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1986 Duke Blue Devils men's soccer team

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1986 Duke Blue Devils men's soccer
ConferenceAtlantic Coast Conference
U. Soc. Coaches pollNo. 1
Record18–5–1 (3–3–0 ACC)
Head coach
Seasons
← 1985
1987 →
1986 ACC men's soccer standings
Conf Overall
Team W   L   T W   L   T
No. 10 Virginia 6 0 0 17 2 2
No. 8 NC State+ 4 1 1 13 4 2
Clemson 3 3 0 12 6 2
No. 22 NC State+ 3 3 0 14 4 1
No. 1 Duke+ 3 3 0 18 5 1
North Carolina 1 4 1 13 7 1
Wake Forest 0 6 0 7 11 2
As of December 12, 1986
Rankings from United Soccer Coaches
Source: The ACC

The 1986 Duke Blue Devils men's soccer team represented Duke University during the 1986 NCAA Division I men's soccer season.

The Blue Devils won the first ever national title this season. It was the second ever season the Billikens fielded a men's varsity soccer team, and it is considered by many American soccer historians to be the start of a dynasty.[1]

Background

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In the 1985 season, Duke's soccer team had a successful record of 4-2 in the ACC and 16-5 overall. However, they faced the loss of four-year starters Tom Kain and goalkeeper Pat Johnston to graduation. Head coach John Rennie, with a strong returning midfield and defense, looked to seniors John Kerr, Jr., Kelly Weadock, and Mike Linenberger to step up.[2] Rennie also recruited a strong incoming class, including freshman Joey Valenti from Tampa, Florida, who would later assist in a game-winning goal against Akron.[2]

Review

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The early season results were mixed, with losses to Catawba, NC State, and Maryland, but victories over North Carolina and Wake Forest. Duke ended the regular season 15-5-1, including a 4-0 loss to Virginia. Despite some close losses, Duke registered eleven shutouts and five matches with a win margin of at least four goals.

In the first round of the NCAA tournament, Duke faced 13th-ranked South Carolina, winning 3-2 with all goals scored in the first half. In the second round, they defeated 12th-ranked NC State 2-0 with goals from freshmen Brian Benedict and Joey Valenti. In the quarterfinals, Duke played Loyola of Baltimore, winning 2-1 and ending Loyola's 30-game winning streak.[2]

Duke then faced Ivy League Champion Harvard, winning 3-1 with two early goals by Kerr. The national championship game was held on December 13[3] in the Tacoma Dome against 12th-ranked Akron Zips.[4][5] Duke won 1-0 with a goal by Tom Stone,[6] assisted by Joey Valenti and Carl Williamson. Starting goalkeeper Mark Dodd made three saves for his ninth shutout of the season.

Following the championship, John Kerr was awarded the 1986 Hermann Trophy and the National Player of the Year Award by the Missouri Athletic Club.[7] Teammates Stone and Weadock were named most valuable offensive and defensive players of the national championship game, respectively. Freshman Robert Probst was named to the 1986 Men's All-Freshman Team by Soccer America. Undefeated at home (12-0-1), the team returned to Duke with their first national championship trophy in any sport, greeted by the cheers of the campus community and Duke President Keith Brodie.[2]

Schedule

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Date Opponent Rank Stadium
(City)
Result
F–A
Scorers Attendance Record
(Conference)
Wolfpack Classic
September 6 vs. Catawba* Method Road
Raleigh, NC
1–2 Kerr Jr. 169 0–1–0
September 7 vs. Vanderbilt* Method Road 6–0 Unknown 374 1–1–0
MetLife Classic
September 12 UConn* Koskinen Stadium
Durham, NC
5–0 Unknown Unknown 2–1–0
September 14 Hartwick* Koskinen Stadium 5–0 Unknown Unknown 3–1–0
September 17 Davidson* Koskinen Stadium 6–0 Unknown Unknown 4–1–0
September 20 at NC State Method Road 3–4 Unknown Unknown 4–2–0
(0–1–0)
September 23 Drexel* Koskinen Stadium 5–1 Unknown Unknown 5–2–0
September 28 Clemson Koskinen Stadium 5–2 Unknown Unknown 6–2–0
(1–1–0)
October 1 Charlotte* Koskinen Stadium 2–0 Unknown Unknown 7–2–0
October 4 at Maryland Byrd Stadium
College Park, MD
0–1 Unknown Unknown 7–3–0
(1–2–0)
October 8 at UNCG* UNCG Stadium
Greensboro, NC
3–0 Unknown Unknown 8–3–0
October 12 George Mason* Koskinen Stadium 1–1OT Unknown Unknown 8–3–1
October 15 Charleston (WV)* Koskinen Stadium 1–0 Unknown Unknown 9–3–1
October 19 at South Carolina* Stone Stadium
Columbia, SC
3–2OT Unknown Unknown 10–3–1
October 22 Wake Forest Koskinen Stadium 2–1 Unknown Unknown 11–3–1
(2–2–0)
October 26 Virginia Scott Stadium
Charlottesville, VA
0–4 Unknown Unknown 11–4–1
(2–3–0)
UCLA Classic
November 1 vs. Cal State Fullerton* Elvin Drake Stadium
Los Angeles, CA
1–0 Unknown Unknown 12–4–1
November 2 vs. UCLA* Elvin Drake Stadium 0–3 Unknown Unknown 12–5–1
November 9 North Carolina Koskinen Stadium 1–0 Unknown Unknown 13–5–1
(3–3–0)
NCAA tournament
November 16 No. 13 South Carolina
First round
No. 10 Koskinen Stadium 3–2 Unknown Unknown 14–5–1
November 23 at No. 17 NC State
Round of 16
No. 10 Method Road 2–0 Unknown Unknown 15–5–1
November 30 at No. 25 Loyola (MD)
Quarterfinals
No. 10 Koskinen Stadium 2–1 Unknown Unknown 16–5–1
December 7 Harvard
Semifinals
No. 10 Koskinen Stadium 3–1 Unknown Unknown 17–5–1
December 13 vs. No. 12 Akron
National championship
No. 10 Tacoma Dome
Tacoma, WA
1–0 Stone 4,652 18–5–1

Legend:        = Win        = Loss        = Tie

Awards and honors

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References

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  1. ^ The St. Louis Billiken's Soccer Club (2010). A Time for Champions: A St. Louis Soccer Dynasty. Rumford, ME: Virginia Publishing. pp. 5–18. ISBN 9781891442551.
  2. ^ a b c d "1986 Men's Soccer National Champions". goduke.com. Duke University Athletics. May 26, 2006. Retrieved July 19, 2024.
  3. ^ "On This Date: Duke Captures 1986 NCAA Title". Duke University. December 13, 2020. Retrieved July 20, 2024.
  4. ^ Ap (December 8, 1986). "SPORTS NEWS BRIEFS; Duke and Akron Gain Soccer Final". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved July 20, 2024.
  5. ^ "Team of Distinction: 1986 Men's Soccer". University of Akron Athletics. Retrieved July 20, 2024.
  6. ^ soccermavn (February 20, 2018). 1986 NCAA D1 Men's Soccer Final--Duke v. Akron. Retrieved July 20, 2024 – via YouTube.
  7. ^ "John Kerr". MAC Hermann Trophy. Retrieved July 20, 2024.