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University of Massachusets Athletics
UMass Men’s Soccer Marches into the Elite Eight Propelled by Alec Hughes Breaking the All-Time Scoring Record
December 05, 2024 | Men's Soccer
UMass Men’s Soccer Marches into the Elite Eight Propelled by Alec Hughes Breaking the All-Time Scoring Record
AMHERST, Mass. — Just over a month ago, during an away game against Atlantic 10 rival St. Bonaventure, Alec Hughes notched his 48th and 49th career goals, breaking the UMass all-time scoring record. He ended the regular season with 16 goals, ranking third overall in the country. The Minutemen were selected to compete in the NCAA Tournament with an at-large bid, their first matchup set against Evansville.
Hughes continued his scoring dominance, netting the first goal in a 2-1 victory. The Minutemen were then slated to face #6 Penn in round two. Thanks to another goal from the school's all-time leading scorer, UMass advanced with a 1-0 victory. In the round of sixteen, UMass upset a nationally ranked opponent for the second straight game against #11 Virginia. Now, on Saturday, December 7, the Minutemen face perhaps their biggest challenge yet—#3 Denver in the program’s first Elite Eight appearance since 2007.
“A lot of it had to do with motivation,” Hughes said. “It’s my last season, and I was motivated to see how far we can go with this team.” Despite numerous injuries at the beginning of the season, Hughes emphasized the team’s unwavering competitiveness. The results speak for themselves: “It just shows how much the team clicked and how much [they] believe in [themselves].”
It just shows how much the team clicked and how much we believe in ourselves.Alec Hughes
Head coach Fran O’Leary, at the helm of the team for nearly a decade now, has been instrumental in Hughes’ development. “I obviously respect Fran a lot. He's been all around within college and the professional level,” Hughes said. Breaking the scoring record requires specialization in a specific area, and O’Leary has consistently encouraged Hughes to focus in on his strengths.
“He reminds me to stick to what I’m good at. My best feature is scoring goals, which is the hardest part of the game. He constantly reminds me that I’m a goal scorer.”
O’Leary, who has guided teams to eight NCAA tournaments during his illustrious coaching career, praised Hughes as one of the best scorers he’s ever coached. Recalling the first time he saw Hughes play, O’Leary said, “He scored five goals, so that catches the eye.”
Beyond Hughes’ athleticism, O’Leary highlighted his unique ability to score: “There are a lot of athletes who can’t score goals. What stands out about Alec is his combination of being gifted athletically and the ability to score.”
Upon hearing what his Coach had to say about him, Hughes certified his coach’s confidence in him “encourages [him] and gives [him] the belief that [he] can play well on the college level and then hopefully on the professional level.”
He reminds me to stick to what I’m good at. My best feature is scoring goals, which is the hardest part of the game. He constantly reminds me that I’m a goal scorer.Alec Hughes on Fran O'Leary
Hughes’ attacking prowess has been instrumental for the Minutemen coming as far as they have; he accounted for 36% of the team’s goals during the regular season, and has two of the four through the NCAA Tournament. “He’s comfortable and composed in front of the goal,” O’Leary stated. “He can create his own chances because of his pace, he can strike well with both feet, and he has a self-belief that strikers need to have.” He also credited the team for being seventh in the country for total scoring, largely in part due to Hughes’ season.
He’s comfortable and composed in front of the goal... He can create his own chances because of his pace, he can strike well with both feet, and he has a self-belief that strikers need to have.Fran O'Leary
“What gives us energy is Alec’s goals. It gives the whole team a boost,” O’Leary remarked.
Although Hughes and the Minutemen have already defeated two ranked opponents and face another in Denver on Saturday, the team doesn’t view themselves as underdogs. “I don’t necessarily think it’s an underdog mentality,” Hughes said. “We value our press a lot. Our mindset going into games is that if we can press them and disrupt their flow, we’ll definitely have a chance to win.”
While Hughes has had an incredible individual season, he attributes the team’s success to collective effort. “It’s the hunger, belief, and buy-in from everyone. The bench guys are bought in whether they’re playing or not. Everyone is committed to how we want to play and how we’re going to win games.”
Despite making it look easy, Hughes acknowledged the effort it’s taken him during his tenure at UMass to reach this level. “I think experience, the knowledge of how college soccer games can go, helps me.” He touched on having been to the NCAA Tournament before, but not having won any games until this season. Having been part of more conference playoff games than his teammates, Hughes recognized how his growth has prepared him to lead the team this season.
“From year one to now, I’d say my maturity has improved a lot. Emotionally, I’m not letting things affect me as much as they did my freshman and sophomore years.”
It’s the hunger, belief, and buy-in from everyone. The bench guys are bought in whether they’re playing or not. Everyone is committed to how we want to play and how we’re going to win games.Alec Hughes
As a leader on and off the field, Hughes’ impact during the Minutemen’s playoff run cannot be overstated. Alongside a multitude of accolades this season—being named to both the Atlantic 10 All-Conference team and Atlantic 10 Offensive Player of the Year—Hughes has brought national attention to the university's soccer program. He may be in his last year, but he’s been a huge part of elevating the team.
“There’s a lot of positivity around the program right now with a great group of guys,” O’Leary said. “They’ve all gotten better, and I’d like to think they’ve had fun. We’ll go out and give our best.”
