NACC set for first soccer match at new on-campus field

Northeast Alabama Community College is set to debut another state-of-the-art athletic facility.

The NACC men's soccer team plays its first game at the college's new on-campus soccer field when it hosts a spring exhibition matchup with Wallace State Saturday at 5 p.m.

"We at the college are very excited about our spring soccer games," stated NACC President Dr. David Campbell. "Our soccer field is complete now and it is a first-class facility. We welcome all those in the community to come out and see our team play. Our team has practiced hard and our coach, Tom Shanklin, is one of the best soccer coaches in the South. I know our players are ready for the competition."

Shanklin was hired as the first head soccer coach in NACC program history in 2024 following an 11-year tenure as the head soccer coach at Fort Payne High School. Shanklin posted a 216-73-19 career record and led his alma mater to three state championships and 11 area titles during his tenure.

NACC played its inaugural soccer season last fall, playing home games at the Fort Payne Sports Complex and Sand Mountain Park in Albertville as work on NACC's on-campus field was being completed.

Shanklin said the program was grateful to those venues for hosting Mustang matches but noted that being able to play on campus will be very beneficial to the NACC program.

"We're excited to play at home," Shanklin said. "We've worked out on (the field) and our guys have really liked it."

Saturday's match at NACC will also provide the local soccer community a first look at the new facility.

"I know there are many soccer players and families in our area," Campbell said. "We are very pleased to bring college level soccer and our outstanding venue to the area for our people to enjoy."

Saturday's match is the first of six exhibition playing days NACC is permitted this spring. The Mustangs began spring practice earlier this month and Shanklin said the players are looking forward to facing another team after weeks of intrasquad scrimmages.

He also noted the team's growth since its fall season and said the Mustangs are using the spring exhibition period to "develop depth" and "find areas we need to improve on" heading into the 2026 season this fall.

"We've gained a lot of maturity from last season. They know what to expect now (playing at the collegiate level)," Shanklin said. "We've worked hard. I think we're more prepared physically and mentally. I'm excited to see how our guys do. I don't think we're far off. We lost several one-goal games last year. We got a lot of praise from opposing coaches that told us we were miles ahead of what most first-year programs were."

After Saturday's match, NACC plays at Spring Hill March 8, takes on the Chattanooga Red Wolves of the United Premier Soccer League (UPSL) on Sunday, March 15 before hosting Pellissippi State (Tennessee) March 20. The Mustangs travel to Enterprise State March 28 and play Southern Union at Huntingdon College in Montgomery April 10 before attending the Faulkner University All-Star Event in Montgomery April 11. Shanklin said the Mustangs are also working to add a matchup with the new UPSL Team in Calera to one of its already scheduled six-permitted exhibition playing days.

Log on to naccathletics.com/sports/msoc for more information on NACC men's soccer.