CHAPEL HILL, N.C. (SMU) – SMU Men's Soccer is set to travel to North Carolina for its first road Atlantic Coast Conference match on Saturday.
The match will kick off at 6 pm CT at Dorrance Field and will be aired on ACCNX.
The Mustangs opened ACC play with a 1-1 draw against No. 2 Clemson at Washburne Stadium on Saturday.
Mustangs vs. Tar Heels History
- This match will be the fourth meeting between SMU and North Carolina.
- All three meetings between the two teams have been at the NCAA Championships.
- Their prior meeting in 2017 was in the third round of the NCAA Championships. SMU fell 2-0 to No. 3 UNC.
- In 2010, SMU visited No. 4 UNC in the NCAAs quarterfinals and tied 1-1 in double overtime before getting eliminated in penalties (4-2).
- SMU defeated No. 4 UNC (W2OT 3-2) in Chapel Hill to make its second College Cup appearance in 2005.
Talking Stats
- Mukisa Emmanuel is the Mustangs' top scorer with four goals. He is tied for fourth in the ACC in goals scored.
- Villads Landsperg has played every minute for the Mustangs this season (630 minutes in seven matches).
Matchup Facts
- This will be the first time the Mustangs and Tar Heels meet in the regular season.
- This is the first matchup between SMU and UNC where both teams are unranked.
Scouting UNC
- North Carolina just came off a 3-0 over Memphis at home.
- Their offense is led by Nacho Abeal, who has collected three goals through the season.
NCAA Tournament, By The Numbers
- Overall program history: 36 NCAA Tournament Appearances, 26 Sweet Sixteen Appearances, 14 Elite Eight Appearances, two College Cup appearances (2000 & 2005)
- SMU made its seventh NCAA Tournament, fifth Sweet Sixteen and second Elite Eight appearances under Kevin Hudson last season.
- With Hudson in the coaching staff, SMU has made 11 NCAA Tournament appearances, including six Sweet 16s and three Elite Eights. Hudson has been with the team since 2007 and was promoted to head coach in 2015.
The 2025 Squad
- SMU's 2025 squad consists of 17 returners and 13 newcomers.
- Hudson's 13 newcomers include eight transfers and five freshmen.
- Among the transfers is senior 2024 All-Southern Conference Defender Slade Starnes.
Mustangs' Career-Firsts
SMU vs Clemson Notes
- This is the first draw between SMU and Clemson. The all-time matchup record is now 1-1-1.
- Mukisa Emmanuel has scored two goals in his last two matches. He now leads the Mustangs with four goals.
- SMU has tied two top-25 opponents this season.
- Martin Dominguez made his first start between the posts this season. Registering five saves.
- Villads Landsperg has played full 90-minute matches in all seven matches this season (630 minutes).
FIFA World Cup at Washburne
- Washburne Stadium will be an official training ground for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Preseason Awards and Rankings
- SMU was ranked No. 5 in the United Soccer Coaches Preseason Poll.
- Also ranked No. 5 in the ACC Preseason Poll. Tied with Stanford.
- SMU was ranked No. 7 in the Top Drawer Soccer Preseason National Ranking.
- Jaylinn Mitchell was included in the ACC Preseason Player to Watch List.
- Owen Zarnick was ranked No. 47 and Alex Salvo was No. 74 in the Top Drawer Soccer Top 100 Players Rankings.
SMU vs Top-25 Opponents
- SMU is 0-0-2 against Top-25 teams this season.
- The Mustangs are coming off a 1-1 draw against No. 2 Clemson and they also drew No. 18 Kansas City 2-2 to kick off the season.
- SMU was 4-3-3 against top 25 opponents last season after falling in the NCAA Quarterfinals to No. 8 Marshall.
- SMU faced 10 top-25 opponents last season. This was the largest number of ranked opponents the Mustangs have faced in a single season under Kevin Hudson.
- No. 5 Dayton was the highest-ranked win for the Mustangs last season.
- No. 5 Stanford, who they drew against, was the highest-seeded team that the Mustangs went against in the regular season.
- Last season, SMU had wins over fifth-ranked Dayton, No. 6 Saint Louis, No. 13 Virginia Tech, and No. 19 Washington, a draw against No.5 Stanford, ninth-ranked Denver, and No. 18 Duke.
- The Mustangs had the most top-25 matches in the ACC last season.
