NC State men’s soccer stands alone after securing the No. 1 ranking in the United Soccer Coaches Poll on Tuesday.
Wondering the last time a Wolfpack team secured the No. 1 spot? Of course, it was women’s cross country in 2024. For men’s teams, baseball accomplished the feat in 2019. For men’s soccer, this is the highest it has ever polled.
Coaches always love to talk about how little they care about the rankings, and Wolfpack head coach Marc Hubbard is no different.
But the coaches’ poll is not the only category where the Pack finds itself at the top. Evidenced in the stat sheets, where the Pack is No. 1 in nine individual and team categories, NC State is on its way to contend for a title.
As of Sept. 23, the Pack has still not let in a goal, posting eight consecutive shutouts. Senior goalkeeper Logan Erb has been on fire, but the clean-sheet streak is indicative of more than just solid goalkeeper play. The squad has performed at a high level on defense for 90 minutes of every single game, not letting up until the final whistle. Erb is capable of making all the saves, but he has not had to, with the Pack being 187th in saves per game — a strong indicator of his teammates’ defensive prowess.
What else can you say about the defense? The Pack has still not let up a goal, and altogether limited opponents’ offensive chances.
“We want to be the last team to concede this year, and we’re working toward that,” sophomore defender Nikola Markovic said after the Pack’s win over Florida Atlantic on Sept. 13. “Looks like we’re on the right track.”
As Portland, Utah Valley, Akron, Louisville and CSUN have conceded goals since then, the Wolfpack stands alone at the top with a 0.00 goals against average.
On the front end, NC State’s offense has been a spectacle. Junior forward Donavan Phillip leads Division I with 12 goals — four more than the next best. With his ability to produce on his own, create chances on the break and find the back of the net off the header, the Saint Lucia native has already proven himself as one of the top forwards in the nation.
Phillip has been effective on the cross. Of his 12 goals, seven have come off headers. Listed at 6-foot-2, Phillip is able to get to most balls and almost always times up the cross perfectly to put the ball in the back of the net.
And his teammates are getting him the ball at a high rate. Freshman defender Riley Moloney leads the team with six assists, junior midfielder Tyler Caton and senior midfielder Taig Healy sit just behind with five assists. All three Wolfpack players are in the top 25 in assists in Division I soccer, with the Pack being the only team at that mark.
Further creating chances, the Wolfpack leads the nation in corner kicks with 76 — almost 10 per game. And the Pack has taken advantage. Three of Phillip’s goals have come on corners or free kicks.
Other stats in which the Pack leads the nation: goal differential, total goals and save percentage. The Pack is second in goals per game, shots per game, shots on goal per game and assists.
As NC State is halfway through its 16-game season, there is still a way to go before the playoffs. But if the numbers are any indication, the Pack has what it takes to contend in November.
