Newsstand: Notre Dame goalie Bryan Dowd National Player of the Year

Singer headshotby:Mike Singer•12/19/23•

MikeTSinger

For the first time ever in TopDrawerSoccer.com‘s postseason awards for collegiate men’s soccer, a goalkeeper took home the National Player of the Year honors. And that went to Notre Dame’s Bryan Dowd, a senior from Willowsprings, Ill.

Dowd was a huge part of Notre Dame reaching the NCAA championship game, a contest in which it fell 2-1 against the Clemson Tigers.

“Of the six players to keep double-digit shutouts, only Dowd ranked in the top 20 nationally for total saves,” wrote TDS in its news release. “His breathtaking performance against Akron made him one of just two players all season to make 12 or more saves in a game and keep a clean sheet. Of the nine keepers to play at least 1900 minutes, Dowd had the highest save percentage at 82.4 percent, not to mention his penalty kick heroics to help the Irish advance through the tournament. Any way you slice it, no player had a greater impact on a championship contender this season.”

Dowd is also a walk-on kicker on the Notre Dame football program.

Fighting Irish midfielder Bryce Boneau was named to TDS’ second-team Best XI list. Dowd, of course, was named to the first-team Best XI.

Notre Dame tweets of the day

Quote of the day

“It’s always good to get more of my family there. I think it’s important that my family gets to see too. Because it’s not only my decision, it’s where they’ll be coming to visit. So, I want to make sure they’re comfortable with the staff and place, too.” 

— 2025 four-star offensive tackle Owen Strebig on his upcoming South Bend visit

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