Program turns 100, celebrates

As anyone who has spent a weekend at Reunions can attest, Princeton proudly celebrates the identification of its students and alumni as family — and the men's soccer team over its 100-year history is no exception to this rule.

From the Kavanaghs to the Whites to the Joneses to the Piersons to the many other familiar names in the program, Princeton has often welcomed multiple representatives of the same family to be part of the Tiger soccer program.

Three players on the men's squad this season hail from such dynastic families — freshman Max Hare and sophomore Jason Adams both had two older brothers in the program and sophomore Pat Farrell joins his sister, senior Meghan Farrell, in donning an Orange and Black jersey this season.

"There's been a great tradition of families coming through Princeton soccer, which is something that we think is special," head coach Jim Barlow '91 said. "We consider the whole program a family."

And if Princeton soccer is a family, then this past weekend's family reunion was one to go down in the record books. Hundreds of fans, including numerous past players, joined to celebrate the 100th year anniversary of the program with a women's and men's doubleheader against Dartmouth on Lourie-Love Field, followed by an alumni game and reception.

Men's soccer squared off against a reigning Ivy League champion on a wet Saturday afternoon to defend its home field and honor in front of an electrifying crowd — and what a lot of honor the program had to defend.

Since 1990, the Tigers claim three Ivy League Players of the Year: Barlow '91 in 1990, Michael Nugent '02 in 2001 and Darren Spicer '06 in 2004. Spicer, who received Princeton's Most Valuable Player honor — the David S. Hackett Memorial Soccer Cup — last year, looked to continue his soccer career post-graduation when the Club Deportivo Chivas USA drafted him in January during the Major League Soccer (MLS) Supplemental Draft.

Another soccer alum, Bob Bradley '80, coaches that very team. Bradley coached Princeton from 1984 until 1995 before moving on to pursue his professional coaching career, passing the baton on to Barlow.

The list of other players who have gone on to pursue professional careers either as players, coaches or managers trails on: Charles Stillitano '81, Dave Vaudreuil '88, Chris Unger '90, Joe Thieman '94, Jesse Marsch '96 — who earned an MLS Championship with the Chicago Fire in 1998 — Andrew Lewis '97, Matt Behncke '02 and Nugent. Recent graduates Doug Hare '05 and Ryan Rick '05 also found themselves again as teammates beyond Princeton, both garnering reserve spots on the roster for MLS's N.Y./N.J. MetroStars.

Yet in addition to the big names and legends of Princeton soccer, a whole host of players whose soccer careers ended at graduation have worked alongside the superstars to build the program's reputation of depth and commitment. This perseverance has produced six Ivy League Championships for the Tigers since 1957, including recent crowns in 1999 and 2001. Sure, Princeton soccer may not be a historically household name like the basketball team is with its signature 'Princeton offense,' but it does have a reputation of teamwork and coordinated play just like its basketball counterpart.

"To have everyone moving together and moving the ball together is something that Princeton soccer has always tried to push along," Barlow said. "[As in basketball, the goal is] to have everyone on the field on the same page and making sense of plays by their timing and their ability to read what's coming next."

This nurtured sense of camaraderie and team spirit drew hundreds of soccer alumni and friends of Princeton soccer back to Princeton to cheer on their team on its home turf. The game ended on Saturday in the same manner as the first matchup between the Tigers and Big Green in 1921 — to the tune of a one-goal margin of victory for the Orange and Black.

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"Like I said at the reception after the game, I think having such a great crowd there was a big factor in us winning the game," Barlow said. "It was really great atmosphere. The energy at Lourie-Love on Saturday was just something that we hope we can have at every home game."

So join the family of alumni and friends of Princeton soccer by making the trek down to Lourie-Love Field on a lazy Saturday afternoon or weekday night. You could help spark the same electricity that enthused Barlow and the crowd on Saturday. Princeton will certainly have its hands full when it faces off against a top-25 ranked St. John's at home tonight at 7:30 p.m. If 100 years of historical excellence sets any precedent, you're apt to see a good show.