The air will feel a little different this year at Alumni Stadium as the Notre Dame men’s soccer team takes the pitch with a new look.
The Irish will be without their former big three of Matthew Roou, Bryce Boneau and Joshua Ramsey. The trio, consisting of a forward, midfielder and defender helped lead the Irish to a national championship appearance in 2023. Roou scored a remarkable ACC-leading 14 goals in 2024. His incredible senior campaign was capped off by being named ACC Offensive Player of the Year. Cemented by 34 career goals, Roou is tied for 10th on the Notre Dame all-time scoring list.
Both Boneau and Ramsey delivered key moments of their own. Boneau was named All-ACC Third Team in 2024 after notching a career-high eight assists in the fall while Ramsey’s tough-nosed defense won over the hearts of the Irish faithful.
Since graduation, Boneau and Ramsey have signed professional contracts with Huntsville City FC and Lexington SC, respectively. Amazingly enough, they are not the only members of last year’s squad to turn to the professional ranks.
Jacob Bartlett’s impressive freshman campaign earned him a homegrown deal with Sporting KC. Since then, the Kansas native has appeared in 24 games for Sporting, including two against Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami.
Needless to say, the Irish have lost a lot of talent from last season. They will now turn to several players who featured sporadically throughout last year to take on larger roles.
Energetic forward and sophomore Stevie Dunphy appeared in 15 games off the bench for the Irish, scoring his lone goal of the season in Notre Dame’s 2-1 win over Clemson. Head coach Chad Riley will look to Dunphy to fill in for Roou up front. Between his work rate and last year’s production, there are reasons to believe Dunphy can do just that.
Dunphy won’t be the only sophomore expected to take on a bigger role. Will Schroeder played in 16 games last fall, recording one start. A midfield standout at the MLS NEXT level in high school, Schroeder’s 6-foot-2 inches frame makes him an imposing challenge for opposition to knock over. A versatile midfielder, Schroeder can fill any role in the midfield and thrive.
These young players will have to learn from the Irish’s older players. Captains senior defender Mitch Ferguson and junior midfielder Wyatt Lewis have been called upon as the locker room leaders of the squad.
Junior forward Jack Flanagan will be seen as the go-to option around the box. His four goals in 2024 lead all returners. Senior winger KK Baffour dished out five assists.
Those veteran pieces do not include two graduate transfers Riley brought in during the offseason. As reinforcements for the defensive unit, graduate student defenders Diego Ochoa from Boston College and Martin Von Thun from across the street at Holy Cross College arrive as seasoned veterans of the college game. Ochoa has played in the USL Championship on an amateur deal with Loudoun United, while Von Thun leaves the Saints as arguably the most decorated player in program history.
Notre Dame has perhaps an easier schedule than last year. They are set to face only four pre-season top 25 teams in Pitt, Indiana, Virginia and Wake Forest. Although each matchup poses a test, this season is considerably a lighter load than that of last season.
The Irish are looking to improve upon a 7-5-5 record last season that ended in heartbreaking fashion against Stanford in the ACC Tournament. With a few different bounces of the ball, the Irish could have very likely had double-digit wins, but soccer is not a game of hypotheticals. Notre Dame is looking to play their brand of soccer and, most importantly, close out games. If all of Riley’s new puzzle pieces come together, there is no reason why the Irish can’t show signs of competitiveness in a very crowded ACC.
