal sequence began with a pass from senior forward Harrison Shipp and Cicciarelli drove past Indiana defenders who were draped on him inside the 18-yard box and the big forward placed his shot past Hoosier goalkeeper Michael Soderlund, who had come off his line.

“Harry (Shipp) played it to me and I just used brute force at the end to get it in,” Cicciarelli said. “It was awesome to get the first goal; my grandma and parents were here tonight. I think this was the longest drought in my career without scoring a goal, but we’ve been winning so I don’t care if I score or not as long as we get the job done.”

“This might be the monkey off Vince’s back a little bit,” Notre Dame head coach Bobby Clark said. “He was terrific all game and getting the goal was the icing on the cake, but I think that’ll be the first of many for him. Indiana really had a hard time trying to handle Vince and I thought he certainly was one of our top players tonight.”

Notre Dame (5-0-3) kept the pressure on in the opening half and senior forward Leon Brown nearly connected in the 30th minute, but his shot from eight yards out deflected off the crossbar. Two minutes later, sophomore midfielder Patrick Hodan had his attempt punched out

by Soderlund.

Hodan, who had a game-high five shots on goal, wouldn’t be denied in the 35th minute. After receiving a pass from Shipp, Hodan weaved past a Hoosier defender and sent his shot to the far past and into the back of the net for his third goal of the season. Shipp’s two-assist performance upped his career-best point streak to six games and he now has a team-best 11 points (3g, 5a) this season.

Indiana (4-5-1) actually had the game’s first two scoring chances. In the 11th minute, Tommy Thompson headed the ball to the near post, but Irish goalkeeper Patrick Wall was there for one of his three saves on the evening. The senior goalkeeper was needed again in the 18th minute to punch a shot from Indiana’s A.J. Corrado over the crossbar.

Notre Dame had the game’s only shot on goal in the second half. The Fighting Irish outshot the Hoosiers 17-8 in the match, while Indiana gained one more corner kick (7-6). Soderlund compiled four saves for the Hoosiers.

“Indiana’s goalkeeper had some very good saves tonight,” Clark said. “When we got up 2-0 we realized the game wasn’t over, but I feel we handled the game well in the second half. It would have been nice to get a third goal because that would have taken the pressure off. There always was a little bit of tension throughout the game because Indiana is a very good team. They are one of the best attacking teams that we’ll play all year.”

Notre Dame blanked an Indiana offense that entered tonight’s match averaging two goals per game. The Fighting Irish have allowed just four goals this season. Wall boasts a 0.46 goals-against average with four clean sheets.

Tonight’s victory improved Notre Dame to 3-8 all-time when facing the defending national champion. In fact, the Irish have won their last three encounters with the reigning NCAA champion (Indiana in 2005 & 2013, Maryland in 2006).

ALUMNI STADIUM • NOTRE DAME, IND. Indiana

00-0

#2 Notre Dame

20-2

Scoring: ND: Vince Cicciarelli (Harrison Shipp) 20:46;ND: Patrick Hodan (Harrison Shipp) 34:42 Shots: IU 4-4 - 8, ND 9-8 - 17 Corner Kicks: IU 5-2 - 7, ND 4-2 - 6 Goalkeepers: IU: Michael Soderlund - 4 SV, 2 GA, 90:00, L ND: Patrick Wall - 3 SV, 0 GA, 90:00, W Fouls: IU 12, ND 8 Offsides: IU 2, ND 4

THE THE 2013 REGULAR FIGHTING SEASON IRISH

TOPS

71

2013 UNIVERSITY OF NOTRE DAME MEN’S SOCCER

NCAA CHAMPIONSHIP

OCTOBER 5, 2013

HARRISON

SHIPP’S GOLDEN GOAL LIFTS

#2 Irish Past #13 Clemson, 2-1

The Fighting Irish (6-0-3, 3-0-2) seemed on their way to victory in regulation, but Clemson’s Ara Amirkhanian netted the equalizer in the 88th minute. It didn’t take Shipp long to end the match as he deposited a turnaround shot from 15 yards away less than two minutes into overtime.

Shipp currently has a career-best seven-game point streak and he leads the Irish this season in goals (5) and assists (5). All 15 of his points have come in the last seven matches.

“We talked before overtime that we wanted to go after the win and so we put out more of an attacking group,” Notre Dame head coach Bobby Clark said. “What can you say about Harry (Shipp)? He’s an unbelievable player.

He’s always played well for us, but this is the best he’s ever played. He’s a captain and a senior and he’s a great example to all of our players.”

The Fighting Irish escaped danger in the 18th minute when Clemson’s Aus-

HARRISON SHIPP

ten Burnikel received a corner kick and placed a shot on frame, but it was cleared away by Notre Dame midfielder Danny Lojek, who was positioned at the near post. The Irish then delivered on the other end of the pitch as Shipp dribbled his way past the Clemson defense, including goalkeeper Andrew Tarbell, and sunk his shot from close range. Notre Dame nearly went ahead by two in the 23rd minute, but forward Vince Cicciarelli placed his shot just wide of the near post from 17 yards out.

Notre Dame had the game’s only two shots on goal in the first half and led 1-0 at the intermission.

Clemson (7-2-1, 2-2-1) threatened in the opening minute of the second half when Manolo Sanchez worked his way into the box but sailed his shot over the crossbar. Sanchez put a shot on goal in the 48th minute and Irish goalkeeper Patrick Wall was there for the save. Wall, a senior, was needed again three minutes later to stop a chance from Jack Metcalf.

Cicciarelli hit the post in the 55th minute and Amirkhanian hit the woodwork in the 75th minute. The Tigers outshot the Irish 15-7. Wall had two saves for the Irish, while Tarbell finished with one save for the Clemson defense that had

only surrendered four goals all season before tonight’s contest.

“This was a fantastic result,” Clark said. “It was a tough result because they put us through the mill in the second half. This was the first time we were outshot this season.”

RIGGS FIELD • CLEMSON, S.C. #2 Notre Dame

101-2

#13 Clemson

010-1

Scoring: ND: Harrison Shipp (unassisted) 20:08; CU: Ara Amirkhanian (Thomas McNamara) 87:02; ND: Harrison Shipp (unassisted) 91:55 Shots: ND 4-2-1 - 7, CU 6-9-0 - 15 Corner Kicks: ND 3-0-0 - 3, CU 1-3-0 - 4 Goalkeepers: ND: Patrick Wall - 2 SV, 1 GA, 91:55, W CU: Andrew Tarbell - 1 SV, 2 GA, 91:55, L Fouls: ND 11, CU 13 Offsides: ND 3, CU 3

THE THE 2013 REGULAR FIGHTING SEASON IRISH

A two-goal effort, including the game winner in overtime, from senior forward Harrison Shipp propelled the second-ranked Notre Dame men’s soccer team to a 2-1 victory at No. 13 Clemson Saturday evening in Atlantic Coast Conference play at Riggs Field in Clemson, S.C.

73

2013 UNIVERSITY OF NOTRE DAME MEN’S SOCCER

NCAA CHAMPIONSHIP OCTOBER 8, 2013

#2 NOTRE DAME

DRAWSWith #5 Maryland, 1-1

Vince Cicciarelli gave No. 2 Notre Dame the lead in the 59th minute, yet Patrick Mullins netted the equalizer in the 72nd minute for No. 5 Maryland and the Irish and Terrapins finished deadlocked, 1-1, in Atlantic Coast Conference men’s soccer action on Tuesday evening at Alumni Stadium.

Cicciarelli appeared as though he was going to put the Irish on the board in the 55th minute. The junior forward had the ball and was streaking towards the goal when he was nearly pulled down by a Terrapin defender but no foul was whistled and his shot sailed high.

Notre Dame (6-0-4, 3-0-3) controlled much of the match and held a 6-3 advantage in shots on goal.

The overall shot total was 23-9 in favor of the Fighting Irish. Both sides had three corner kicks.

However, he would not be denied later when central defender Grant Van De Casteele made a run and played the ball ahead to Cicciarelli and he sent his shot past Steffen and into the lower right corner of the goal for his second tally of the season.

“I felt very happy with our performance because I think we dominated long periods of the game,” Notre Dame head coach Bobby Clark said. “Having said that, I always felt like Maryland was dangerous. It was a seesaw game and it could have gone either way.

“I enjoy playing Maryland because they are a wellprepared team and a very good team.”

The best two chances for either team in the opening half came off the feet of Irish players. In the 23rd minute, Patrick Hodan rocketed a shot towards the upper left corner of the goal and Maryland goalkeeper Zack Steffen deflected the ball out of bounds. Steffen punched away a close-range shot from Harrison Shipp later in the half. The Irish outshot the Terrapins 8-1 in the first half.

Maryland (5-2-4, 4-0-2) collected its first shot on goal of the match early in the second half when Mullins had his attempt saved by Notre Dame goalkeeper Patrick Wall, who had two saves on the night. Steffen finished with five stops for the Terrapins.

“It was awesome to score because it was such a big game,” Cicciarelli said. “It feels great to help my team, but all the credit goes to Grant (Van De Casteele) on that one. He made a spectacular run and I just read the pressure from the center back and he lost me and Grant played a perfect ball.”

Mullins, the 2012 M.A.C. Hermann Trophy winner, sent a header off the near post in the 67th minute. His next attempt found the back of the net. The sequence began with a pass from Mikias Eticha and Mullins blasted his shot from 15 yards away into the left side of the goal.

“Patrick Mullins didn’t have very many shots tonight, but the shot he scored on was beautiful,” Clark said.

“You could see why he was the Hermann Award winner last year. It was a very good goal.”

Shipp threatened in the 82nd minute when he placed a shot on frame from nine yards out, yet Steffen was there for the stop. The senior forward, who entered tonight’s match with a career-best seven-game point streak, nearly ended the match in the first overtime period, but his shot went just wide of the far post.

In the second overtime, Notre Dame midfielder Connor Klekota also had a shot go just wide of the left post. Mullins had two late shots for the Terrapins. The first one was wide of the far post, while the second was high.

The tie kept Notre Dame in third place in the ACC standings (12 points), while Maryland still is tied with Wake Forest for first place (14 points each).

ALUMNI STADIUM • NOTRE DAME, IND. #5 Maryland

0100-1

#2 Notre Dame

0100-1

Scoring: ND: Vince Cicciarelli (Grant Van De Casteele) 58:17; UM: Patrick Mullins (Mikias Eticha) 71:45 Shots: UM 1-6-0-2 - 9, ND 8-11-3-1 - 23 Corner Kicks: UM 1-2-0-0 - 3, ND 2-1-0-0 - 3 Goalkeepers: UM: Zack Steffen 5 SV, 1 GA, 110:00, T ND: Patrick Wall - 2 SV, 1 GA, 110:00, T Fouls: UM 14, ND 12 Offsides: UM 2, ND 1

SHIPP OCTOBER 11, 2013

STRIKES AGAIN

as #2 Notre Dame Tops Virginia Tech, 1-0

It was better late than never for the Notre Dame men’s soccer team as a goal from senior forward Harrison Shipp in the 90th minute gave the secondranked Fighting Irish a 1-0 win over Virginia Tech on Friday evening in Atlantic Coast Conference action at Thompson Field in Blacksburg, Va. Notre Dame (7-0-4, 4-0-3) controlled much of the match and produced the win to remain undefeated this season. The Fighting Irish outshot the Hokies 2313, including 9-1 in shots on goal. The Irish earned 10 corner kicks compared to five for the hosts. Despite the stat sheet discrepancy, the game seemed like it was heading to overtime as both teams approached the 90th minute scoreless.

That is when Shipp delivered his latest heroics of the season. The senior captain possessed the ball when he had it temporarily deflected away by a Virginia Tech defender but he stuck with it and placed his shot past diving Hokie goalkeeper Kyle Renfro and into the lower right corner of the netting from 20 yards away for his third game-winning goal of the campaign. Shipp leads the Irish in goals (6) and assists (5) this season. He is the reigning ACC player of the week and College Soccer News national player of the week after notching a two-goal effort in last Saturday’s 2-1 overtime win at Clemson.

“It was a really good goal from Harry,” Irish head coach Bobby Clark said. “A couple of our main guys are injured, but Harry has been putting us on his back. He’s not a big guy, but he has broad shoulders. It was a terrific goal from him tonight.”

Notre Dame tested Renfro twice in the opening minutes of the match. Fighting Irish forward Vince Cicciarelli worked his way into the box in the third

minute but his close-range shot was saved. Renfro was needed again less than a minute later to negate Luke Mishu’s attempt from distance. The Irish held a 6-1 advantage in shots on goal in the first half in addition to earning four more corner kicks (8-4).

The Irish had four consecutive corner kicks midway through the opening half and nearly scored on three of the attempts, which all were delivered in by Shipp.

Freshman midfielder Brandon Aubrey, who was making his first career start, had his header blocked by Virginia Tech’s Alessandro Mion. Central defender Andrew O’Malley headed the next kick yet Mion was there once again to clear the ball off the line.

The best look came on the final chance when central defender Grant Van De Casteele drilled a header on frame but Renfro sprawled out in the air to tip the ball away and keep the game scoreless.

“I felt that we dominated many parts of the game,” Clark said. “It would have been nice if we could have gotten a goal earlier because I feel the game would have played out differently. The longer the game was tied the more excited Virginia Tech got.

Full marks to them. They kept it close and it was a very nervous final 20 minutes.

Senior goalkeeper Patrick Wall made one save for Notre Dame to notch his fifth shutout of the season.

Renfro finished with seven stops for Virginia Tech.

“Although he only needed one save, Pat Wall played really well,” Clark said. “He is such a smart goalkeeper for us. He’s almost like having a sweeper back there.”

Notre Dame is tied with Maryland and Wake Forest atop the ACC standings. All three teams are 4-0-3 in league play.

THOMPSON FIELD • BLACKSBURG, VA. #2 Notre Dame

01-1

Virginia Tech

00-0

Scoring: ND: Harrison Shipp (unassisted) 89:17 Shots: ND 15-8 - 23, VT 6-7 - 13 Corner Kicks: ND 8-2 - 10, VT 4-1 - 5

“But a lot of credit also goes to our guys. They kept fighting and trying to win the game.”

Goalkeepers: ND: Patrick Wall - 1 SV, 0 GA, 90:00, W

Notre Dame’s first quality scoring chance of the second half came in the 68th minute when midfielder Danny Lojek hit the post with his shot that came from the top of the penalty box. Renfro saved an attempt from Cicciarelli in the 81st minute. Mion threatened for the Hokies (3-4-4, 1-2-4) in the 87th minute but placed his shot just wide.

VT: Kyle Renfro - 7 SV, 1 GA, 90:00, L; 1 Team Save Fouls: ND 9, VT 9 Offsides: ND 0, VT 2

THE THE 2013 REGULAR FIGHTING SEASON IRISH

MAX LACHOWECKI

75

2013 UNIVERSITY OF NOTRE DAME MEN’S SOCCER

NCAA CHAMPIONSHIP OCTOBER 15, 2013

#2 Notre Dame & #13 Northwestern

PLAY TO 1-1

DRAW

Notre Dame saw its 1-0 halftime lead disappear less than five minutes into the second half and the second-ranked Fighting Irish wound up in a 1-1 draw with No. 13 Northwestern in men’s soccer action on Tuesday evening at a soggy Alumni Stadium.

The match, which featured a steady rain for most of the first half, started out slowly and neither team produced a solid scoring chance until the 37th minute when Irish left back Max Lachowecki deposited his second goal of the season. Forward Leon Brown started the sequence when he played the ball to midfielder Evan Panken on the right side of the pitch and he delivered a cross to Lachowecki, who scored from close range.

“We started slowly, but we actually got a goal during that period,” Notre Dame head coach Bobby Clark said.

“Max (Lachowecki) is always scrambling in to get goals. Both of our fullbacks are wing fullbacks and in the system that we play they both have a license to get forward and get into attacking position.”

LEON BROWN

Notre Dame (7-0-5) upped the offensive pressure in the second half and it almost paid off in the opening minute of the stanza when forward Harrison Shipp attacked from the left side and put his shot on frame from six yards away, but Wildcat goalkeeper Tyler Miller made a diving stop.

Northwestern (8-3-2) notched the equalizer in the 50th minute on just its second shot on goal of the match.

VINCE CICCIARELLI The tally came off the foot of midfielder Cole Missimo after he weaved past three Irish defenders in the penalty box and placed his shot dead center into the back of the goal.

The Fighting Irish controlled the majority of the possession for the remainder of the match, but could not net the decisive goal. Notre Dame outshot Northwestern 14-2 in the second half and 22-6 for the match. Shipp nearly curled a shot into the far post from 20 yards out in the 56th minute and freshman midfielder Brandon Aubrey just missed on two header attempts, which came off of set pieces.

Northwestern mounted a dangerous counterattack in the final minute of regulation as Calistri had the ball on a breakaway, but Irish central defender Grant Van De Casteele made a fine play to take the ball away and the match went to overtime.

Notre Dame had the game’s only five shots of the extra periods. The best chance in overtime - and arguably the best chance of the match that didn’t go in - occurred in the 100th minute when Irish forward Vince Cicciarelli headed the ball on frame and Wildcat defender Grant Wilson cleared it off the line.

“We really dominated the second half and overtime, but we didn’t get a goal,” Clark said. “Their goalkeeper had a couple good saves and we had one cleared off the line. If those would have gone in it would have been a different story.

“Northwestern is well coached and they are a well-organized team and they are difficult to break down. You just have to be patient and maybe it wasn’t our night. I was very proud with how we played in the second half. I thought our second half performance was excellent. We made a lot of chances and controlled the game.”

Senior goalkeeper Patrick Wall made one save for Notre Dame, while Miller finished with four stops for the Wildcats. The Irish held a 5-4 edge in corner kicks.

ALUMNI STADIUM • NOTRE DAME, IND. #13 Northwestern

0100-1

#2 Notre Dame

1000-1

Scoring: ND: Max Lachowecki (Leon Brown, Evan Panken) 36:39; NU: Cole Missimo (Joey Calistri) 49:56 Shots: NU 4-2-0-0 - 6, ND 3-14-2-3 - 22 Corner Kicks: NU 3-0-0-1 - 4, ND 0-2-2-1 - 5 Goalkeepers: NU: Tyler Miller - 4 SV, 1 GA, 110:00, T; 1 Team Save ND: Patrick Wall - 1 SV, 1 GA, 110:00, T Fouls: NU 10, ND 11 Offsides: NU 1, ND 1

OCTOBER 16, 2013

FIGHTING IRISH

Fit To Be Tied This

SEASON For the Notre Dame men’s soccer team the saying isn’t “you win some and you lose some” it’s “you win some and you tie some.”

While the objective of sport is to win, it’s also to avoid loss. This is the fourth time in program history that Notre Dame is without a defeat 12 games into a season. The last time it happened was in 1988 when the Irish started out 10-0-2. Notre Dame also is just one of four teams in NCAA Division I men’s soccer without a setback this season.

Ties can be viewed differently from game to game based on opponent, location and the flow of the match. Oftentimes they are frustrating, but there are some positives the Irish can take away from their deadlocked results.

Four of the five draws were against teams ranked in the top 13 of the national polls. Notre Dame opened the season with a scoreless result against No. 9 UCLA, while the ties with No. 1 North Carolina, Boston College, No.

The Fighting Irish owned the shot advantage in all five contests, outshooting the competition 101-41, including 28-17 in shots on goal. The Irish also gained 13 more corner kicks (32-19) than those five teams.

THE THE 2013 REGULAR FIGHTING SEASON IRISH

The second-ranked Fighting Irish have played 12 matches so far this season and seven have resulted in victory, while five ended in a tie. The five draws already have matched a singleseason program record.

5 Maryland and No. 13 Northwestern all were 1-1 affairs. Notre Dame produced the equalizers in the North Carolina (79’) and Boston College (17’) matches. The Fighting Irish allowed the tying goal against Maryland (72’) and Northwestern (50’).

The three draws in Atlantic Coast Conference play have helped place the Irish in a three-way tie (there’s that word again) with Maryland and Wake Forest atop the league standings. All three squads carry a 4-0-3 league record.

The only other time Notre Dame notched five ties in a season was in 2007, which was one of the top campaigns in program history. The Irish captured a share of the ‘07 BIG EAST Blue Division title and later advanced to the quarterfinals of the NCAA Championship before finishing with a 14-5-5 mark.

77

Depending on how you look at it, not all is lost with a tie.

GRANT VAN DE CASTEELE

2013 UNIVERSITY OF NOTRE DAME MEN’S SOCCER

NCAA CHAMPIONSHIP OCTOBER 19, 2013

#2 Irish Claim 2-1

Come-From-Behind

VICTORY at N.C. State

PATRICK HODAN

The second-ranked Notre Dame men’s soccer team overcame a 1-0 halftime deficit with second-half goals from Patrick Hodan and Max Lachowecki to claim a 2-1 victory over North Carolina State on Saturday evening at Dail Soccer Stadium in Raleigh, N.C. The win keeps the Irish undefeated this season.

Notre Dame (8-0-5, 5-0-3) is tied with Wake Forest for first place in the Atlantic Coast Conference standings. Both squads are 5-0-3 in league play.

The Irish threatened in the 19th minute when forward Leon Brown sent a shot off the post, but it was North Carolina State (4-4-4, 1-4-3) that struck first in the 20th minute on a Danny DiPrima goal, which was assisted by Alex Martinez.

Despite outshooting the Wolfpack 7-4 in the first half the Irish trailed 1-0. It was just the second time this season that Notre Dame was down at the intermission (North Carolina).

“I thought we played very well tonight,” Notre Dame head coach Bobby Clark said. “We started out a bit slow in the first 20 minutes and I think we were trying to find the game at that point. There was a heavy drizzle at the beginning of the game and the field was wet, which made it fast.”

The Irish leveled the match in the 54th minute when Hodan buried a cross from Lachowecki from six yards away for his fourth goal of the season. Hodan, a sophomore midfielder, had missed the last two games due to injury.

Notre Dame grabbed the lead in the 65th minute on Lachowecki’s goal from eight yards out that was assisted by Hodan and Harrison Shipp. Lachowecki, a left back, has three goals this season, including two in the last two matches.

“We brought Patrick Hodan on at halftime and he played very well,” Clark said. “This was a really important game for us. There are always things to improve on, but it was a good away performance for us. I was quite pleased because North Carolina State is a good team.”

The Fighting Irish had a 16-9 shot advantage for the game and earned three corner kicks compared to two for the Wolfpack. Shipp, a senior forward, had a game-high eight shots, including four on frame.

Senior goalkeeper Patrick Wall made four saves for the Irish and his counterpart Fabian Otte also had four stops.

DAIL SOCCER STADIUM • RALEIGH, N.C. #2 Notre Dame

02-2

North Carolina State

10-1

Scoring: NCST: Danny DiPrima (Alex Martinez) 19:49; ND: Patrick Hodan (Max Lachowecki) 53:24; ND: Max Lachowecki (Harrison Shipp, Patrick Hodan) 64:36 Shots: ND 7-9 - 16, NCST 4-5 - 9 Corner Kicks: ND 2-1 - 3, NCST 0-2 - 2 Goalkeepers: ND: Patrick Wall 4 SV, 1 GA, 90:00, W NCST: Fabian Otte - 4 SV, 2 GA, 90:00, L Fouls: ND 6, NCST 14 Offsides: ND 3, NCST 0

FALL

OCTOBER 26, 2013

Second-Ranked Irish Virginia’s Darius Madison scored three minutes before halftime and again two minutes into the second half to give the No. 19 Cavaliers a 2-0 win over No. 2 Notre Dame in Atlantic Coast Conference men’s soccer action on Saturday afternoon at Alumni Stadium.

It was the first setback of the season for Notre Dame (8-1-5, 5-1-3) and the Irish currently reside in second place in the ACC standings, just one point behind leader Wake Forest. The Fighting Irish will square off against the 14th-ranked Demon Deacons at 7 p.m. (ET) next Saturday in Winston-Salem, N.C.

Notre Dame’s best chance of the opening half occurred in the 19th minute when forward Vince Cicciarelli worked his way into the penalty box with the ball and placed his shot wide of the near post from 10 yards away. Saves

by Wall in the 20th and 23rd minutes kept the match scoreless.

Just as the contest appeared to be going to the intermission without a goal, Madison changed that in the 43rd minute when he maneuvered his way past some Notre Dame defenders and scored on an 18-yard shot.

In the 47th minute, Madison possessed the ball on the deep right side of the penalty box and struck a shot at the edge of the six-yard box and it sailed past Wall for a two-goal advantage.

This was the first time all season that the Irish surrendered two goals in a match.

“Virginia certainly dulled our offense today,” Notre Dame head coach Bobby Clark said. “I think we only had seven shots, but they only had eight.

It wasn’t a game with a lot of shots.

Virginia was the first team this year to come into our house and dictate the game. They scored two goals at vital times, just before halftime and one immediately afterwards. Those were two

“I felt that we never had a grip on the game. We weren’t far away, but we never had a grip. I think we’ve controlled every other game this year, but not today and that was our downfall.”

at Home

to #19 Virginia, 2-0

Notre Dame’s first shot of the second stanza came in the 53rd minute when left back Max Lachowecki sent the ball to the near post from 19 yards away but Gal made a diving save to negate the chance. Gal made a stop on a Cicciarelli header in the 76th minute and that would be the last attempt on frame for the Irish, who were shut out for just the second time this season. Notre Dame played UCLA to a scoreless draw in the season opener.

THE THE 2013 REGULAR FIGHTING SEASON IRISH

Virginia (7-3-4, 3-2-4) held the edge in shots (8-7) and corner kicks (4-2).

Cavalier goalkeeper Jeff Gal stopped three Irish shots, while Notre Dame senior Patrick Wall had two saves.

blows to us and we never quite recovered. We had some flurries where we looked good, but I never felt we controlled the game today.

“The killer blow is when we came out of halftime and they got another goal,” Clark said. “But we have to pick ourselves up because I think we’re still in a good position. We have a huge game next weekend at Wake Forest. So we have to look at ourselves and learn some things and get ready for Wake Forest.”

79

ALUMNI STADIUM • NOTRE DAME, IND. #19 Virginia

11-2

#2 Notre Dame

00-0

Scoring: UVA: Darius Madison (unassisted) 42:03; UVA: Darius Madison (unassisted) 46:58 Shots: UVA 4-4 - 8, ND 4-3 - 7 Corner Kicks: UVA 1-3 - 4, ND 1-1 - 2 Goalkeepers: UVA: Jeff Gal 3 SV, 0 GA, 90:00, W ND: Patrick Wall - 2 SV, 2 GA, 90:00, L Fouls: UVA 13, ND 17 Offsides: UVA 5, ND 0

VINCE CICCIARELLI

2013 UNIVERSITY OF NOTRE DAME MEN’S SOCCER

NCAA CHAMPIONSHIP NOVEMBER 2, 2013

#2 NOTRE DAME

DOWNS #12 WAKE FOREST

3-1 To Move To Top of ACC In a match that had major Atlantic Coast Conference implications, the No. 2 Notre Dame men’s soccer team came out the victor with a 3-1 triumph of No. 12 Wake Forest on Saturday evening in front of nearly 4,000 spectators at Spry Stadium in WinstonSalem, N.C. Notre Dame (9-1-5, 6-1-3) is now tied with Maryland atop the ACC standings with one league match left to play for both teams. The Irish conclude conference play on Friday with a home tilt against Pittsburgh, while Maryland finishes at Virginia Tech that same day.

Wake Forest fell to third place with the loss.

Saturday’s game was scoreless until the 36th minute when an offensive outburst resulted in three goals in a span of 4:17. Notre Dame sophomore midfielder Evan Panken was first to score when he deposited his third goal of the season with just over nine minutes left in the first half.

Wake Forest (8-4-5, 5-1-4) knotted the contest in the 40th minute when Luca Gimenez converted a penalty kick after Notre Dame left back Max Lachowecki was issued a yellow card for pushing a Wake Forest player in the box. The Irish had an answer of their own just 40 seconds later when junior forward Vince Cicciarelli scored off a pass from Harrison Shipp. It was Cicciarelli’s third goal of the season and it was the team-best 19th point (6g, 7a) of the

campaign for Shipp, a senior forward.

The Fighting Irish led 2-1 at halftime.

Notre Dame survived a flurry of shots from the Demon Deacons early in the second half. Senior goalkeeper Patrick Wall finished the night with seven saves, which was one away from his career-high total. Alec Ferrell had two stops for Wake Forest.

Sophomore midfielder Connor Klekota pushed the Irish lead to two in the 68th minute when he scored from outside the penalty box for the first tally of his career. The three goals matched a season-high total for the Irish, who posted their first victory in six tries against Wake Forest.

“Our team showed a lot of character coming down here and scoring three goals and getting a big result against a very good Wake Forest team,” Notre Dame head coach Bobby Clark said.

“Wake Forest had a spell at the start of the second half where they got some shots, but Pat Wall did well tonight.”

The Demon Deacons held an 1813 shot advantage, while they also gained 10 corner kicks compared to three for the Irish. Notre Dame played a man up for the final 16 minutes after Wake Forest’s Jared Watts was issued a red card.

“It was a bit easier to close out the game with a two-goal lead after their guy got sent off,” Clark said. “Overall I thought we played well. Both teams

had periods where they dominated, but we looked very good once we started connecting passes.

“All three of our goals were very good and Harry (Shipp) had a nice pass on Vince’s goal. Harry was brilliant tonight.

“This is a huge week for us, We play a very good Michigan State team on Tuesday and then we have to finish it on Friday against Pittsburgh, which will be one of the biggest games ever for the program.”

SPRY STADIUM • WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. #2 Notre Dame

21-3

#12 Wake Forest

10-1

Scoring: ND: Evan Panken (unassisted) 35:58; WF: Luca Gimenez (penalty kick) 39:35; ND: Vince Cicciarelli (Harrison Shipp) 40:15; ND: Connor Klekota (unassisted) 67:01 Shots: ND 7-6 - 13, WF 5-13 - 18 Corner Kicks: ND 1-2 - 3, WF 3-7 - 10 Goalkeepers: ND: Patrick Wall - 7 SV, 1 GA, 90:00, W; 1 Team Save WF: Alec Ferrell - 2 SV, 3 GA, 90:00, L; 1 Team Save Fouls: ND 11, WF 9 Offsides: ND 5, WF 3

NOVEMBER 5, 2013

NOTRE DAME CAPTURES

2-0 WIN AT #18 MICHIGAN STATE

The scoring surge began in the 60th minute when midfielder Robby Gallegos played the ball to Shipp, who tucked his shot into the far post from the top of the penalty box for his team-best seventh goal of the season. Cicciarelli’s attempt came from eight yards out on the left side of the penalty box and he sailed it past Spartan goalkeeper Zach Bennett. Leon Brown and Patrick Hodan assisted on the goal, which was the fourth of the season for Cicciarelli.

Notre Dame (10-1-5) held a 16-15 shot advantage and both teams had eight corner kicks. Senior goalkeeper Patrick Wall made five saves to notch his sixth shutout of the season. Bennett also had five stops for Michigan State (9-4-3).

“Getting those two goals kind of finished the game,” Notre Dame head coach Bobby Clark said. “Robby Gallegos played Harry (Shipp) a nice ball. Robby fought hard. He re-pressed and got the ball back and got it to Harry.

“Vince (Cicciarelli) is now starting to get some goals. He had a very good game and he was against a really tough central defender. I thought he handled them very well. He almost had another two goals and he’s looking so dangerous right now.”

Notre Dame’s first shot of the match came from Cicciarelli in the sixth minute and his

attempt from the left side of the penalty box was saved by Bennett. Shipp, a senior forward, placed a shot wide of the far post from 20 yards out in the 13th minute and less than a minute later he sent a low cross to Max Lachowecki at the far post, but the Irish left back couldn’t get a good foot on the ball.

The first shot on goal for the Spartans was an attempt from distance in the 17th minute from Tim Kreutz that was saved

by Wall. At the other end of the pitch, a corner kick from Shipp in the 20th minute went to the feet of midfielder Evan Panken and his flick on frame was saved by Bennett.

In the 24th minute, Wall jumped to punch away an attempt from Brent McIntosh that was headed for the upper corner of the netting. Cicciarelli, a junior, drilled a shot on frame in the 32nd minute, but Bennett was there for the stop and a minute later Gallegos sailed the ball just high from the top of the penalty box. Fellow midfielder Connor Klekota had an 18-yard shot of his own in the 42nd minute that was saved by a diving Bennett. Notre Dame outshot Michigan State 9-4 in the scoreless first half.

The first solid chance for either team in the second half occurred in the 59th minute when an Irish corner kick was batted around in the box and central defender Grant Van De Casteele got a foot on it, but his shot was blocked by a Spartan defender.

Michigan State’s final push for a goal came with just over two minutes remaining when Jay Chapman placed a low shot on frame and Wall was there for the save.

Today was the second road win in four days over a ranked opponent for the Fighting Irish, who topped No. 12 Wake

Forest 3-1 on Saturday in Winston-Salem, N.C. Notre Dame is 6-0-1 this season in true road matches. The victory also put the Irish at the 10-win plateau for the 12th time in 13 seasons under Clark.

“Coming up here today and getting a win after winning at Wake Forest on Saturday says a lot about this team,” Clark said.

“We have a tough team and Michigan State isn’t an easy team to play. They only had three losses coming into today’s game and they are No. 11 in the RPI. We came into their home and controlled long periods of the game, but they were tough.

It was a tough game and a great result.”

DEMARTIN STADIUM EAST LANSING, MICH. #1 Notre Dame

02-2

#18 Michigan State

00-0

Scoring: ND: Harrison Shipp (Robby Gallegos) 59:37; ND: Vince Cicciarelli (Leon Brown, Patrick Hodan) 60:14 Shots: ND 9-7 - 16, MSU 4-11 - 15 Corner Kicks: ND 6-2 - 8, MSU 4-4 - 8 Goalkeepers: ND: Patrick Wall - 5 SV, 0 GA, 90:00, W MSU: Zach Bennett - 5 SV, 2 GA, 90:00, L Fouls: ND 8, MSU 11 Offsides: ND 2, MSU 1

THE THE 2013 REGULAR FIGHTING SEASON IRISH

On the day the Notre Dame men’s soccer team reclaimed the top spot in the national polls, the Fighting Irish lived up to the ranking with a 2-0 victory at No. 18 Michigan State on Tuesday afternoon at DeMartin Stadium in East Lansing, Mich.

Goals from forwards Harrison Shipp and Vince Cicciarelli just 37 seconds apart in the second half propelled the Irish to their 10th victory of the season.

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2013 UNIVERSITY OF NOTRE DAME MEN’S SOCCER

NCAA CHAMPIONSHIP NOVEMBER 8, 2013

#1 NOTRE DAME

WINS Share of ACC Regular-Season

TITLE

It didn’t take the Notre Dame men’s soccer team long to make an impact in the Atlantic Coast Conference. The top-ranked Fighting Irish defeated Pittsburgh, 2-0, Friday evening at Alumni Stadium to lock up a share of the ACC regular-season title in just their first season in the league. Notre Dame finished tied with Maryland atop the conference standings.

The Fighting Irish (11-1-5, 7-1-3) now will shift their focus to the postseason. Notre Dame is the No. 2 seed for the ACC Championship and will play host to Duke on Tuesday in the quarterfinals.

“The ACC is the best league in the country and winning it is a terrific accomplishment,” Notre Dame head coach Bobby Clark said. “The team should be proud. This is a great start. We always talk about the treble and that is winning the league, the conference tournament and then the NCAA tournament. This is our first step towards the treble.”

Notre Dame controlled the majority of Friday’s matchup against Pittsburgh. The Irish held a 13-1 advantage in shots on goal and they also earned 14 corner kicks compared to just one for the Panthers (1-11-4, 0-9-2).

The Fighting Irish sent shot after shot on frame in the opening half, yet Pittsburgh goalkeeper Dan Lynd held his own and kept the Irish off the board in the early stages of the stanza. Notre Dame forward Harrison Shipp had a shot hit off the far post in the 12th minute and then he nearly scored three minutes later when he tried to chip the ball over Lynd, but the Panther goalie jumped to make the save.

Pittsburgh registered its only shot on goal of the game in the 34th minute when Romeo Charron sent his ball to the near post and Irish goalkeeper Patrick Wall made a diving save. That was the only stop Wall would need to pick up his seventh shutout of the season.

Notre Dame continued to attack the Panthers and it paid off in the 38th minute when Shipp was brought down in the box and he converted the penalty kick. It was the team-best eighth goal of the season for the senior forward. The Irish led 1-0 at halftime.

“We were consistently pressuring them the whole half,” Shipp said. “We did a great job of getting the ball out wide to our outside backs Luke Mishu and Max Lachowecki. Those guys kept creating chance after chance by getting the ball into the box and we were a little unlucky with shots that went wide or were saved.

We were persistent and it was key getting a goal before halftime.”

“We had patience and persistence tonight,” Clark said. “I thought we had a lot of the ball and we moved the ball very well. Because of some good goalkeeping from Pittsburgh the goals took a little while to come. It was a nice relief to get the second goal. There was some emotion and a little bit of anxiety. Although we dominated play, until we got the second goal there was always a chance they could maybe get something on the counterattack.”

The men’s soccer team is the first Notre Dame program to capture an ACC title. This is the sixth regular-season conference championship in program history. Notre Dame won three regular-season BIG EAST titles under Clark (2004, 2007, 2008) and the Irish also captured two Midwestern Collegiate Conference championships (1989, 1993).

ALUMNI STADIUM • NOTRE DAME, IND.

The Irish continued to look dangerous in the second half as they pursued a second goal that would put the game away. In the 55th minute, Robby Gallegos played the ball ahead to Leon Brown and the senior forward was oneon-one with Lynd and placed the ball high of the frame. Irish forward Vince Cicciarelli sent a header just wide of the near post in the 73rd minute.

Pittsburgh

00-0

#1 Notre Dame

11-2

Cicciarelli wouldn’t be denied in the 81st minute when he received a pass from Brown and buried his shot into the upper netting from six yards away. The junior forward has five goals this season and he’s scored in each of the last three games.

Goalkeepers: UP: Dan Lynd - 10 SV, 2 GA, 90:00, L; 1 Team Save

Scoring: ND: Harrison Shipp (penalty kick) 37:19; ND: Vince Cicciarelli (Leon Brown) 80:43 Shots: UP 3-4 - 7, ND 17-15 - 32 Corner Kicks: UP 0-1 - 1, ND 8-6 - 14

ND: Patrick Wall - 1 SV, 0 GA, 90:00, W Fouls: UP 16, ND 5 Offsides: UP 2 ND 1

NOVEMBER 12, 2013

#1 NOTRE DAME

EDGES DUKE, 1-0, IN

ACC Quarterfinal Notre Dame (12-1-5) will face No. 12 Virginia Friday in the league semifinals at the Maryland SoccerPlex in Germantown, Md.

The lone score occurred minutes later when Fighting Irish midfielder Connor Klekota sent a free kick to forward Harrison Shipp, who chipped the ball to Hodan and the sophomore midfielder scored from seven yards out for his fifth tally of the campaign.

“The goal was something we’ve worked on in practice and we saved it for the playoffs,” Clark said. “We have a few more up our sleeves, but tonight’s was a nice one.”

The first half of Tuesday’s affair didn’t feature much offense as the Fighting Irish recorded the only three shots of the stanza. The second half was a different story as Notre Dame upped the offensive pressure in a major way and it resulted in a 13-3 shot discrepancy in favor of the hosts for the half.

Klekota nearly scored on a free kick in the 62nd minute as he ripped a shot to the near post and a diving save from Long was needed to keep it a one-goal contest. Long came up with three saves in a span of five minute as Leon Brown, Vince Cicciarelli and Shipp all challenged the Blue Devil goalkeeper, who finished with six saves on the night.

“Duke is a physical team. They pressured us and we didn’t have a lot of time on the ball and it was hard to connect our passes in the first half,” Notre Dame head coach Bobby Clark said.

“As the game wore on we found a better space and then we took over the game. We played very, very well in the second half.”

Duke (8-5-6) did not register its first shot of the match until the 64th minute.

Fighting Irish goalkeeper Patrick Wall needed two saves to post his third straight shutout and his eighth overall of the campaign. Notre Dame will take a season-best scoreless streak of 320:25 into Friday’s match against Virginia.

Notre Dame midfielder Evan Panken notched the game’s first shot on goal in the 54th minute as he delivered an attempt on frame from outside the penalty box that was saved by Duke goalkeeper Alex Long.

“It’ll be nice to get a go at the one team that gave us a blemish on our record,” Clark said. “It’ll be a hard game because Virginia was the only team I feel that undid us here (at home) this whole season. I feel we’ve had the upper hand in every game we’ve played

with the exception of Virginia. It’ll be a tough game, but one we’re looking forward to.”

In addition to holding a 16-3 shot advantage over Duke, Notre Dame also had a 5-2 edge in corner kicks. The Blue Devils committed 21 fouls, while the Irish were whistled for nine.

The Fighting Irish, who shared the ACC regular-season title with Maryland, are the tournament’s No. 2 seed and Duke was the seventh seed. The loss snapped Duke’s eight-game unbeaten streak.

ACC CHAMPIONSHIP QUARTERFINAL ALUMNI STADIUM • NOTRE DAME, IND. Duke

00-0

#1 Notre Dame

01-1

Scoring: ND: Patrick Hodan (Connor Klekota, Harrison Shipp) 58:54 Shots: DU 0-3 - 3, ND 3-13 - 16 Corner Kicks: DU 0-2 - 2, ND 2-3 - 5 Goalkeepers: DU: Alex Long - 6 SV, 1 GA, 90:00, L ND: Patrick Wall - 2 SV, 0 GA, 90:00, W Fouls: DU 21, ND 9 Offsides: DU 0, ND 2

THE THE2013 ACC CHAMPIONSHIP FIGHTING IRISH

A magnificent set piece that resulted in a Patrick Hodan goal in the 59th minute made the Notre Dame men’s soccer team’s Atlantic Coast Conference Championship debut a successful one as the top-ranked Fighting Irish bested Duke, 1-0, in the quarterfinals on Tuesday evening at a frigid Alumni Stadium.

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2013 UNIVERSITY OF NOTRE DAME MEN’S SOCCER

NCAA CHAMPIONSHIP BOBBY CLARK

NOVEMBER 14, 2013

Harry Shipp & Bobby Clark Cop

AWARDS ACC The Atlantic Coast Conference on Thursday announced its men’s soccer awards and all-conference teams and it was a major haul for league-newcomer Notre Dame. Senior forward Harrison Shipp was named ACC Offensive Player of the Year, Bobby Clark was selected as ACC Coach of the Year and six Fighting Irish players garnered all-conference accolades.

Joining Shipp on the all-ACC first team was his Fighting Irish teammate Nick Besler, a junior midfielder. Sophomore midfielder Patrick Hodan copped second-team honors, while Grant Van De Casteele (Sr./D), Luke Mishu (Sr./D) and Vince Cicciarelli (Jr./F) all were named to the third team.

Notre Dame led all teams with six all-ACC selections.

Duke, Maryland, North Carolina and Wake Forest all had four players recognized.

Clark, along with associate head coach BJ Craig, assistant coach Greg Dalby and volunteer assistant Vern Gingerich, guided the Fighting Irish to a share of the ACC regular-season title in just their first season in the league.

Notre Dame and Maryland tied for first with identical 7-13 conference marks. The Irish are 12-1-5 overall and currently are the consensus No. 1 team in the nation.

This is the sixth conference coach-of-the-year award for Clark. He was tapped as the BIG EAST coach of the year

twice (2001 & 2004) and while at Stanford he was the two-time Mountain Pacific Sports Federation coach of the year (1996 & 1997) and the Pac-10 coach of the year in 2000.

“Any time I’ve ever had a lot of players get awards the team has always done well,” Clark said. “Obviously they are a big part of the team, but there’s a lot more to this team than the people who got honored and they would be the first to agree with me on that. This has been a really together team. Even the last guy on the squad has contributed this year and that’s one of the reasons we’ve been successful and getting honors.”

Shipp ranks second in the league in points (24), is tied for second in assists (8) and is tied for third in goals (8).

The Lake Forest, Ill., native tallied a league-best five gamewinners, including the golden goal in a 2-1 win at Clemson and a 90th-minute tally in a 1-0 victory at Virginia Tech. Shipp is the first Notre Dame student-athlete to earn an ACC Player of the Year award in any sport. This is the second all-league honor for Shipp, who was on the all-BIG EAST third team last season.

“It’s always hard to do individual awards in a team sport especially with the great season we’ve had so far,” Shipp said. “This is a testament to how well we’ve played considering we’ve had some key guys injured. Guys have

HARRISON SHIPP

ALL-ACC FIRST TEAM Thomas McNamara, Gr., M, Clemson Sebastien Ibeagha, Sr., D/M, Duke Patrick Mullins, Sr., F, Maryland Dan Metzger, Jr., M, Maryland Boyd Okwuonu, Jr., D, North Carolina Harrison Shipp, Sr., F, Notre Dame Nick Besler, Jr., M, Notre Dame Kyle Renfro, Sr., GK, Virginia Tech Sean Okoli, Jr., F, Wake Forest Luca Gimenez, Sr., M/F, Wake Forest Jared Watts, Sr., M, Wake Forest

ALL-ACC SECOND TEAM

ALL-ACC THIRD TEAM

stepped up all season. The defense has really kept us in games, which has allowed us to make some big plays towards the end of games and get some game-winning goals.”

Mishu (Knoxville, Tenn.) has been another major factor in the Irish defense from his right back position. He has played every minute over the course of the last 17 matches and has assisted on two goals.

Besler (Overland Park, Kan.) is an anchor in the Fighting Irish midfield. He played every minute during the first 10 matches of the season, but has missed the last eight games with an injury. The central midfielder has contributed mightily to the success of the team’s stout defensive unit.

Cicciarelli (Peoria, Ill.) has had a breakout junior campaign, tallying five goals and one assist in 18 matches (14 starts). Three of his goals occurred in ACC play, including the Irish score in the 1-1 tie with Maryland. Cicciarelli has deposited a goal in three of the last four games.

Hodan (Brookfield, Wis.) has compiled 14 points on five goals and four assists in 16 matches. The point and assist totals rank second among all Irish players, while the goal tally is tied for second. The sophomore netted the lone goal in Tuesday’s 1-0 win over Duke in the quarterfinals of the ACC Championship.

Notre Dame will face No. 10 Virginia Friday in the semifinals of the ACC Championship. The match is slated for 5:30 p.m. (ET) at the Maryland SoccerPlex in Germantown, Md. The game can be seen live on ESPN3.

Van De Casteele (Plano, Texas) has played every minute in the central defense this season and is a key reason why Notre Dame has posted eight shutouts and currently possess the nation’s eighth-best goals-against average (0.57).

The Irish have notched three straight shutouts and currently have a season-best scoreless streak of 320:25. Van De Casteele, a third-team all-BIG EAST pick a year ago, assisted on Notre Dame’s goal in a 1-1 draw with Maryland.

ACC Offensive Player of the Year Harrison Shipp, Sr., F, Notre Dame ACC Defensive Player of the Year Boyd Okwuonu, Jr., D, North Carolina ACC Freshman of the Year Zeiko Lewis, Fr., M/F, Boston College ACC Coach of the Year Bobby Clark, Notre Dame

Jack Metcalf, Sr., M, Clemson Kyle Fisher, So., D, Clemson Zach Mathers, So., M, Duke Brody Huitema, Fr., F, Duke Mikey Ambrose, So., D, Maryland Alex Martinez, Sr., M, NC State Jordan McCrary, Jr., M/D, North Carolina Vince Cicciarelli, Jr., F, Notre Dame Luke Mishu, Sr., D, Notre Dame Grant Van De Casteele, Sr., D, Notre Dame Alex Bono, So., GK, Syracuse Jordan Allen, Fr., M, Virginia

ALL-ACC FRESHMAN TEAM Zeiko Lewis, Fr., M/F, Boston College Brody Huitema, Fr., F, Duke Zack Steffen, Fr., GK, Maryland Michael Sauers, Fr., M, Maryland Travis Wannemuehler, Fr., F, NC State Omar Holness, Fr., M, North Carolina Emil Ekblom, Fr., F, Syracuse Alex Halis, Fr., M, Syracuse Jordan Allen, Fr., M, Virginia Ian Harkes, Fr., M, Wake Forest Jacori Hayes, Fr., M, Wake Forest

THE THE2013 ACC CHAMPIONSHIP FIGHTING IRISH

Zeiko Lewis, Fr., M/F, Boston College Sean Davis, Jr., M, Duke Schillo Tshuma, So., M/F, Maryland Nazmi Albadawi, Sr., M, NC State Jonathan Campbell, So., D, North Carolina Brendan Moore, Jr., GK, North Carolina Patrick Hodan, So., M, Notre Dame Emil Ekblom, Fr., F, Syracuse Eric Bird, Jr., M, Virginia Darius Madison, So., F, Virginia Jalen Robinson, So., D, Wake Forest

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2013 UNIVERSITY OF NOTRE DAME MEN’S SOCCER

NCAA CHAMPIONSHIP ANDREW O’MALLEY

NOVEMBER 15, 2013

#1 NOTRE DAME Falls To #10 VIRGINIA In Penalty Kicks, 4-3

Two Virginia goals in the final six minutes of regulation sent Friday’s Atlantic Coast Conference Men’s Soccer Championship semifinal match against Notre Dame to overtime and the Cavaliers would prevail in penalty kicks, 4-3, following the 3-3 draw at the Maryland SoccerPlex in Germantown, Md.

“I will just say it was a great advertisement for college soccer and in particular ACC soccer,” Notre Dame head coach Bobby Clark said. “It was a really good game. I thought we controlled long stretches of the first half. Full marks to UVA - they had a fantastic fight back and made for a really entertaining game. I want to congratulate both teams for a really good game here tonight.

Obviously, we are disappointed we didn’t progress, but we wish UVA all the best.”

The Fighting Irish scored first in the 21st minute as midfielder Connor Klekota played a long pass ahead to forward Harrison Shipp, who got behind the last two Virginia defenders and put the ball over Cavalier goalkeeper Calle Brown from just inside the penalty box. It was the ninth goal of the season for Shipp, the ACC Offensive Player of the Year.

Notre Dame controlled possession in the first half and outshot Virginia 7-3 in the stanza. The Cavaliers did not register a shot on goal in the opening half, while the Irish had three.

Virginia’s first shot came in the 25th minute when Darius Madison sent a header high of the crossbar. Klekota had a shot from distance go just wide of the left post in the 27th minute.

The Fighting Irish went up 2-0 in the 45th minute when Patrick Hodan scored from close range off a feed from freshman Brandon Aubrey. It was the sixth goal of the season for Hodan, a sophomore midfielder. Notre Dame led 2-0 at halftime.

“I think in the first half, when we got the ball, we swung it around the back and got it to the midfield and were able to turn and play our wide guys who were coming into the middle and get our outside backs involved,” Shipp said.

In the 53rd minute, Irish midfielder Robby Gallegos had a shot deflected by Brown and the ball worked its way over to Notre Dame left back Max Lachowecki who had his shot hit the hand of a Cavalier defender and the Irish were awarded a penalty kick. Shipp’s attempt from spot deflected off the left post.

Virginia (10-4-5) had a penalty kick of its own in the 57th minute when Marcus Salandy-Defour was knocked down in the box and Todd Wharton converted the attempt to make it a one-goal contest. That tally snapped Notre Dame’s season-long scoreless streak, which had reached 376:33 in length. The Irish had scored nine consecutive goals up to that point.

The Cavaliers threatened again in the 72nd minute when a pass was played ahead to SalandyDefour, but Irish goalkeeper Patrick Wall came off his line to snatch the ball near the edge of the penalty box to preserve the lead.

The Irish regained their two-goal advantage in the 81st minute when Hodan drilled a free kick on frame that was knocked away by Brown and O’Malley deposited the rebound. It was the second goal of the season for O’Malley, a central defender.

The Cavaliers didn’t go away and sliced the Irish lead back to one in the 85th minute with a Salandy-Defour goal. Virginia notched the equalizer two minutes later when Nicko Corriveau buried a close-range shot into the upper netting. Virginia outshot Notre Dame 11-5 in the second half and 15-13 for the match. Both teams had one shot during overtime. Wall finished with three saves for the Irish, while Brown had four stops for the Cavaliers. Virginia had seven corner kicks and Notre Dame had six.

“It was a really nice atmosphere here at the SoccerPlex,” Clark said. “Their players were ready

too because they certainly came out of the blocks in the second half. For me, I was really proud because we lost a break in the game and I was proud of how we got our game back together.

I thought we had a few chances to win and it wasn’t to be. Penalty kicks were the decider.”

Notre Dame was the No. 2 seed in the tournament, while Virginia is the sixth seed. The Cavaliers topped the Irish, 2-0, on Oct. 26 at Alumni Stadium. That is the only loss of the season for Notre Dame.

Junior midfielder Nick Besler, a first team allACC pick, returned to the Irish lineup tonight after missing the last eight matches with an injury. Besler started and played 69 minutes in the central midfield.

The NCAA Championship field will be announced Monday.

ACC CHAMPIONSHIP SEMIFINALS MARYLAND SOCCERPLEX • GERMANTOWN, MD. #10 Virginia

0300-3

#1 Notre Dame

2100-3

Virginia won penalty kick shootout, 4-3 Scoring: ND: Harrison Shipp (Connor Klekota) 20:39; ND: Patrick Hodan (Brandon Aubrey) 44:05; UVA: Todd Wharton (penalty kick) 56:08; ND: Andrew O’Malley (Patrick Hodan) 80:14; UVA: Marcus Salandy-Defour (Riggs Lennon) 84:16; UVA: Nicko Corriveau (Marcus Salandy-Defour) 86:19 Shots: UVA 3-11-1-0 - 15, ND 7-5-1-0 - 13 Corner Kicks: UVA 1-2-1-3 - 7, ND 4-2-0-0 -6 Goalkeepers: UVA: Calle Brown - 4 SV, 3 GA, 110:00, T ND: Patrick Wall - 3 SV, 3 GA, 110:00, T Fouls: UVA 19, ND 13 Offsides: UVA 3, ND 3

THE THE2013 ACC CHAMPIONSHIP FIGHTING IRISH

The back and forth match featured several shifts in momentum. No. 1 Notre Dame (12-1-6) went up 3-1 in the 81st minute on an Andrew O’Malley goal and No. 10 Virginia used goals in the 85th and 87th minutes to take the momentum back and force the extra sessions.

“In the second half, we stopped connecting that first pass from the backs to the midfield which didn’t allow our outside backs to get as high. In the first half, our outside backs were getting past their outside midfielders to the point where we could attack and play from there. In the second half, we just struggled to connect that first pass which didn’t allow us to play in their half until the overtimes when we actually started playing in their half again.”

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2013 UNIVERSITY OF NOTRE DAME MEN’S SOCCER

NCAA CHAMPIONSHIP NICK BESLER

NOVEMBER 18, 2013

FIGHTING

IRISH

Earn No. 3 Seed For

NCAA Championship The unveiling of the NCAA Championship bracket can cause different emotions depending on the team, but the only angst for the Notre Dame men’s soccer squad on Monday was finding out where it would be seeded and who it would potentially host in the second round.

Having notched a 12-1-6 pre-NCAA tournament record, a share of the ACC regular-season title and a solid RPI, the Fighting Irish knew they were in great position for a high seed in the 48-team field. They were correct. Notre Dame earned the No. 3 seed for the 2013 NCAA Championship and following a first-round bye the Irish will play host to Wisconsin or Milwaukee at 7 p.m. (ET) Sunday at Alumni Stadium.

Wisconsin (13-4-2) and Milwaukee (15-2-2) will square off Thursday in Madison, Wis. Notre Dame has not faced Wisconsin since the 1996 season, while the Fighting Irish last met Milwaukee in the 2003 NCAA tournament.

“There are a lot of good teams in our bracket,” Notre Dame head coach Bobby Clark said. “It’s going to be very challenging. If you look at all parts of the brack-

et, they are all very challenging and that’s the way it should be in any tournament. We’ll take one game at a time. We don’t know who that is yet, but it’s nice to get a bye and it’s nice to have the luxury of having a home game. We hope we can make Alumni Stadium a fortress for us and hopefully we can get the fans out and it would be nice if the students could really get behind this team. We have a great group of guys and with some luck this could be a fun ride.”

Notre Dame is making its 16th appearance in the NCAA Championship and this is the eighth time the Fighting Irish earned one of the 16 national seeds. The Irish are 11-14-1 all-time in the tournament, including a 10-10-1 record under Clark. Clark has led the Irish to the tournament in 12 of his 13 seasons at Notre Dame.

He has guided the Irish to the Round of 16 on five occasions and the quarterfinals twice.

Last season, the Irish were the top seed in the tournament and after the bye they topped Michigan State, 3-0, in the second round. Notre Dame fell to eventual national champion Indiana, 2-1 in double-overtime, in the Round of 16.

Six ACC teams, including four seeded squads, qualified for this season’s NCAA Championship field.

Maryland (#5 seed), Virginia (#8), Wake Forest (#14), Clemson and North Carolina joined Notre Dame in tournament. The Fighting Irish faced nine schools (five seeded teams) that appear in the bracket and they posted a 4-1-5 mark against those opponents.

Notre Dame is coming off a 3-3 draw against Virginia on Friday in the semifinals of the ACC Championship.

The Cavaliers advanced on penalty kicks, 4-3.

UCLA is the top seed in the tournament, while Washington is the No. 2 seed. Jamie Clark, the youngest son of Bobby Clark, is the head coach of the Huskies.

“Being the No. 3 seed is fantastic, but the only thing that annoys me is that my son is the No. 2 seed,” Clark said with a laugh. “It’s not good when your son starts to get one past you.”

GRANT VAN DE CASTEELE

NOVEMBER 24, 2013

IRISH

Get Offensive In 4-0 WIN OVER WISCONSIN In NCAA Second Round

The Irish converted on another free kick in the 55th minute. This time it was Hodan who struck the ball from near the right sideline and Cicciarelli was positioned in the box but let it go and it found the back of the net. It was Hodan’s seventh goal of the campaign.

Senior forward Harrison Shipp, the ACC Offensive Player of the Year, scored twice and Vince Cicciarelli and Patrick Hodan also chipped in goals for the Fighting Irish. The four goals were a season-high total for the Irish and they matched the most ever for the program in an NCAA tournament game.

Shipp salted the game away in the 65th minute when he sent a shot to the far post from 16 yards out that beat Jentsch. The senior forward leads the Irish with 11 goals this season. Tonight was Shipp’s second multiplegoal game of the season and the fourth of his career.

The two-goal performance tied a Notre Dame record for goals in an NCAA tournament match. The last Irish player to accomplish the feat was Kurt Martin in a 3-2 setback at Virginia in the quarterfinals of the 2006 tournament.

Notre Dame (13-1-6) will play host to ACC foe Wake Forest next Sunday in the NCAA Championship Round of 16. The Irish topped the Demon Deacons, 3-1, on Nov. 2 in Winston Salem, N.C. The Irish didn’t waste much time on Sunday as Cicciarelli, a junior forward, scored in the seventh minute.

The sequence began with a shot from midfielder Connor Klekota that was blocked and Cicciarelli gathered the ball and chipped it over Wisconsin goalkeeper Max Jentsch from 15 yards out for his sixth goal of the season. That was the fastest goal scored ever for Notre Dame in an NCAA tournament contest.

Shipp gave the Irish a 2-0 lead in the 22nd minute when he tucked a free kick inside the near post from 20 yards away. Notre Dame led 2-0 at halftime.

“I thought we opened the game very, very well,” Notre Dame head coach Bobby Clark said. “Then I thought we let it drift a little bit, but we still got two goals in the first half. Our second goal from Harry was a terrific goal. We got the third goal so quickly after halftime and I felt that put us in a really good position. Of course the fourth goal put the icing on the cake. It was a really good performance tonight.”

“I think we did a good job early on of recognizing the way they (Wisconsin) were man-marking us, especially their two center backs,” Shipp said. “We got that goal in the first 10 minutes and I think that really forced them to come out and play. It forced them to pressure higher up the field and it allowed big spaces in behind, which we took advantage of.”

Notre Dame outshot Wisconsin 15-7, including 7-2 in shots on goal. The Badgers didn’t register their first shot on goal until the 71st minute. The Irish also had a 3-2 edge in corner kicks.

Senior goalkeeper Patrick Wall made two saves for the Fighting Irish to pick up his ninth shutout of the season.

Jentsch had two saves for Wisconsin (14-5-2) in 78:31 of play.

“Harry (Shipp) has been terrific for us, but I thought the whole team played well tonight,” Clark said. “I felt the two central defenders (Grant Van De Casteele and Andrew O’Malley) were very good. Evan Panken is the unsung hero out there in the wide area. He pressures so well. It’s also great having Nick Besler back because

we played eight games without him when he broke his foot earlier in the season. Having him back is such a steadying influence on the team.”

The Irish will be making their second straight appearance in the NCAA Round of 16 and the seventh overall in program history. Clark has led Notre Dame to the Round of 16 six times in his 13 seasons with the Fighting Irish.

Notre Dame’s other four-goal performance in an NCAA tournament game was in a 4-1 second-round win over Milwaukee in 2003. Today’s four-goal margin of victory was the largest ever for the Fighting Irish in an NCAA contest.

NCAA CHAMPIONSHIP SECOND ROUND ALUMNI STADIUM • NOTRE DAME, IND. #19 Wisconsin

00-0

#3 Notre Dame

22-4

Scoring: ND: Vince Cicciarelli (Connor Klekota) 6:31; ND: Harrison Shipp (unassisted) 21:28: ND: Patrick Hodan (unassisted) 54:37; ND: Harrison Shipp (unassisted) 64:23 Shots: UW 2-5 - 7, ND 5-10 - 15 Corner Kicks: UW 0-2 - 2, ND 1-2 - 3 Goalkeepers: UW: Max Jentsch - 2 SV, 4 GA, 78:31, L; Casey Beyers - 0 SV, 0 GA, 11:29; 1 Team Save ND: Patrick Wall - 2 SV, 0 GA, 90:00, W Fouls: UW 14, ND 9 Offsides: UW 2, ND 1

THE THE NCAA 2013 CHAMPIONSHIP FIGHTING IRISH

Even while playing in frigid temperatures, the Notre Dame offense stayed red-hot as the third-ranked Fighting Irish topped No. 19 Wisconsin, 4-0, Sunday evening in the second round of the NCAA Men’s Soccer Championship at Alumni Stadium.

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2013 UNIVERSITY OF NOTRE DAME MEN’S SOCCER

NCAA CHAMPIONSHIP

DECEMBER 1, 2013

#3 IRISH DOWN #14 DEMON DEACONS, 4-2 To Reach NCAA Quarterfinals

LUKE MISHU

It was a heavyweight fight with both teams exchanging blows and No. 3 Notre Dame came out with the 4-2 victory over No. 14 Wake Forest in the NCAA Men’s Soccer Championship Round of 16 Sunday evening at Alumni Stadium.

Notre Dame (14-1-6) will play host to Michigan State at 7 p.m. (ET) Saturday in the tournament’s quarterfinal round. The Fighting Irish defeated the Spartans, 2-0, Nov. 5 in East Lansing, Mich.

Wake Forest (10-6-5) struck first when Michael Gamble took a cross from Sean Okoli and scored from close range in the 12th minute. The Fighting Irish responded less than two minutes later as a short corner kick was played to Patrick Hodan, who dribbled his way into the penalty box and drilled home a low-angle shot for his eighth tally of the season. Hodan, a sophomore midfielder, has scored a goal in each of the last four games.

Gamble threatened again for Wake Forest in the 15th minute when he placed a shot just wide left from 24 yards away. Notre Dame claimed a 2-1 lead in the 42nd minute when Evan Panken worked his way near the left end line and struck a cross that was deflected in by Demon Deacon defender Tolani Ibikunle for an own goal. The Irish led 2-1 at halftime.

midfielder deposited the ball to make it 3-2 in favor of the Irish.

Notre Dame’s fourth tally came in the 74th minute as left back Max Lachowecki played a cross to Harrison Shipp and the senior forward knew exactly what to do with it as he registered his team-leading 12th goal of the season. Shipp currently has a seven-game point streak, which matches a career-best mark that he achieved earlier this season.

The four goals from the Fighting Irish matched a program record for an NCAA tournament contest. The Irish also tallied four in last Sunday’s 4-0 win against Wisconsin in the second round and they netted four in a 4-1 second-round win over Milwaukee in 2003.

Wake Forest held the edge in shots (14-9) and corner kicks (7-3). Wall made four saves for the Fighting Irish, while Harris had three stops for the Demon Deacons.

“Today was definitely one of our better games of the season,” Panken said. “But there were periods where we lost it a little bit so we can definitely get better.

The sky’s the limit for this team and we’re just getting ready for next week because we know it’ll be a battle again.”

“My associate head coach BJ Craig summed it up that this really was like a final four game,” Irish head coach Bobby Clark said. “It was two really good teams and a quality game. It was like a professional game with the speed and the pace. It takes two teams to do that. It was one of the best college games I’ve seen. It was a very clean game and very well played.

Obviously we came out on the right side of it, but it could have gone either way.”

Notre Dame will be making the third NCAA quarterfinal appearance in program history. The Irish fell in the quarterfinal round of the 2006 and 2007 tournaments. Saturday will mark the first time the Fighting Irish have hosted a quarterfinal match of the NCAA Championship.

Notre Dame junior forward Vince Cicciarelli had two attempts negated in the opening stages of the second half, while Okoli and Gamble nearly hooked up again in the 53rd minute but the shot went just wide of the far post. The next solid Irish chance came off the foot of Hodan as he blasted a shot on frame that was knocked around in front of the goal line before Wake Forest goalkeeper Andrew Harris pounced on the ball.

#14 Wake Forest #3 Notre Dame

The Demon Deacons produced the equalizer in the 62nd minute when Ibikunle headed in a corner kick from Gamble. Wake Forest continued to mount an attack and Irish goalkeeper Patrick Wall made two saves in the 64th minute to keep the score level.

It then was Notre Dame’s turn to up the offensive pressure and it paid off in the 70th minute. The scoring sequence began when an Irish corner kick was batted around and finally cleared out to central defender Andrew O’Malley, who gathered the ball and found Panken on the left side of the pitch and the sophomore

NCAA CHAMPIONSHIP ROUND OF 16 ALUMNI STADIUM • NOTRE DAME, IND. 11-2 22-4

Scoring: WF: Michael Gamble (Sean Okoli) 11:27; ND: Patrick Hodan (unassisted) 13:19; ND: own goal 41:02; WF: Tolani Ibikunle (Michael Gamble) 61:41; ND: Evan Panken (Andrew O’Malley) 69:45; ND: Harrison Shipp (Max Lachowecki) 73:10 Shots: WF 5-9 - 14, ND 3-6 - 9 Corner Kicks: WF 2-5 - 7, ND 2-1 - 3 Goalkeepers: WF: Andrew Harris - 3 SV, 4 GA, 90:00, L; ND: Patrick Wall - 4 SV, 2 GA, 90:00, W Fouls: WF 8, ND 3 Offsides: WF 5, ND 6

DECEMBER 7, 2013

FIGHTING IRISH

EVAN PANKEN (LEFT) & CONNOR KLEKOTA

COLLEGE CUP BOUND for the First Time

Notre Dame (15-1-6) will face No. 7 New Mexico at 5 p.m. (ET) Friday in the national semifinals at PPL Park in Chester, Pa. Maryland and Virginia will meet at 7:30 p.m. in the other semifinal.

“We’re very excited to keep dancing,” Notre Dame head coach Bobby Clark said. “There’s nothing better than dancing in December.

“I’m very happy for this team because they’ve worked so hard. They are a good team and they are a fun team.

They deserve this one.”

The Fighting Irish controlled much of the possession during the opening 25 minutes of Saturday’s match. Senior forward Harrison Shipp produced the first solid opportunity for the hosts in the 19th minute as he blasted a shot on frame from 19 yards out but Spartan goalkeeper Zach Bennett punched the ball out of bounds for his lone save of the match. Shipp had a 23-yard shot hit the far post two minutes later.

Michigan State (14-6-3) registered its first shot of the match in the 26th minute when Tim Kreutz placed the ball through the Irish defense and Irish goalkeeper Patrick Wall scooped it up.

Wall had four saves on the night.

Notre Dame capitalized on its possession in the 31st minute when a corner kick was sent into the box and Panken’s first shot was blocked but the rebound went to Vince Cicciarelli, who played a short pass to Panken and he

delivered from six yards out. It was the fifth goal of the season for the sophomore midfielder. The Fighting Irish led 1-0 at halftime.

“This is what we’ve been working for all year and everyone played a part in this win and it feels so great to be a part of this team,” Panken said. “It was great getting us up early, especially in a big game like this because we knew we needed it. We also knew we’d need more than that to win the game.

One wasn’t going to be enough.”

The Irish didn’t waste much time in the second half to claim a two-goal advantage. In the 48th minute, Hodan did a splendid job of maneuvering around a Spartan defender and then tucked his shot into the right post and past a diving Bennett. Hodan, a midfielder, has scored a goal in each of the last five games and he has nine tallies overall this season.

Michigan State would not go down easily. The Spartans sliced the Irish lead to one in the 59th minute as Kreutz crossed the ball into the box and Jay Chapman headed it home from seven yards out.

“We opened the second half superbly,” Clark said. “We got the (second) goal and were playing very, very well. We then lost the goal, which kind of came against the run of play. That upset us a little bit, but we got back into it.”

Notre Dame almost reclaimed its twogoal cushion in the 69th minute as Hodan nearly replicated his goal, but sent the ball just wide of the far post.

The Irish held a 16-9 shot advantage on the night and they also had a 7-3 edge in corner kicks.

The Spartans continued to make the Irish work for their first College Cup bid. Wall came up with a big save in the 73rd minute as he punched an

Andrew Herr 20-yard attempt over the cross bar. The ensuing corner kick was batted around in the box and Chapman eventually got a foot on it, but sent the shot wide left.

The last gasp for the Spartans occurred with just over a minute left when Brent McIntosh crossed the ball to Kreutz who was running at the near post and his shot clipped the woodwork and went out of bounds.

“This was my seventh time to be in the quarterfinals (as a head coach) and this is only my second time to win; I went once with Stanford,” Clark said.

“It’s not easy to make that final jump.

I was happy when that final whistle blew.”

NCAA CHAMPIONSHIP QUARTERFINALS ALUMNI STADIUM • NOTRE DAME, IND. #11 Michigan State

01-1

#3 Notre Dame

11-2

Scoring: ND: Evan Panken (Vince Cicciarelli) 30:48; ND: Patrick Hodan (unassisted) 47:16; MSU: Jay Chapman (Tim Kreutz) 58:46 Shots: MSU 4-5 - 9, ND 8-8 - 16 Corner Kicks: MSU 1-2 - 3, ND 3-4 - 7 Goalkeepers: MSU: Zach Bennett 1 SV, 2 GA, 90:00, L; ND: Patrick Wall - 4 SV, 1 GA, 90:00, W Fouls: MSU 14, ND 14 Offsides: MSU 2, ND 3

THE THE NCAA 2013 CHAMPIONSHIP FIGHTING IRISH

For the first time in program history the Notre Dame men’s soccer team is headed to the College Cup. The thirdranked Fighting Irish used goals from sophomores Evan Panken and Patrick Hodan to defeat No. 11 Michigan State 2-1 in the quarterfinals of the NCAA Championship on Saturday evening at a frigid Alumni Stadium.

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DECEMBER 13, 2013

IRISH Reach First CHAMPIONSHIP The University of Notre Dame men’s soccer team now is just one step away from winning the program’s first national title. A two-goal performance from sophomore midfielder Patrick Hodan propelled No. 3 Notre Dame past No. 7 New Mexico 2-0 on Friday evening in the semifinals of the NCAA Championship at PPL Park in Chester, Pa. Notre Dame will face No. 5 Maryland, who topped Virginia 2-1 in the second semifinal, on Sunday in the national title game. The Fighting Irish and Terrapins played to a 1-1 draw on Oct. 8 at Notre Dame. Both squads shared this season’s ACC regular-season title.

It didn’t take the Fighting Irish (16-1-6) long to score in their College Cup debut as Hodan found the back of the net in the seventh minute. Senior forward Harrison Shipp, a MAC Hermann Trophy finalist, set up the score as he played the ball to Hodan and he took a couple dribbles and buried it into the lower left side from 16 yards out. Hodan has scored a goal in each of the last six games and it was the first goal allowed by New Mexico in the NCAA tournament.

“It’s obviously great to get ahead from the start,” Hodan said. “It gave us a little cushion and gave us some confidence during the game. We’ve been doing well on the offensive end in these NCAA (tournament) games.

We’ve moved the ball well, and everyone’s finding the open guy.”

New Mexico (14-6-2) threatened in the 10th minute when Niko Hansen placed the ball on frame and Irish goalkeeper Patrick Wall was there for the save. Wall, a senior, had five saves on the night, including four in the first half, to notch his 10th shutout of the season.

In the 17th minute, Irish forward Vince Cicciarelli received a long pass from central defender Grant Van De Casteele and maneuvered against a Lobo defender in the box before placing a shot into the side netting.

Shipp, who had four shots in the opening half, had a 21-yard attempt saved in the 40th minute. Notre Dame took a 1-0 lead into the locker room at halftime.

“We’re obviously delighted to have one more game in the season,” Notre Dame head coach Bobby Clark said. “I think they call it dancing in December - it’s good, it’s fun. It was a very hard game. I think it was important that we got the first goal. I think that put us in a position where we controlled the tempo and controlled the game a little bit. I thought we did that fairly well.”

The first good attempt for either team in the second half came in the 64th minute as New Mexico’s Christopher Wehan sent a shot wide of the far post from 25 yards away.

Seconds later, Notre Dame made the most of its first scoring opportunity of the stanza when Shipp played the ball to Cicciarelli and he had a flick-shot hit the cross bar and Hodan headed home the rebound from seven yards out. Cicciarelli was credited with an assist on the goal. Tonight was the second career multiple-goal game for Hodan and his first of the season.

Cicciarelli nearly gave the Irish a three-goal advantage in the 68th minute but his low blast from inside the penalty box was saved

by Lobo goalkeeper Michael Lisch. Cicciarelli threatened again with just over 10 minutes left in regulation but Lisch was there to make his third and final save of the night.

Notre Dame held an 11-10 edge in shots, while New Mexico had a 5-3 advantage in corner kicks.

“It’s my second one (national title game),” Clark said. “I was here with Stanford, and I hope this team can do a better job because we lost the final. I think it’ll be very nice to take the title home, but it’s not going to be easy.

Whichever team we play, we haven’t beaten.

UVA, we lost and tied in the season and we tied Maryland in the season. Whichever team wins out in this game, we know it’s going to be a very hard game.”

NCAA CHAMPIONSHIP SEMIFINAL

PPL PARK • CHESTER, PA.

#7 New Mexico #3 Notre Dame

00-0 11-2

Scoring: ND: Patrick Hodan (Harrison Shipp) 6:34; ND: Patrick Hodan (Vince Cicciarelli) 64:18 Shots: UNM 4-6 - 10, ND 7-4 - 11 Corner Kicks: UNM 0-5 - 5, ND 0-3 - 3 Goalkeepers: UNM: Michael Lisch - 3 SV, 2 GA, 90:00, L ND: Patrick Wall - 5 SV, 0 GA, 90:00, W Fouls: UNM 12, ND 4 Offsides: UNM 1, ND 0

THE THE NCAA 2013 CHAMPIONSHIP FIGHTING IRISH

Game With 2-0 Win Over New Mexico

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IRISH DECEMBER 15, 2013

Down Terps to

WIN NCAA TITLE, 2-1 Confetti rained down, the Notre Dame fight song “Victory March” blasted on the loudspeakers and everyone on the Fighting Irish soccer team ran to one side of the field to celebrate.

Maryland, we shoot for the stars every year. We aim high. And when you aim that high and when you don’t reach it, you still end up at the moon, which is higher than most people.”

For the first time in the school’s proud athletic history, Notre Dame was on top of the men’s college soccer world.

Shipp, a finalist for the MAC Hermann Trophy as the nation’s best player, set up O’Malley’s winning goal with a perfectly placed free kick in the 60th minute. O’Malley leaped for Shipp’s kick and directed a header past goalkeeper Zack Steffen’s outstretched arms.

Led by goals from Andrew O’Malley and Leon Brown, and another big game from College Cup co-most outstanding player Harrison Shipp, Notre Dame won its first men’s soccer title with a 2-1 victory over Maryland on Sunday at PPL Park in Chester, Pa. The Fighting Irish finished the season 17-1-6.

“We’re all smiling big smiles,” said 68-year-old coach Bobby Clark, who won his first title in 27 years coaching at Dartmouth, Stanford and Notre Dame.

Patrick Mullins, the nation’s leading scorer, scored for Maryland (17-4-5). The Terrapins were trying to win their fourth national championship and third under coach Sasho Cirovski.

“They are worthy winners and I’m genuinely happy for Bobby for all he’s done for college soccer,” Cirovski said. “I hope he enjoys this one. At

Coming into Sunday’s title game, O’Malley, a senior defender, had scored just twice in his collegiate career - and, according to Clark, he missed a couple of chances throughout the season.

But he didn’t miss when it counted.

“The goal itself was really put on a silver platter for me,” O’Malley said. “It would have been tough for me to screw it up, I suppose. Harry just played a beautiful ball and all I needed to do was redirect it to the back post.”

O’Malley, from nearby West Chester, said it was extra special to score the championship-deciding goal in front of many of his family and friends, who made the short commute to watch him play at PPL Park.

NCAA CHAMPIONSHIP GAME PPL PARK * CHESTER, PA. #5 Maryland 1 0 1 #3 Notre Dame 1 1 2 Scoring: MD:Patrick Mullins 34:50; ND: Leon Brown (Nick Besler, Luke Mishu) 39:31, Andrew O¹Malley (Harrison Shipp) 59:56 Shots: MD 6-6-12, ND 5-5-10 Corner Kicks: MD 5-5-10, ND 3-1-4 Goalkeepers: MD: Zack Steffen 4 SV, 2 GA, 90:00, L; ND: Patrick Wall 2 SV, 1 GA, 90:00, W Fouls: MD 4-4-8, ND 2-6-8 Offsides: MD 1, ND 0

“I kind of jokingly said after the game - but I’m a little bit serious -that people think I’m good now,” O’Malley said.

“So, hopefully, I’ll just ride that.”

ball and then Mullins used his own hand to bring the ball down and deposit a shot past goalkeeper Patrick Wall.

Brown tied it at 1 in the 40th minute with a tough-angle shot. He entered the game as a reserve when Vince Cicciarelli was forced to leave when he broke his collarbone in the 10th minute.

“In the heat of the moment, I hit it down with my hand and, like any good forward, I hit it in the net,” Mullins said. “That’s not who I am and I’m very disappointed in how that play resulted … . I will regret that one for the rest of my life.”

Luke Mishu and Nick Besler were both credited with assists after Besler flicked on a long Mishu throw-in right to the foot of Brown, who slid a tough-angle shot past Steffen.

Mullins, who shared College Cup most outstanding player honors with Shipp, had 19 goals this season and finished his college career with 47, second in program history.

Mullins, Maryland’s own Hermann Trophy finalist, opened the scoring for the Terrapins in the 35th minute.

But for Cirovski, it was the character Mullins displayed in admitting to an intentional hand ball that shows what MLS teams will be getting when Mullins, a senior, is likely selected as one of the top picks in next month’s draft.

Moments earlier, Mullins thought a penalty kick was warranted when a volley from Alex Shinksy cleared off the goal line by what looked to be the arm of Notre Dame’s Patrick Hodan. But Hodan was not called for the hand

“When I build my stadium, I’m going to bronze a statue

with him out front,” Cirovski said. “He’s made from the best stuff on earth. It affected him. It affected him a lot … . His conscience was hurting.”

For Shipp - who finished his senior season with 12 goals and 11 assists, including three in the College Cup - it was not only gratifying to win a national title but to do so for Clark.

“I think this program has known for the last few years that we’re headed in the right direction,” Shipp said.

“We had a great regular season [last year] but I think we kind of realized that it was time for this program to take the next step. And we thought the only logical place to do that was to reach the final four and win a national championship.

“And to do it for this guy - our coach - is amazing. He’s probably the most underappreciated college soccer coach in the country.”

THE THE NCAA 2013 CHAMPIONSHIP FIGHTING IRISH 95

NCAA CHAMPIONSHIP MOST OUTSTANDING PLAYERS Harrison Shipp, Notre Dame (Offensive) Zack Steffens, Maryland (Defensive)

NCAA CHAMPIONSHIP ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAM Nick Besler, Notre Dame Patrick Hodan, Notre Dame Andrew O’Malley, Notre Dame Harrison Shipp, Notre Dame Grant Van De Casteele, Notre Dame Tsubasa Endoh, Maryland Patrick Mullins, Maryland Zack Steffens, Maryland Jordan Allen, Virginia Darius Madison, Virginia Michael Calderon, New Mexico

2013 UNIVERSITY OF NOTRE DAME MEN’S SOCCER

NCAA CHAMPIONSHIP DECEMBER 15, 2013

NOTRE DAME vs. MARYLAND POSTGAME QUOTES

HEAD COACH BOBBY CLARK “Obviously, I think we’re all smiling big smiles. We’re very happy with the result. I thought it was a very hardfought game. Any team coached by [Maryland head coach] Sasho Cirovski is going to be up for the fight.

It wasn’t the prettiest game; I think it’s hard to play two games of that intensity in a period of two or three days, but I thought both teams put in a good shift. I know our guys worked terribly hard; I think the last 10 minutes, we were certainly working very hard.

When we lost our big striker [Vince Cicciarelli] with a broken collarbone, that was a blow, but Leon Brown came in and got the equalizing goal. We went behind, and that was definitely a blow, but we equalized fairly quickly, and that was Leon that did that.

Andrew O’Malley stuck that goal away … he missed a few all season, I can tell you, but he saved that goal for the right time. It was a great goal. it would have been nice, we’d had a couple of chance to make it 3-1 just after that, but we somehow scorned these and I think they just tried to add to my gray hairs.

All in all, it was a great win for us against a very good team, and it finishes off the season very nicely for us.”

On where this championship ranks in his career: “It’s unbelievable. This is right up there with any championship I’ve ever won. I think this has been, I imagine, a dream of the team’s … I don’t think you judge yourself purely on championships. I think you’ve got to be very careful with that … To get a championship, a lot of things have to come together.

On how easy it was to work with this year’s team: “A lot of years I’ve had to coach, it’s been harder work coaching than this year. It’s such a good group of kids this year. It wasn’t hard work working with this group.”

On his team’s senior leadership: “Senior leadership is so important to any team. We work a lot on leadership, we work on that in the spring.

We have a sports psychologist, Dr. Franco, and once a week he meets with the group and works with them on leadership, and obviously we do too … Seniors set the tone … Harry Shipp is a classic example of a kid that doesn’t say much, but it’s just who he is. He’s a tremendous student, he’s a tremendous player, and

it’s just how he handles himself in everything he does.

Andrew O’Malley, Grant [Van De Casteele] … three terrific guys. All superb young men.”

is really good so as soon as I saw it go off my head I was a little bit worried he was going to get across to it, but luckily it got to the back of the net.”

On when he started believing his team was capable of winning a championship:

On winning Notre Dame’s first national championship:

“Last year’s team was capable … if we win that game [in the Round of 16 against Indiana in 2012], possibly we could go on and have won the national championship last year. Maybe, maybe not … I think last season was a successful season, but the guys just felt that they didn’t perform in the game against Indiana, and I think that was good inspiration to them. It was motivation for them. We’ve been knocking on the door [the last few years].”

“Being able to take the program from somewhere it’s never been, like an Elite Eight win, to a national championship win, is a huge jump. It’s euphoric.”

On the quality of play across college soccer: “It’s a good standard of soccer. Any time when we’ve taken teams abroad, we’ve more than coped with playing under-21 pro teams. The last three times I took teams - whether it be Dartmouth, Stanford, or Notre Dame - over to Scotland to play under-21 professional teams, we haven’t lost a game these three trips. We went to Brazil and more than held our own there. We went to Sweden and we were even playing first teams there. Our guys compete and play very good soccer … I think the standard of soccer in this country is very good. And obviously the better it is, we’re just a reflection of that, because we get the best youth players.”

SENIOR DEFENDER ANDREW O’MALLEY On what the team discussed after going down 1-0: “As a team, one of the mantras we had was to respond to what happened during the game. Not everything is going to go your way as a team, so you try to make sure that you’re mentally strong enough to come back from something like that. Leon [Brown] came in and responded really well with a goal.”

On scoring the match-winning goal, and doing it in front of his home fans: “I tried to get as many people as I knew to come out …

I got as much of my family out [as I could]; I think they ran a tailgate, stuff like that. It was really good to get a goal in front of them. The goal itself was really put up on a silver platter for me; it would have been really tough to screw it up, I suppose. Harry [Shipp] played just a beautiful ball and all I had to do was re-direct it to the back post. [Maryland goalkeeper] Zack Steffen

On the soccer culture at Notre Dame: “Within your team, you can breed a culture of winning, and I think the last two years, our team has shown that, and the women’s team has obviously had that for a few years. The more we can take that from them, and hopefully they can take something from us, and hopefully we can make the entire school better.”

SENIOR FORWARD HARRISON SHIPP On winning Notre Dame and head coach Bobby Clark’s first national championship: “I think this program has known for the last few years that we were heading in the right direction … we had a great regular season and we realized it was time for the program to take that next step, and we thought the only logical place to do that was to reach the final four and win a national championship. And to do it for our coach is amazing. I think he’s probably the most underappreciated college soccer coach in the country, in terms of lessons he teaches you on the field and off the field. I can tell you that I’m a much better person and player than I was three and a half years ago when I came in.”

On going out on top as a senior: “It’s pretty awesome, to be honest. We experienced a lot of pain our first three years … we realized that if we wanted to make that next jump, it was all 30 guys on the team, not just the 11 that played or the 21 that dressed, but all 30 guys … I think we showed that over the past five games.”

On the soccer culture at Notre Dame:

CONNOR KLEKOTA

THE THE NCAA 2013 CHAMPIONSHIP FIGHTING IRISH

“Seeing [the women’s team] win our freshman year, it almost makes you - I don’t know if `jealous’ is the right word - but it makes you want to experience that same feeling … I think witnessing that firsthand and the excitement of people watching on campus … I remember being in the dorms and everyone on campus was watching it, even if they didn’t follow women’s soccer throughout the whole year. I hope that people back on campus really followed us over the last five games, and especially here at the College Cup. I think that’s something that we wanted to strive for and hopefully reached.”

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NOTRE DAME vs. MARYLAND POSTGAME NOTES

Notre Dame is the fourth school to win national titles in both men’s and women’s soccer. The other three are North Carolina, Santa Clara, and UCLA. The Notre Dame women’s soccer team has won three national championships (1995, 2004, 2010).

Notre Dame was making its first appearance in the men’s College Cup. The Fighting Irish are 6-2 all-time in the NCAA Tournament when facing a team they played earlier that season.

Three of those wins came this season (Wake Forest, Michigan State, Maryland).

Patrick Hodan had scored in six consecutive matches before being held goalless today.

Notre Dame conceded the first goal of the match six times this season, including today, and posted a record of 3-12 in those matches.

Today marked the first College Cup final in which both teams scored a goal since 2007 (Wake Forest defeated Ohio State, 2-1).

Harrison Shipp assisted on three of Notre Dame’s four goals at the College Cup. In their last nine matches, the Fighting Irish had trailed for a total of 1:52.

They trailed for 4:41 in the first half today.

LEON BROWN

THE THE NCAA 2013 CHAMPIONSHIP FIGHTING IRISH 99

2013 UNIVERSITY OF NOTRE DAME MEN’S SOCCER

NCAA CHAMPIONSHIP

The Last

WORD -- Beth Hunter

Having the opportunity to work with the University of Notre Dame men’s soccer program has been such a blessing on so many levels. As I reflect back on the 2013 national championship season, so many thoughts come to mind.

First and foremost is an overwhelming sense of gratitude to everyone who played a role in this magical season: coaches, student-athletes, support staff, parents and alumni. The list goes on and on. There were so many individuals selflessly devoted to this program.

I think of Bette Clark, who opens up her home to men’s soccer student-athletes season after season for their traditional pregame pancake meal--130 pancakes and waffles made (from scratch) for each and every home game and served in the Clark home, located just 10 minutes south of the Notre Dame campus. The atmosphere is joyful, it’s relaxed, it’s home, it’s family.

I think of the Alumni Stadium grounds crew members who work tirelessly behind the scenes to ensure our student-athletes have the opportunity to play on a safe and competitive surface. Earning a top-four seed in the NCAA Championships is a tremendous accomplishment, and ensuring that our game field provided the team with a true home field advantage-challenged by buckets of December snow and bitter-cold temps--was equally as amazing a feat. Dan Brazo and his team were there every step of the way with a willing attitude, wanting to make a difference for the team. That’s dedication.

I think of the parents of our student-athletes, who have developed lasting relationships with one another over the years.

They fly across the country week after week because they love their sons unconditionally. They are a tremendous support team, profoundly invested in the program. They have a deep respect for the coaching staff--and have placed their trust in these coaches to teach and care for their sons, who come to Notre Dame as teenagers, and graduate as men.

That’s commitment.

I think of the 30 student-athletes who so proudly don the Irish soccer uniform as extraordinary representatives of Notre Dame. They are relentless in their commitment to their training regimens as well as their studies. They are steadfast in their belief in one another and exude confidence and poise both on and off the field. They are fun loving yet determined.

It is so fitting that this team earned Notre Dame’s first-ever men’s soccer national title in Philadelphia: The City of Brotherly Love. That’s chemistry.

And I would be remiss if I did not take a moment to share my gratitude for the opportunity to work with an exceptional coaching staff. They are selfless, humble and hard working.

They are immensely talented in teaching skills necessary to succeed in the sport of soccer but also, and perhaps more importantly, the skills necessary to succeed in life. The positive impact they have had on those student-athletes who have been blessed with the opportunity to play under their tutelage is immeasurable.

I was amazed, but not surprised, by the number of Bobby Clark’s former players who flocked to Philadelphia. That group comprised not only those who played for the Irish, but Stanford and Dartmouth alumni as well. They were there to cheer on the Irish, but also to root for the man who has been so influential in their lives. For the Bobby Clark faithful who were unable to attend the game in person, their support was made known through text messages and emails. Hundreds upon hundreds of messages flooded Bobby’s in-box. From his most recent class of Irish soccer alumni to the great Sir Alex Ferguson, the response was incredible. This educatorcoach, who his players and colleagues respectfully refer to as “Boss,” has made and continues to make a difference in the lives of young men.

I believe Harry Shipp summed it up best during the post-game press conference following the championship game: “I think this program has known for the last few years that we were heading in the right direction … . We had a great regular season and we realized it was time for the program to take that next step, and we thought the only logical place to do that was to reach the Final Four and win a national championship. And to do it for our coach is amazing. I think he’s probably the most underappreciated college soccer coach in the country, in terms of lessons he teaches you on the field and off the field. I can tell you that I’m a much better person and player than I was three and a half years ago when I came in.”

That said it all. That’s what Notre Dame men’s soccer in 2013 was all about.

Beth Hunter is an assistant athletic director for student-athlete alumni relations at the University of Notre Dame, as well as executive director of the Notre Dame Monogram Club. She has been the men’s soccer administrator since 2009.

HEAD COACH 101

BOBBY

CLARK

HEAD COACH • 13TH SEASON • JORDANHILL COLLEGE ’67

2013 UNIVERSITY OF NOTRE DAME MEN’S SOCCER

NCAA CHAMPIONSHIP

BJ

CRAIG

ASSOCIATE HEAD COACH • SIXTH SEASON • GORDON COLLEGE ‘93

COACHING STAFF 103

GREG

DALBY

ASSISTANT COACH • SECOND SEASON • NOTRE DAME ‘07

2013 UNIVERSITY OF NOTRE DAME MEN’S SOCCER

NCAA CHAMPIONSHIP

VERN GINGERICH

VOLUNTEER COACH / GOALKEEPERS

CIARA O’HALLORAN OPERATIONS

STEVE SMITH

ATHLETIC TRAINER

MICHELLE DUNCAN

STUDENT MANAGER

CHAD GROTEGUT

ACADEMIC COUNSELING

JENNIFER WATCHORN

ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT

BETH HUNTER

ASSISTANT ATHLETICS DIRECTOR (SPORT ADMINISTRATOR)

MATT HOWLEY

STRENGTH & CONDITIONING

ABBY O’DONNELL

PROMOTIONS COORDINATOR

SEAN CARROLL

ASSISTANT MEDIA RELATIONS DIRECTOR (MEN’S SOCCER CONTACT)

THE FIGHTING IRISH 105

MEN’S SOCCER

CAPTAINS ANDREW O’MALLEY (LEFT), GRANT VAN DE CASTELLE (CENTER) & HARRISON SHIPP

2013 UNIVERSITY OF NOTRE DAME MEN’S SOCCER

NCAA CHAMPIONSHIP

#0 ADAM LAPLACA

#1 PATRICK WALL

#2 TREVOR GONZALES

#3 CONNOR KLEKOTA

#4 CONNOR MILLER

#5 BRENDAN LESCH

DEFENDER

MIDFIELDER

#6 MAX LACHOWECKI

#7 ALEX PRIEDE

#8 NICK BESLER

#9 LEON BROWN

#10 HARRISON SHIPP

#11 OLIVER HARRIS

CAPTAIN • FORWARD

MIDFIELDER

#12 ANDREW O’MALLEY

#13 CHRIS HUBBARD

#15 EVAN PANKEN

#16 MICHAEL SHIPP

#17 DANNY LOJEK

#18 ROBBY GALLEGOS

MIDFIELDER

MIDFIELDER

#19 KYLE CRAFT

#20 GRANT VAN DE CASTEELE

#21 VINCE CICCIARELLI

#22 LUKE MISHU

#23 MATT HABROWSKI

#24 MARK MISHU

GOALKEEPER

DEFENDER

CAPTAIN • DEFENDER

MIDFIELDER

GOALKEEPER

FORWARD

GOALKEEPER

CAPTAIN • DEFENDER

DEFENDER

MIDFIELDER

MIDFIELDER

FORWARD

MIDFIELDER

FORWARD

DEFENDER

DEFENDER

DEFENDER

DEFENDER

NOT PICTURED

#14 ANDREW CUPERO MIDFIELDER

#25 BRANDON AUBREY MIDFIELDER

#26 MARK GORMLEY MIDFIELDER

#27 PATRICK HODAN MIDFIELDER

#28 PATRICK CONNOLLY MIDFIELDER

#30 BRIAN TALCOTT GOALKEEPER

THE 2013 FIGHTING IRISH 107

GREG DALBY (LEFT) & BOBBY CLARK

BACK COVER

2013 UNIVERSITY OF NOTRE DAME MEN’S SOCCER NCAA CHAMPIONSHIP COMMEMORATIVE