College Soccer

This past week has been a scary one in the United States. Multiple terrorist attacks were foiled as a number of bombs were sent in the mail targeting former presidents, politicians, actors and philanthropists. Now that the suspect is in custody, the world is learning more about Cesar Sayoc Jr., the man who authorities think carried out these attempted domestic terrorist attacks. 

And he’s got some interesting quirks regarding soccer.

With the scores level at 2-2 in an ACC game between Duke (No. 11 in the country) and Clemson, Blue Devils senior midfielder Taylor Racioppi struck what would prove to be the match-winner in the 77th minute from 24 yards out. 

Using the outside of her boot to full effect, Racioppi put some fiendish swaz on her effort, which took an extremely pleasant banana route inside the far post. The first time you see it, you’ll want to celebrate just like Racioppi did. 

She didn’t even wait for the ball to reach the goal before she began celebrating — Addie McCain knew what it meant.

Her teammates knew, too. They were yelling at her from the sidelines with name suggestions. 

With one powerful lash of her right foot, the Texas A&M sophomore earned herself the greatest prize a college kid could ask for: a puppy!

For the puppy! @addie_mccain puts the Aggies up by two at the half!

We interrupt your regularly-scheduled Champions League reactions and analysis to bring you a heartwarming story out of Central Michigan University that involves a soccer player, a drowning squirrel and "The Office."

Men's college soccer in the United States is an anomaly. No other country sends potential professional athletes to academic universities instead of athletic academies like the U.S. While this is the accepted norm in football and basketball, the two most popular sports in the country, soccer operates differently throughout the world.

After more than 100 minutes of impressive defensive play, Indiana’s defense finally made a mistake and Stanford pounced for a 1-0 victory in the NCAA Men's College Cup final on Sunday at a chilly Talen Energy Stadium in Chester, Pennsylvania. 

The Cardinal won their third straight NCAA championship and Stanford became the first school to win the men’s and women’s NCAA College Cup in the same year after the Cardinal women won last week against UCLA. 

Stanford had lost a two-goal lead and Julie Foudy suggested the momentum was all with UCLA. Jaye Boissiere had other things in mind. Boissiere curled in a beautiful shot from 20 yards out in the 67th minute to propel the Cardinal to a 3-2 victory in the Women’s College Cup final in Orlando, Florida, on Sunday.

Stanford (24-1-0) won its second national title by finishing the season on a 22-match win streak. The Cardinal’s only loss came in August against Florida in Gainesville, not far from where the Women’s College Cup took place at Orlando City Stadium. 

The 2017 NCAA Men’s College Cup field has been whittled to eight with many of the usual suspects advancing to the quarterfinals. The marquee matchup of the quarters will be a rematch of last year’s College Cup final — Wake Forest, the top-seed, will take on back-to-back national champion Stanford. Seeds 2 through 5 remain alive as well: Indiana, North Carolina, Louisville and Akron. 

Following last fall’s incidents involving the Harvard men’s soccer team and their creation of a “scouting report” that lewdly ranked women’s team players since as far back as 2012, ultimately resulting in the suspension of the team for the remainder of the season, the scandal is back in the limelight with the University now beginning a thorough review of their 42 varsity progr