Saint Louis Billikens men's soccer

Last updated

Saint Louis Billikens
men's soccer
St louis men soccer logo.png
Founded1959;65 years ago (1959) [1]
University Saint Louis University
Head coach Kevin Kalish (5th season)
Conference Atlantic 10
Location St. Louis, Missouri
Stadium Hermann Stadium
(Capacity: 6,050)
NicknameBillikens
ColorsBlue, White, and Grey
     
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Home
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Away
NCAA Tournament championships
1959, 1960, 1962, 1963, 1965, 1967, 1969, 1970, 1972, 1973
NCAA Tournament runner-up
1961, 1971, 1974
NCAA Tournament College Cup
1959, 1960, 1961, 1962, 1963, 1965, 1967, 1969, 1970, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1991, 1997
NCAA Tournament Quarterfinals
1959, 1960, 1961, 1962, 1963, 1964, 1965, 1966, 1967, 1969, 1970, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1975, 1980, 1983, 1984, 1991, 1997, 2001, 2003, 2021
NCAA Tournament Round of 16
1959, 1960, 1961, 1962, 1963, 1964, 1965, 1966, 1967, 1968, 1969, 1970, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1975, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1980, 1981, 1983, 1984, 1986, 1988, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1997, 1999, 2001, 2003, 2021
NCAA Tournament appearances
1959, 1960, 1961, 1962, 1963, 1964, 1965, 1966, 1967, 1968, 1969, 1970, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1975, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1980, 1981, 1983, 1984, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2012, 2014, 2021, 2022, 2024
Conference Tournament championships
1991, 1992, 1993, 1995, 1997, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2009, 2012, 2021, 2022
Conference Regular Season championships
1991, 1993, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2013, 2016, 2021, 2022

The Saint Louis Billikens men's soccer team is an intercollegiate varsity sports team of Saint Louis University. The Saint Louis Billikens compete in the Atlantic 10 Conference in the National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I. Soccer is the main fall sport at SLU, which has not sponsored football since 1949.

Contents

Despite the long soccer tradition in the city of St. Louis, the University did not field a varsity team until 1959, when the Billikens won the first NCAA soccer championship held. With Bob Guelker as coach, the team achieved a 11–1 record that season. They defeated the University of Bridgeport 5–2 in the championship game. [1]

Noted for their dominance in men's collegiate soccer during the late 1950s through the mid-1970s, the Billikens have won 10 NCAA Men's Soccer Championships, the most of any men's college soccer program in Division 1. [2] Despite this, the Billikens have not appeared in an NCAA national championship final since 1974, and have appeared in the college cup twice since then: 1991 and 1997. Of their ten titles, nine were outright earned by the Billikens and their 1967 title was shared with the Michigan State Spartans.

During their dynasty run from the 1960s through 1970s, the team was coached by Bob Guelker during their first five championships, while Harry Keough coached the last five championship teams at SLU. Dan Donigan was the most recent head coach, serving from February 2001 until he resigned in January 2010 to accept a position at Rutgers. Presently, the Billikens are coached by Kevin Kalish.

Players

Current roster

As of March 24, 2024 [3]

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No.Pos.NationPlayer
0 GK Flag of the United States.svg  USA Mason Hart
1 GK Flag of Germany.svg  GER Carlos Tofern
2 DF Flag of the United States.svg  USA Carlos Leatherman
3 MF Flag of the United States.svg  USA Caleb Iverson
4 DF Flag of Spain.svg  ESP Alberto Suarez
5 DF Flag of the United States.svg  USA Max Floriani
6 MF Flag of the United States.svg  USA Christian Buendia
7 FW Flag of the United States.svg  USA Seth Anderson
8 MF Flag of the United States.svg  USA Brian Johnson
9 FW Flag of the United States.svg  USA Erich Legut
10 MF Flag of the United States.svg  USA Jack Sullivan
11 MF Flag of Denmark.svg  DEN Mads Stistrup Petersen
12 DF Flag of Nigeria.svg  NGA Enzo Okpoye
13 FW Flag of the United States.svg  USA CJ Coppola
14 DF Flag of the United States.svg  USA Grady Easton
15 MF Flag of the United States.svg  USA Brogan Townsend
No.Pos.NationPlayer
16 FW Flag of the United States.svg  USA Dylan Olson
17 MF Flag of the United States.svg  USA Tomas Dovidaitis
18 MF Flag of the United States.svg  USA Lane Warrington
19 MF Flag of the United States.svg  USA Jack Mika
21 DF Flag of the United States.svg  USA Daniel Moore
22 DF Flag of the United States.svg  USA Lawson Redmoon
23 MF Flag of the United States.svg  USA Alex Shterenberg
24 FW Flag of the United States.svg  USA Karson Gibbs
25 MF Flag of the United States.svg  USA Matteo Boasso
26 DF Flag of the United States.svg  USA Bryce Warhaft
27 MF Flag of the United States.svg  USA Tomas Dovidaitis
28 GK Flag of Israel.svg  ISR Yuval Sade
29 GK Flag of the United States.svg  USA Nate Shapiro
30 GK Flag of the United States.svg  USA Gavin Roberts
33 MF Flag of the United States.svg  USA Kevin Komodi
— DF Flag of Finland.svg  FIN Gershon Henry

Notable alumni

1950s–1980s

  • Mike Shanahan (1960) — Played on 1959 and 1960 championship teams
  • Carl Gentile (1965) — Played with the St. Louis Stars of the North American Soccer League; earned 6 caps with the U.S. national team
  • Pat McBride (1967) — Played 10 seasons with the St. Louis Stars of the North American Soccer League; earned 5 caps with the U.S. national team
  • Al Trost (1970) — Played with the St. Louis Stars and other teams in the North American Soccer League; earned 14 caps with the U.S. national team
  • Pat Leahy (1972) — Played on three of the school's national championship soccer teams; placekicker for the NFL's New York Jets from 1974 to 1992 & Jets' all-time leading scorer [4]
  • Joe Clarke (1975) — Played professional soccer for 7 seasons, including stints with NASL's St. Louis Stars and MISL's St. Louis Steamers
  • Jim Kavanaugh (1985) — Played in the Major Indoor Soccer League; co-founder and CEO of World Wide Technology.

1990s–present

Note: The number in parentheses indicates the year the player graduated from SLU; for those who didn't graduate from SLU, the number indicates the last year they played for SLU.

Coaches

Current staff

As of May 8, 2021
PositionStaff
Head CoachKevin Kalish
Assistant CoachKris Bertsch
Assistant CoachKevin Stoll
Director of OperationsConstantin Heider
Volunteer Assistant Coach (GKs)Euan Morton
Team ChaplainChristian Zombek, S.J.

Last updated: January 1, 2023
Source: Here

Head coaching history

DatesNameNotes
1959–1966 Flag of the United States.svg Bob Guelker Won 5 NCAA championships in 8 seasons.
1967–1982 Flag of the United States.svg Harry Keough Won 5 NCAA championships in his first 7 seasons.
1983–1996 Flag of the United States.svg Joe Clarke
1997–2000 Flag of the United States.svg Bob Warming
2001–2009 Flag of the United States.svg Dan Donigan
2010–2017 Flag of the United States.svg Mike McGinty
2018–present Flag of the United States.svg Kevin Kalish

Seasons

NCAA Dominance: 1959–1974

The following table shows the sixteen-year span from 1959 to 1974 in which SLU won 10 NCAA titles. In the six seasons in which SLU did not win, they finished second three times, reached the semifinals once, reached the quarterfinals once, and reached the round-of-16 once. In all 16 seasons, the NCAA tournament was either won by SLU or by the team that had beaten SLU.

St. Louis winning NCAA tournament seasons
Title
No.		Title
season		Regular seasonNCAA tourn.Total record
1 1959 8–1-03–012–1–0
2 1960 11–1-03–014–1–0
3 1962 9–0-13–012–0–1
4 1963 10–0-03–013–0–0
5 1965 10–0-04–014–0–0
6 1967 5–3-13–113–3–2
7 1969 9–0–04–013–0–0
8 1970 10–0-14–014–0–1
9 1972 11–2–34–015–2–3
10 1973 11–2–34–015–2–3

Modern seasons

St. Louis threaten to score against Duquesne, November 2008 Billiken soccer.jpg
St. Louis threaten to score against Duquesne, November 2008
St. Louis (in white) vs. Duquesne, November 2008 Billiken soccer 2.jpg
St. Louis (in white) vs. Duquesne, November 2008
Previous Season's Records and Standings [5]
SeasonOverall
record		Conf.
Record		CoachConf.Conf.
Rank		Conf.
Tournament		NCAA tournament
20238–4–54–1–3Kevin KalishA102ndQuarterfinals
202212–5–36–1–1Kevin KalishA101stChampionsNCAA Second Round
202116–1–48–0–0Kevin KalishA101stChampionsNCAA Quarterfinals
20209–5–04–2–0Kevin KalishA102ndSemifinals
201910–7–06–2–0Kevin KalishA104thQuarterfinals
20186–4–74–4–0 Kevin Kalish A106thQuarterfinals
20177–9–14–4–0Mike McGintyA108thQuarterfinals
20167–8–36–2–0Mike McGintyA101stQuarterfinals
20158–7–24–2–2Mike McGintyA103rdQuarterfinals
201414–4–25–1–2Mike McGintyA102ndSemifinals2nd round
201314–5–26–0–2Mike McGintyA101stRunner-Up
201216–5–07–2–0Mike McGintyA101stChampionssecond round,
eighth overall seed
20116–10–14–5–0Mike McGintyA1010th
20109–7–35–3–0Mike McGintyA105thSemifinals
200912–6–07–2–0DoniganA102ndChampions2nd Round
200812–5–56–3DoniganA104thSemifinals2nd round

See also

Related Research Articles

Harry Joseph Keough was an American soccer defender who played on the United States national team in their 1–0 upset of England at the 1950 FIFA World Cup. He spent most of his club career in his native St. Louis, winning a national junior championship, two National Challenge Cup and seven National Amateur Cup titles. He coached the Saint Louis University men's soccer team to five NCAA Men's Soccer Championships. The Keough Award, named after him, his brother Bill, and his son Ty Keough, is presented each year to the outstanding St. Louis–based male and female professional or college soccer player.

Michael Steven Sorber is an American soccer coach and former player. He most recently served as an assistant head coach for Toronto FC in Major League Soccer. He played professionally in the United States and Mexico and was a member of the U.S. national team at the 1994 FIFA World Cup.

Patrick "Pat" McBride is an American retired soccer midfielder and indoor soccer coach. He earned five caps with the U.S. national team and is a member of the National Soccer Hall of Fame.

Dan Donigan is a retired United States soccer forward and former coach who played professionally in the Major Indoor Soccer League, American Professional Soccer League and National Professional Soccer League. Following his playing career he coached at the collegiate level as an assistant coach for Connecticut and Saint Louis, and subsequently as a head coach for Saint Louis and Rutgers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Al Trost</span> American soccer player and coach

Alan Trost is an American former professional soccer player who played as a midfielder. He played collegiate soccer at Saint Louis University where he won the 1969 and 1970 Hermann Trophy as the player of the year. His professional career includes years in both the North American Soccer League (NASL) and Major Indoor Soccer League (MISL). He also was a member of the 1972 U.S. Olympic soccer team. He went on to earn 14 caps with the U.S. national team, scoring one goal. He coached professionally with the St. Louis Steamers of MISL and continues to coach youth soccer. He is a member of the National Soccer Hall of Fame.

Dan Counce is a retired American soccer player and current professional soccer executive. He played six seasons in the North American Soccer League and six more in the Major Indoor Soccer League. He also earned five caps with the United States national team between 1974 and 1976.

Mark Santel is a retired U.S. soccer midfielder who is currently an assistant coach for the Saint Louis Billikens. Santel played professionally in the Major Indoor Soccer League, American Professional Soccer League and Major Soccer League. He also earned eight caps with the U.S. national team between 1988 and 1997.

Gene Geimer is a former U.S. soccer forward who spent seven seasons in the North American Soccer League and at least one season in Major Indoor Soccer League. Before entering the professional ranks, Geimer won a National Amateur Cup with St. Louis Kutis in 1971. He also earned six caps, scoring two goals, with the United States in 1972 and 1973.

William “Ty” Keough is an American former professional soccer player and coach who has served as a soccer broadcaster for several networks. He earned eight caps with the U.S. national team in 1979 and 1980. He was a member of the U.S. Olympic soccer team which qualified for the 1980 Summer Olympics. However, he did not attend the tournament as the U.S. boycotted those games.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Saint Louis Billikens</span> Athletic program of Saint Louis University

The Saint Louis Billikens are the collegiate athletic teams that represent Saint Louis University, located in St. Louis, Missouri. The Billikens compete in Division I of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) as a member of the Atlantic 10 Conference. The school has nationally recognized soccer programs for men and women. The school has heavily invested in its on-campus athletic facilities since the 1990s with the creation of Hermann Stadium and Chaifetz Arena. Chris May is the current director of athletics of the St. Louis Billikens.

Carl Gentile is a former U.S. soccer forward. He played one season in the National Professional Soccer League and two in the North American Soccer League, all three with the St. Louis Stars. He also earned six caps with the U.S. national team in 1968.

Joe "Joey" Clarke is a former U.S. soccer defender who currently coaches collegiate soccer at Washington University in St. Louis. Clarke spent six seasons in the North American Soccer League and one in the Major Indoor Soccer League. He has coached men's collegiate soccer since 1981.

Tim Logush (born September 16, 1952, in Richmond Heights, Missouriho is a retired U.S. soccer forward. He spent one season in the North American Soccer League and five in the American Soccer League, and earned one cap with the U.S. national team.

Shane Battelle is a retired American soccer player who played with the Columbus Crew in Major League Soccer.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bob Guelker</span> American soccer coach

Bob Guelker was an American soccer coach and administrator. He coached 24 years at the collegiate level, including coaching St. Louis University to five championships. He coached the U.S. teams at both the 1971 Pan American Games and the 1972 Summer Olympics. He was president of the United States Soccer Football Association from 1967 to 1969 and is a member of the National Soccer Hall of Fame.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">SIU Edwardsville Cougars men's soccer</span> American college soccer team

The SIU Edwardsville Cougars men's soccer team represents Southern Illinois University Edwardsville (SIUE) in the Ohio Valley Conference (OVC) of NCAA Division I soccer. The Cougars play their home matches on Bob Guelker Field at Ralph Korte Stadium located in the southwest corner of the SIUE campus in Edwardsville, Illinois.

Soccer in St. Louis, which dates from 1882, includes pro, college, select and prep soccer teams in St. Louis, Missouri, collectively forming one of the nation's richest municipal soccer heritages.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Saint Louis–SIU Edwardsville men's soccer rivalry</span> American college soccer rivalry

The Saint Louis–SIU Edwardsville men's soccer rivalry is an American college soccer rivalry between the Saint Louis University Billikens and Southern Illinois University Edwardsville Cougars. The winner of each year's game receives the Bronze Boot.

Isaiah Parker is an American soccer player.

References

  1. 1 2 SLU Legends and Lore: The Billiken Soccer Dynasty on St. Louis University
  2. ↑ Men's Soccer Div 1 – History (1959-2011) on the NCAA
  3. ↑ "2022 Men's Soccer Roster". Saint Louis University.
  4. ↑ "Leahy To Be Enshrined in Missouri Sports Hall of Fame", SLU Billikens, February 9, 2007.
  5. ↑ "Previous Seasons". CBS Interactive. Archived from the original on April 23, 2013. Retrieved June 23, 2013.
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