Mike Noonan ’79 Leads Clemson To National Championship
Mike Noonan is a national champion.
Again.
The star of Staples High School’s 1978 state championship team coached Clemson University to the NCAA Division I national title last night.
The 2-1 victory over Notre Dame was Noonan’s 2nd NCAA crown in 3 years. Only 2 other teams in college soccer history have accomplished that feat.
The Tigers — who finish the year 15-3-5, and also won the ACC title — allowed only 1 goal throughout the entire NCAA tournament. That was last night, by the Irish. It came late in the match on a penalty kick, when Clemson already had the game in hand.
Noonan was cheered on by family and friends, including former teammates Stuart McCarthy, Andy Meyers and Steve Hollingsworth; Dan Donovan (SHS ’82), who won a state championship at Staples in 1981 and whose son Paddy is a goalkeeper on Clemson’s national champion squad; and Michael McCarthy, Stuart’s son who won his own state championship at Staples in 2009.
Congratulations, “Noons”! Well done, Tigers! Click here for last night’s highlight reel.
From left: Stuart McCarthy ’79, Andy Meyers ’79, Mike Noonan ’79, Paddy Donovan ’22, Dan Donovan ’82, Michael McCarthy ’10.
