Clemson wins their fourth national championship in men's soccer

The GIST: As mentioned, the No. 9–seed Clemson Tigers won their fourth national title on Monday after defeating fellow ACC squad No. 2 Notre Dame. They're more than good.

How it happened: Early season stumbles — including a tight loss to Notre Dame in September — saw preseason–No. 9 Clemson fall from the ranks for six weeks. But the Tigers rallied, staying undefeated since September 22nd to stun the stacked ACC by winning last month’s conference tourney.

• Then the Tigers’ “revenge tour” continued through their five-match College Cup journey, where Clemson’s brick-wall defense didn’t allow a goal until the tourney’s literal last minute.

What’s next: For top collegiate footballers like senior midfielder Ousmane Sylla, Clemson’s natty-winning scorer and the Cup’s Most Outstanding Offensive Player, the next stop is Tuesday’s 2024 MLS SuperDraft.

• And while only grads and seniors were draft-eligible in the past, MLS clubs can pick any non-freshman NCAAer this year, meaning the pro league could potentially ransack Clemson’s roster.

• That said, if the pros keep their picks senior-centered, expect both Clemson and Notre Dame to be ferocious next year: Both squads could return a respective seven and eight of their College Cup’s starting 11. Watch this space.