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.
After winning the NAIA District I title for the ninth consecutive year, SFU qualified for the national tournament by beating the District II champion.
SFU swept through the competition at the NAIA Men's Soccer Championship in Wichita Falls, Texas, winning all four games without surrendering a goal.
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.
Defender David Cobb, forward Larson, and goalkeeper Jerry Vick were named to the NAIA All-Tournament Team.
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.
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.
