The college soccer season is fast approaching, with Clemson’s first exhibition game starting on August 9 against Charlotte and its first regular-season game against Indiana on August 21. Clemson had another successful season last year, going 15-3-4 overall and 5-2-1 within the ACC before being bounced out of the NCAA Tournament in the third round by in-conference foes, Wake Forest. The Tigers are looking forward to yet another strong campaign as they search for their third national championship under Head Coach Mike Noonan. But what does Clemson’s roster look like?
Roster Outlook
Clemson’s squad looks vastly different from last year, with new transfers and recruits joining the Tigers. Here’s a positional breakdown of Clemson’s 2025-26 roster:
Goalies
- # 0 Aiden Hampton (Sr.)
- #1 Joseph Andema (Sr.)
- #12 Justin Ross (Fr.)
- #31 Ivan Schmid (Fr.)
Defenders
- #2 Lukas Magnason (So.)
- #3 Arthur Duquenne (Jr.)
- #4 Olafur Floki Stephensen (So.)
- #5 Augustine Asante (Fr.)
- #18 Matthias Lieb (Jr.)
- #22 Kyle Mattis (Fr.)
- #27 Seamus Streelman (Fr.)
- #30 Remi Okunlola (Jr.)
Midfielders
- #8 Kwaku Agyabeng (Fr.)
- #10 Ransford Gyan (So.)
- #11 Misei Yoshizawa (Sr.)
- #15 Abdou Mane (Fr.)
- #16 Mason Jimenez (Jr.)
- #17 Caleb George (Fr.)
- #25 Nathan Richmond (Sr.)
Forwards
- #7 Wahabu Musah (So.)
- #14 Cooper Hineline (Fr.)
- #19 James Kelly (Sr.)
- #20 Andres Beirute (Fr.)
- #23 Duncan Wilson (So.)
- #24 Vitor Geromel (So.)
- #26 Marco Garcia (Sr.)
- #28 Xander Sevian (Fr.)
Starting Lineup Projections
Now that we’ve broken down Clemson’s roster by position, let’s predict how Mike Noonan will line his squad up for Clemson’s first game of the season. Clemson uses a 4-2-3-1 formation, meaning there are four defenders, two defensive midfielders, three attacking midfielders, and one forward on the pitch. Keeping that in mind, here is Clemson’s projected starting lineup for the 2025-26 season:
Goalie
- Joseph Andema: The Ghana native has been a key part of Mike Noonan’s team since he got to Clemson in 2022, playing over 4800 minutes in three seasons with the squad. Andema’s season was cut short last year after suffering a season-ending leg injury against Virginia Tech on November 1, which kept him out of the ACC and NCAA Tournaments. Although last season was statistically Andema’s worst in a Clemson uniform, Noonan and his coaching staff know just how valuable a healthy Joseph Andema can be towards their chances of winning their third national championship in six seasons.
Right Back
- Remi Okunlola: The 2022 Gatorade Soccer Player of the Year in Georgia was a huge part of last season’s success. Okunlola started 20 games, while appearing in 21, tallying two goals and four assists from the right back position. The Lawrenceville native was terrific on the right flank last season, seemingly involved in any major chance the Tigers created. Okunlola hopes to build on last year’s success and continue to dominate the left side of the opposing team’s defense.
Center Back
- Lukas Magnason: The Iceland native will return to Mike Noonan’s starting lineup in his Sophomore season after starting in 19 games last year. The 6’2 center back was a terrific pairing with veteran defender Adam Lundegard, as the two anchored Clemson’s defense. At the end of the season, Magnason was selected as part of the All-ACC Freshman team in recognition of his strong rookie campaign. With a new center back pairing and no more Adam Lundegard, Magnason will have to step up as the leader.
- Olafur Floki Stephensen: The 6’4 defender is also a native of Iceland, and should be the No.2 center back for Mike Noonan’s squad. Stephensen played at Virginia Tech last season and earned All-ACC Freshman honors after starting in 16 games. The rising Sophomore helped the Hokies record seven clean sheets throughout the season, the most for Tech since 2016. Stephenson’s addition to this roster will help strengthen Clemson’s backline and create a lethal center back duo.
Left Back
- Arthur Duquenne: The French native is the finishing piece to a terrific backline for the Tigers. Duquenne started a majority of the team’s games in back-to-back seasons, as he played a crucial role in the 2023 national championship and last year’s team. The 5’9 left back has started 33 games for Mike Noonan, while tallying 15 points. Duquenne, much like Okunlola on the other side of the pitch, has excellent speed and is able to get past defenders with ease.
Defensive Midfielder
- Mason Jimenez: The San Diego, California, product will be a key part of Clemson’s success this season, as he will man one of the most critical positions on the field. Jimenez played in 18 games last season, but only started once. Although he hasn’t made much of an impact during his 30 games played over two years, Jimenez should finally get the opportunity to showcase his abilities as a member of the starting lineup.
- Nathan Richmond: The former No.1 midfielder in Georgia is back from a season-ending injury that limited him to just three games last season. Nathan Richmond usually plays in a more attacking role as the central attacking midfielder (CAM), but with that spot being taken up by Ransford Gyan, Richmond might have to play a more defensive role this season. Richmond played a significant part in Clemson’s 2023 national championship, tallying five goals, five assists, and 15 points. With those numbers, a move to defensive midfielder might not make much sense, but it shows how much Clemson loves their budding superstar, Ransford Gyan, in an attacking position.
Right Midfielder
- Wahabu Musah: The Montverde Academy product is back for his sophomore season in TigerTown. Musah was one of the most fun and electric players on last season’s roster, slotting home six goals and four assists in 15 games started. The Ghana native was very flexible, playing wherever Mike Noonan needed him, whether on the right, left, or down the middle. If his sophomore season is anything like last season, Musah will not just play on the right wing and could also be the team’s starting center forward. Musah’s strong rookie campaign earned him All-ACC Freshman honors.
Central Attacking Midfielder
- Ransford Gyan: The 5’4 speedster was a fan favorite last season, and rightfully so. Ransford Gyan tallied five goals, six assists, and 16 points in 19 games started. His stellar rookie year earned him ACC Freshman of the Year, Second Team All-ACC honors, ACC All-Freshman Team honors, and TopDrawerSoccer’s Freshman Postseason 100 honors as the best freshman in the country. Much like Musah, Gyan was not just the CAM; he played games on both wings and even started as a center forward a few times. Gyan is Clemson’s X-factor; they need him at his very best.
Left Midfielder
- Misei Yoshizawa: The transfer from Virginia Tech had a strong first season in Clemson, starting in 14 games and playing all over the midfield. With Alex Meinhard no longer taking up the left midfield spot, that job should go to Yoshizawa. The Japan native tallied four goals (career-high), three assists, and 11 points last season in the best season of his collegiate career so far. Yoshizawa should excel on the left wing as he is strong with both feet, making it easy to send crosses into the box or cut inside and shoot with his right foot.
Forward
- Xander Sevian: The 2024-25 Gatorade Colorado Player of the Year is an exciting prospect for Mike Noonan’s squad. Sevian played forward and midfielder for Boulder High School, tallying a whopping 24 goals and 26 assists in his senior season. Sevian is ranked as the nation’s No. 5 recruit in the Class of 2025 by PrepSoccer. Sevian is a dynamic player who can do it all, whether it is scoring, passing or dribbling, he can pick apart the best defenses. Although more experienced players like James Kelly or Duncan Wilson can play up top, Sevian’s raw talent and unbelievable senior year should earn him the center forward position.
Keep locked in with Tiger View Media as we bring you Clemson Soccer coverage this season.
