By Chris Mattingly
Since Lynn Family Stadium opened in 2020, it has provided the stage for a wide variety of soccer games — most of them professional. But the Butchertown neighborhood venue recently added two premier amateur events to its resume as well.
On the heels of November’s Kentucky’s boys All-State Games, Lynn Family Stadium welcomed the NCAA Men’s College Cup over the weekend, seeing Clemson emerge as champion from a field that also included Notre Dame, West Virginia and Oregon State.
“It’s been pretty amazing” said Clemson midfielder Brandon Parrish. “It’s a fantastic stadium and the field is great. It was a new challenge to come here and understand how the field and the stadium would be, but it’s been amazing and the fans showed up for us as well, so you can’t ask for anything more.”
More than 80 high school players were part of the All-State Games. More than 4,000 fans attended both College Cup sessions, too, with the games broadcast nationally on ESPNU.
They’re the type of games these young players won’t soon forget.
“These are the nights you want to play in,” said Notre Dame forward Eno Nto, who scored in Friday’s semifinal to send the Irish to their second-ever national title game. “These are the crowds and the environments and the big games you want to be apart of — us as players.
“I’m sure that I am speaking for everyone that we are really enjoying the experience, and we do not want to waste any moment.”