FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 2026
#1 STANFORD CARDINAL (6-0-0) vs. NORTH CAROLINA TAR HEELS (1-1-2)
Dorrance Field at Play2Dream Legacy Stadium | Chapel Hill, N.C. | 4 p.m. PT | ACC Network Exta
MATCH NOTES » No. 1 Stanford begins ACC play against North Carolina, making its first trip to Chapel Hill on Friday. The Cardinal is looking for its first-ever win over the Tar Heels, who hold a 3-0-1 record in the all-time series. Friday’s matchup features two of the league’s most accomplished head coaches in Carlos Somoano and Knowles Family Director of Men’s Soccer Jeremy Gunn, two of six active ACC head coaches to have won an NCAA Championship. These two storied programs have met in the NCAA Tournament in three of their four meetings, most notably colliding in the 2016 College Cup semifinals. In that match, the Cardinal converted on all 10 of its penalty kick chances to advance past the Tar Heels and eventually win its second of three NCAA titles from 2015-17.
LAST TIME OUT » No. 1 Stanford rolled to a 4-0 victory over CSUN on Monday afternoon, powered by a hat trick from freshman Jayden Fitzgerald Boes who became the first Cardinal to register a hat trick in over a decade. Joshua Partal also found the back of the net for the first time in his career, while Brad Bennett and Logan Tsopanoglou tallied assists. The win was Stanford’s sixth straight victory to open the season, matching its best start since the 2020 campaign.
SHUTOUT IN SAN JOSE » Logan Tsopanoglou netted his team-leading fourth goal of the season to lift No. 1 Stanford to a decisive 1-0 road victory over San Jose State on Friday evening. The Cardinal remained undefeated following a rock-solid defensive performance that limited the Spartans to just one shot in the contest, securing its second clean sheet of the year. With a fifth consecutive victory to open the year, Stanford is off to its best start to a season since the 2020 campaign, when the Cardinal won its opening six contests.
NATIONAL NUMBER ONE » With six consecutive victories to open the 2026 campaign, Stanford was unanimously voted the No. 1 team in the nation in both the United Soccer Coaches and TopDrawerSoccer polls this week. The Cardinal has now topped the national polls for three consecutive weeks. It marks the fourth straight season Stanford has climbed to No. 1 in the national rankings, after holding the top spot for an NCAA-leading five weeks in 2025. Stanford finished 14-4-2 last season and advanced to the third round of the NCAA Tournament for the fourth consecutive year.
THE CAPITAL OF COLLEGE SOCCER » For the third consecutive year, both Stanford men’s and women’s programs are the top-ranked teams in their respective United Soccer Coaches polls. Both programs are a combined 12-0-1 to start the year with a 2.92 goals per game average. In addition to the men’s undefeated start to the year, the Cardinal women have been dominant, starting the year with six clean sheets through the first seven matches, outscoring opponents 25-2 during that stretch.
PITCH PERFECT » Three weeks into the new season, Stanford remains one of just nine programs across the country that has won each of its matches in 2026, joining Longwood, Maryland, Missouri State, Ohio State, Old Dominion, South Carolina, and UC San Diego. The Cardinal has been the most battle-tested team in the group, emerging victorious in each of its first six matches, while no other program in the group has more than five wins.
GREAT UNDER GUNN » One of four coaches to win NCAA titles in both Division I and Division II, head coach Jeremy Gunn has led Stanford to the College Cup final four times since 2015. He and Virginia’s Bruce Arena (1991-94) are the only coaches to win three consecutive NCAA men’s soccer championships. His teams are 179-57-55 (.710) in his 15 seasons on The Farm and he owns a career record of 365-117-85 (.719) in 28 seasons, a mark which ranks him seventh among active D-I head coaches by win percentage. Gunn’s 365 victories rank 10th among active D-I head coaches by win total.
HOME SWEET HOME » The Cardinal has developed one of the strongest home-field advantages in the country at Cagan Stadium, holding a 334-132-76 (.686) record on The Farm since the 1973 season, including a 110-26-30 (.753) record under Knowles Family Director of Men’s Soccer Jeremy Gunn. Gunn is the first head coach in program history to reach 100 victories at Cagan Stadium. Stanford has started the 2026 campaign with five straight wins at Cagan Stadium, following up on an unbeaten 9-0-1 home record last season in which the Cardinal rattled off a program-record nine consecutive home wins to start the year.
DEFENDING THE FARM » Stanford is in the midst of one of its best runs at Cagan Stadium in program history, remaining unbeaten in its last 15 regular-season home matches with a 14-0-1 record during that span, dating back to the 2025 season opener against Sacramento State. Stanford is just one match shy of tying the second-longest home unbeaten streak in program history, a 16-match run from 1980-81. The program record is a 31-match home unbeaten streak spanning from 2013-16.
THE POWER OF TWO » The Cardinal has been virtually unbeatable under Jeremy Gunn when scoring multiple goals in a game, holding a record of 131-2-16 (.933) under Gunn in such matches. The Cardinal is already 4-0 this season when scoring at least twice, adding to last season’s 11-0-1 record in games with multiple goals. The lone non-victory in 2025 was a 2-2 draw at San Jose State. Stanford’s last loss while scoring two goals came on April 10, 2021, a 3-2 road defeat at Oregon State.
SPREADING THE WEALTH » Through six matches, Stanford has already had seven different players find the back of the net and ten Cardinal players contributing to the scoresheet. Logan Tsopanoglou leads the scoring with four goals, while Jayden Fitzgerald Boes (3) and Jack Pymm (2) each have multiple tallies. Alex Chow, Eric Frintu, Joshua Partal and Calder Zirn have also scored a goal. Stanford had 11 different goal scorers in 2025, with 14 players recording at least one point. Trevor Islam paced last year’s group with six goals, while Partal dished out a team-leading six assists.
TEAM STATISTICAL SUCCESS » Stanford has outpaced its opponents in every statistical category in 2026 thus far, holding an advantage in goals (13-3), shots (106-50), shots on goal (39-18), shots per game (17.7-8.3), assists (10-2) and corner kicks (31-13). The Cardinal also held the statistical edge in each major offensive category in both of the last two seasons.
LOGAN LEADS THE SCORING » Logan Tsopanoglou has wasted no time making his mark this season, leading the team in goals (4) and points (9) through six matches after dishing his first-career assist in Monday’s win over CSUN. Tsopanoglou has netted three game-winners this season and recorded a brace in just his second career match against Denver on Aug. 23, the earliest multi-goal performance by a freshman since Jim Talluto’s second career game in 1989. The brace also marked the second season in a row that a freshman has recorded two goals through two games, after Jack Pymm scored goals in each of his first two matches.
THREE FOR JFB » Cardinal freshman Jayden Fitzgerald Boes delivered a performance for the record books in Monday’s 4–0 victory over CSUN, scoring three goals in the 11th, 19th, and 61st minutes. The hat trick was just the 16th three-goal performance in program history. It was Stanford’s first hat trick since 2012, when Adam Jahn scored three times in a 6–1 rout of California. Fitzgerald Boes is also the first Cardinal freshman to accomplish the feat since Matt Janusz scored all three goals in a 3–1 NCAA Tournament third-round victory over Santa Clara on Nov. 25, 2001.
HAT TRICK HEROES » A remarkable series of events unfolded last weekend across the Stanford soccer programs, as Jayden Fitzgerald Boes and Cardinal women’s soccer’s Jaden Thomas each recorded a hat trick within 24 hours of one another. Thomas tallied three goals and an assist in Stanford’s 4-0 victory over Santa Clara. The duo became the first Cardinal man and woman to record a hat trick in the same season since Jamie Clark and Tracye Lawyer both accomplished the feat on October 27, 1996. Clark tallied all three goals in a 3-1 victory over UC Santa Barbara, while Lawyer lifted the Cardinal to a 3-1 win over Washington in the second game of a doubleheader at Maloney Field.
VOLUME SHOOTER » Jack Pymm has had eyes for the net to start the 2026 campaign, leading the conference with 4.17 shots per game through the first six matches. Pymm recorded 13 shots and six shots on goal against Denver on Aug. 23, both single-game highs in the NCAA season. Pymm’s 13-shot performance is the most on record in Stanford history and the highest single-game total by a Division I men’s player since James Madison’s Manuel Ferriol recorded 14 shots in 2019. His six shots on frame are also a Stanford single-game high, dating back to at least the 2001 season. A TopDrawerSoccer Preseason Best XI Second Team selection, Pymm has recorded a pair of goals from the penalty spot this season after establishing himself as a formidable scoring threat with four goals during his freshman campaign.
CAREER PACE » Alex Chow is already out to a career-best start so far this season, recording a goal and two assists through six matches for the most points in a season of his career (4). Arriving on The Farm as a San Jose Earthquakes academy product, Chow has carved out a prominent role in the Cardinal lineup throughout his career. After making eight starts as a freshman, Chow started every match last season and recorded a career-best 25 shots, scoring his first collegiate goal against Boston College.
EXPERIENCE BETWEEN THE POSTS » Rowan Schnebly enters his final collegiate season as one of the program’s top goalkeepers in recent memory, coming off a 2025 season in which he set career highs in saves (42) and save percentage (.712). Now a four-year starter in Stanford’s net, Schnebly owns a 37-12-12 career record in net, ranking fifth in program history in shutouts (19) and sixth in career goals-against average (0.87). Schnebly has tallied eight saves through five matches this season, recording clean sheets against No. 2 San Diego and San Jose State as well as 71 minutes of shutout action in Monday’s victory over CSUN.
INTERNATIONAL FORTIER » Incoming freshman Tim Fortier brings significant international experience to The Farm, recently representing Team Canada in the CONCACAF U20 Championship. Fortier, who has represented the Canadian National Team at three different age levels, tallied an assist in a victory over the U.S. Virgin Islands in the group stage. Canada went on to reach the semifinals before ultimately falling to host nation and eventual champion, Mexico. A TopDrawerSoccer Preseason Best XI Freshman Team selection prior to the season, Fortier has made four starts in the first six matches of his career.
ALL EYES ON GROENEVELD » Entering his senior season, Dylan Groeneveld has emerged as a fixture on the Cardinal back line, starting all 35 of his appearances over the last two seasons. The Coronado, Calif., native’s steady veteran presence helped anchor a defense that posted seven clean sheets last year, earning him a spot on the ACC Preseason Watch List ahead of his final season on The Farm. Leading the team in minutes played with 515, Groeneveld played full time in each of the first five matches this season, leading the Cardinal back line to clean sheets over No. 2 San Diego, San Jose State and CSUN.
HELPING HAND » Joshua Partal emerged as a dynamic presence in the Cardinal midfield during his freshman campaign, starting all 20 matches with a team-leading six assists in 2025. A consistent creative threat both from set pieces and in the run of play, Partal earned TopDrawerSoccer National Team of the Week honors on Sept. 23 and was named to the All-ACC Freshman Team at the conclusion of the season. Partal opened his 2026 account last week with an assist at San Jose State and a goal against CSUN.
TOP PLAYERS PLAY ON THE FARM » Stanford boasts five players on TopDrawerSoccer’s Preseason Top 100 players list, tied with Portland for the most in the nation. Jack Pymm led the Cardinal as the No. 22 player in the country, followed by No. 61 Joshua Partal, No. 64 Dylan Groeneveld, No. 90 Alex Chow, and No. 98 TJ Kahoalii. Pymm was also named to TopDrawerSoccer’s Preseason Best XI Second Team, while Tim Fortier garnered Preseason Best XI Freshman Team honors.
CARDINAL IN THE PROS » Success on The Farm has translated to the professional level, with nine former Cardinal competing in Major League Soccer this season: Corey Baird, Tanner Beason, Ousseni Bouda, Will Cleary, Keegan Hughes, Jordan Morris, Will Reilly, Gabe Segal, and Andrew Thomas. Stanford is also well represented across other professional leagues, with Tomo Allen, Fletcher Bank, Palmer Bank, Zach Bohane, and Shane De Flores competing in MLS NEXT Pro, while Noah Adnan, Mark Fisher, Jackson Kiil, and Keegan Tingey play in the United Soccer League.
HOME OF CHAMPIONS » Stanford is the all-time leader with 139 NCAA team championships (71 men, 68 women), and 173 national championships overall. The Cardinal owns the most recognizable streak in college athletics, capturing at least one NCAA team championship for 50 consecutive seasons in a streak that dates back to the 1976-77 season. The Cardinal has also produced 576 NCAA national champions and 658 individual champions overall. Stanford has won the Learfield Directors’ Cup in 26 of the possible 32 seasons, including a 25-year streak from 1995-2019.
CELEBRATING THE DYNASTY » The Cardinal will celebrate college soccer’s most recent dynasty this season, commemorating its historic run of three consecutive NCAA Championships from 2015-17. Just the second three-peat in NCAA men’s soccer history, Stanford defeated Clemson (4-0), Wake Forest (0-0, 5-4 PKs), and Indiana (1-0, 2OT) in the College Cup finals. The Cardinal went 13-0-2 during its title runs, outscoring opponents 24-3 with 12 consecutive shutouts in NCAA Tournament play. 2015-17 marked the most dominant stretch in program history, with Stanford recording a 52-7-10 overall record with three Pac-12 titles.
2025 REVISITED » Stanford remained at the forefront of the college soccer landscape during the 2025 season, leading the country with five weeks at No. 1 in the national polls and advancing to the third round of the NCAA Tournament for the fourth consecutive year. A stout defensive unit and a balanced attack told the story of the season, as the Cardinal relied on a mix of veteran leadership and emerging young talent. Stanford finished 14-4-2 overall, finishing second in the ACC regular-season standings before advancing to the postseason for the 12th time in the last 13 seasons. The Cardinal went 1-1 in its 23rd NCAA Tournament appearance, defeating Kansas City 1-0 in the NCAA second round before ultimately falling in the Round of 16.
ACADEMIC WEAPONS » Stanford got it done both on the pitch and in the classroom in 2025, being honored by the United Soccer Coaches with the 2025-26 College Team Academic Award. The Cardinal boasted a 3.65 grade point average, tied with Louisville for the highest GPA in the ACC. Additionally, 11 student-athletes earned All-ACC Academic Team selections, while Fletcher Bank, Zach Bohane, and Will Cleary earned Academic All-America recognition from College Sports Communicators.
YEAR THREE IN THE ACC » Stanford outperformed expectations after being picked fifth in the 2025 ACC preseason poll, compiling a 5-2-1 record to finish second in the regular-season conference table. Following first-time conference matchups against Boston College, Louisville, Pittsburgh, Syracuse, and Virginia Tech, the Cardinal has now played each of its 14 league opponents, compiling an 8-4-4 conference record through its first two seasons in the ACC. Now entering its third year in the ACC, there is still room for some firsts between Stanford and its league opponents, as Clemson and Virginia make their first appearances at Cagan Stadium while the Cardinal makes its first visits to Duke, North Carolina, and NC State.
CONFERENCE DOMINANCE » The ACC has proven to be the pinnacle of the sport with eight ACC programs having won an NCAA Men’s Soccer Championship, the most of any conference. Virginia leads the league with seven national titles, followed by Clemson (4), Stanford (3), North Carolina (2), Duke (1), Notre Dame (1), Syracuse (1), and Wake Forest (1). Six active ACC head coaches have won D-I national championships, including Jeremy Gunn, Mike Noonan (Clemson), Carlos Somoano (North Carolina), Jay Vidovich (Pittsburgh), Ian McIntyre (Syracuse), and George Gelnovatch (Virginia). NC State’s Marc Hubbard won a D-II national title in 2013.
ACC IN THE RANKINGS » Four ACC programs were ranked in the latest United Soccer Coaches poll on September 8, with Stanford once again leading the national ranks. Joining the Cardinal is No. 7 SMU, No. 17 Clemson, and No. 21 Louisville, while Wake Forest received votes for this week’s poll. Seven different ACC programs have entered the rankings at some point this season.
ACC IN THE TOURNAMENT » Nine ACC programs earned berths to the 2025 NCAA Men’s Soccer Championship, including four among the 16 national seeds. No. 2 Virginia, No. 5 SMU, No. 12 Stanford, and No. 15 NC State each received first-round byes, while Clemson, Duke, North Carolina, Notre Dame, and Syracuse also secured bids. The ACC’s nine tournament teams were the most of any league and tied for the second-most in tournament history. NC State led the conference with a College Cup final appearance, while Stanford and Duke reached the Round of 16. The ACC has won the men’s soccer national championship 20 times, with at least one program reaching the College Cup in 23 of the last 25 seasons.
POSTSEASON REGULARS » Stanford’s 2025 NCAA tournament bid marked the Cardinal’s 12th appearance in the NCAA tournament in the last 13 seasons and its 23rd NCAA tournament appearance overall. The Cardinal has made seven College Cups, most recently in 2019, along with five College Cup Finals and three NCAA Championships (2015-17).
OPPORTUNITY AWAITS » Still undefeated to start the year, Stanford opened a challenging 2026 campaign on the right foot with victories over No. 21 Grand Canyon, Denver, and No. 2 San Diego. The Cardinal’s slate features matchups against 10 teams that qualified for last season’s NCAA Tournament, tied with Duke for the most among ACC programs. With the first three victories behind them, Stanford still awaits North Carolina, Notre Dame, Virginia, Duke, No. 17 Clemson, No. 7 SMU, and NC State. Three of the remaining seven NCAA tournament opponents on the schedule will visit Cagan Stadium this season, as the Cardinal looks to continue building an impressive résumé as the season progresses into the postseason.
SCOUTING THE TAR HEELS » North Carolina enters Friday’s conference clash with a 1-1-2 record under 16th-year head coach Carlos Somoano, who has led the Tar Heels to a national title in 2011 and three additional College Cup appearances in 2016, 2017, and 2020 in his time at Chapel Hill. Joschi Schelb leads UNC with three goals in four matches so far this season, while freshman netminder Alan Rutkowski has recorded a .700 save percentage with six goals allowed in his first season between the posts. North Carolina’s transfer class of Nick Lockermann, Nico Loebus, Joschi Schelb and Ryan Zellefrow was ranked second by TopDrawerSoccer, while its freshman class was ranked 14th by the outlet.
NOW AND LATER » No. 1 Stanford begins ACC play with its first trip to Chapel Hill, taking on North Carolina on Friday, Sept. 11. The match will be streamed live on ACC Network Extra at 4 p.m. PT, with Josh Schreiber on the call. Stanford kicks off a three-match homestand with it’s final non-conference match of the year against Santa Clara on Sept. 15, before welcoming conference foes Notre Dame (Sept. 20) and Virginia (Sept. 25).
UPCOMING PROMOTIONS » Stanford students are back! Pack Cagan Stadium to welcome students back to campus and bring the energy as the Cardinal takes on Notre Dame on Sunday, September 20. Later that week, Stanford returns to The Farm to celebrate the 10-year anniversary of its 2016 NCAA Championship. Join us as we welcome back alumni from the 2015–17 teams and celebrate the historic three-peat. The first fans through the gates will receive a commemorative championship t-shirt, while supplies last.