2021 NCAA Division I men's soccer championship game

The 2021 NCAA Division I men's soccer championship game (also known as the 2021 NCAA Division I Men's College Cup) was played on December 12, 2021, at WakeMed Soccer Park in Cary, North Carolina and determined the winner of the 2021 NCAA Division I Men's Soccer Tournament, the national collegiate soccer championship in the United States. This was the 63rd edition of the oldest active competition in United States college soccer.

2021 NCAA Division I men's soccer championship game
WakeMed Soccer Park hosted the final
Event2021 NCAA Division I Men's Soccer Tournament
DateDecember 12, 2021
VenueWakeMed Soccer Park, Cary, North Carolina, U.S.
Man of the MatchGeorge Marks
Isiah Reid
RefereeDaniel Radford
Attendance7,238
WeatherSunny, 51 °F (11 °C)
2020
2022

The tournament returned to its traditional mid-December date after being held in the spring the previous year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The match featured Clemson University of the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) and the University of Washington of the Pac-12 Conference. It was Clemson's fifth appearance in the final, and their first since 2015. Washington was making their first appearance in the national championship game.

Clemson went on to win the match to win, 2–0, behind two first half goals from Isaiah Reid. The title gave Clemson their first NCAA title in men's soccer since 1987, and their third overall title.[1][2]

Road to the final

The NCAA Division I Men's Soccer Tournament, sometimes known as the College Cup, is an American intercollegiate soccer tournament conducted by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), and determines the Division I men's national champion. The tournament has been formally held since 1959, when it was an eight-team tournament. Since then, the tournament has expanded to 48 teams, in which every Division I conference tournament champion is allocated a berth. It was Clemson's fifth appearance in the final, and their first since 2015. Washington was making their first appearance in the national championship game.[3] Clemson had previously won the NCAA Tournament in 1984 and 1987.

Clemson (ACC)RoundWashington (Pac-12)
OpponentResultNCAA TournamentOpponentResult
ByeFirst RoundBye
Denver (Summit)2–1 (H)Second RoundPortland (WCC)3–1 (H)
Kentucky (C-USA)2–1 (H)Third Round (Sweet 16)Indiana (Big Ten)3–2 (H)
Oregon State (Pac-12)1–1 (A)Quarterfinals (Elite 8)Saint Louis (A-10)2–0 (H)
Notre Dame (ACC)1–1 (N)College Cup (Final 4)Georgetown (Big East)2–1 (N)

Match details

Final
Clemson2–0Washington
Reid 1', 15'Report
Attendance: 7,238
GK1 George Marks
DF3 Oskar Ågren
DF15 Charlie Asensio
DF4 Justin Malou
DF5 Hamady Diop
MF18 Alvaro Gomez
MF8 Callum Johnson
MF17 Quinn McNeill
MF10 Luis Fernandez-Salvador
MF21 Osmane Sylla
FW27 Isaiah Reid
Manager:
Mike Noonan
GK0 Sam Fowler
DF2 Kendall Burks
DF20 Charlie Ostrem
DF5 Achille Robin
DF4 Ryan Sailor
MF6 Kalani Kossa-Rienzi
MF8 Gio Miglietti
MF10 James Smith
MF14 Christian Soto
FW9 Dylan Teves
FW11 Nick Scardina
Manager:
Jamie Clark

References