From the Soccer Field to the Law Field

Matt ’15 and Emily ’15 Cardone were All-Americans on the soccer field, and now they are making their marks in the legal field.

The soccer couple married in July 2024. While at Trinity University, Emily, a midfielder, was a four-time All-American from 2011 to 2014. She has been an attorney at Gibson Dunn in Dallas for the last five years, specializing in commercial litigation. Matt, a goalkeeper, earned All-America honors in 2012 and 2014. After a successful career in pro soccer, he attended the Dedman School of Law at Southern Methodist University and received his juris doctor last May.

“I truly enjoyed my four years at Trinity, and I am so grateful for my time on the women’s soccer team. The coaching staff fostered an amazing team culture, and my teammates became my lifelong friends,” says Emily, a native of Austin and graduate of Westwood High School. “My advice to incoming students would be to cherish every moment. It goes by so fast!”

Emily, who majored in business administration with a specialization in accounting and minored in Spanish and sport management, was elected the Academic All-American of the Year on two occasions, in 2013 and 2014. During her final semester, she was awarded a prestigious NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship.

In the Trinity women’s soccer record books, Emily is the all-time leader in goals scored (59), assists (88), and points (206). Matt is ranked second in Tiger men’s soccer saves during his collegiate goalkeeping career (227) and for his number of shutout victories (30), also referred to as “clean sheets.”

Matt is from San Antonio and attended MacArthur High School. He graduated from Trinity with a degree in business administration with a specialization in marketing.

“I came to Trinity for a number of reasons,” Matt says. “I thought Trinity provided great opportunities, both academically and athletically. Coach [Paul] McGinlay ran a first-rate program, and I wanted to play for him. I could also stay close to my family in San Antonio.”

McGinlay is legendary in the soccer world. He is in his 35th season as Trinity’s men’s soccer coach. During his tenure, McGinlay has reached many milestones, including winning the 2003 NCAA Division III Championship.

“Matt was a local prospect who was really a Division I scholarship goalkeeper,” McGinlay says. “I tried to assist in finding the right spot for him, but he submitted an application to Trinity. In the end, the hometown boy stayed home and had a great professional career. He was one of the best all-time goalkeepers we had in the program.”

Lance Key ’00 coached the Tiger women’s soccer team from 2004 to 2015. He led Trinity to the 2013 NCAA Division III Championship game, in which Emily was a strong contributor during the tournament.

“Emily was elite, in every sense of the word, and still is. Her commitment and determination were second to none,” Key says. “We defined leadership as influence, and her influence permeated throughout our program during her four years and well after her departure from Trinity. She always did the little things right.”

Key remembers how Emily made everything look easy and simple.

“She might have been the inspiration behind the statement so often emphasized, ‘Simple is sophisticated.’ If we had not pursued her, it would have been the single greatest mistake of my career as a recruiter,” Key says. “She wasn’t just great in small things; she pursued excellence in everything!”

After graduating from Trinity, Emily attended The University of Texas at Austin and earned a master’s in professional accounting. She then went to The University of Texas School of Law and graduated in 2019 with her juris doctor.

“My dad is a lawyer, so I was interested in law school from a young age. The business law class at Trinity solidified my desire to go to law school,” Emily says.

Emily finds her law career rewarding because she is able to advocate for others and solve complex problems.

“I enjoy practicing law because the work challenges me to think critically, communicate clearly, and approach issues from multiple perspectives,” Emily says.

Matt had a professional soccer career which spanned eight seasons from 2015 to 2022, all in San Antonio. He started with the San Antonio Scorpions of the North American Soccer League and then became the goalkeeper of San Antonio FC in 2016 in the team’s inaugural season in the United Soccer League, which is the league just below Major League Soccer.

He set a number of records for San Antonio FC: appearances (108), saves (327), and shutouts (25). Matt had an especially effective season in 2019 when he appeared in 33 matches, recorded 94 saves, and had seven shutouts.

“I enjoyed every minute of playing professional soccer. It was nice to be close to home and represent San Antonio,” Matt says. “Now, I’m excited to tackle a new challenge in the legal profession. There are many skills that certainly carry over, such as teamwork and attention to detail.”

Matt credits Trinity not only for his professional development but also for some of his most meaningful personal connections.

“It was a real privilege to attend Trinity and be a part of such a storied soccer program,” Matt says. “My time at Trinity was a positive, formative experience that set me up for success after graduation. I think Trinity provides a wide array of quality opportunities to learn and grow in a tight-knit community that is truly special.” He adds, “And, who knows, you might meet your future spouse!”