Hall of Fame
The 1983 SFU men's soccer team, coached by Keith Watts, won the second of back-to-back National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics championships, capping off an incredible and historic run.
Â
After winning the NAIA District I title for the ninth consecutive year, SFU qualified for the national tournament by beating the District II champion.
Â
SFU swept through the competition at the NAIA Men's Soccer Championship in Wichita Falls, Texas, winning all four games without surrendering a goal.
Â
Captain Darryl Larson scored in the team's 1-0 Pool D-opening win against Benedictine (Kansas), before George Mrsic's brace provided all the offence in a 2-0 victory over Alabama Huntsville that sent SFU to the semifinals. There, Alphonso Napoletano got the overtime winner against top-ranked Alderson Broaddus (West Virginia). In the championship contest, SFU defeated host Midwestern State (Texas) for the second straight year. Ron Cuthbert got the title-winning goal, with the assist going to Tony Pensato.
Â
Defender David Cobb, forward Larson, and goalkeeper Jerry Vick were named to the NAIA All-Tournament Team.
Â
Vick tied his own school record of 18 wins in goal for SFU, and was named NAIA All-American First Team. Larson earned a spot in the second team, while defender Dave Ellenwood made the third team.
Â
A dozen players from 1982 NAIA championship squad helped SFU take the 1983 title. Over those two seasons, SFU went 36-7-4, with 29 shutouts in 47 games.
Â