Since 1972, Maryville men’s soccer has had a great influence on campus and created a unique community of student-athletes, alumni and fans.
Since 1972, Maryville men’s soccer has had a great influence on campus and created a unique community of student-athletes, alumni and fans.
More than 510 players and coaches. Six tournament championship banners. Three conference titles. These are just a few numbers that are part of the Maryville men’s soccer program, which just completed its 50th season.
The Saints created another team record by knocking off No. 1 Indianapolis 3-2, the first-ever victory against a No. 1-seeded team, during the 50th anniversary celebration in October.
During halftime of that game, men’s soccer alumni were introduced with players from every decade represented, including Mike Deering, ’74, who played on the first team in 1972. Alumni were presented with custom Maryville soccer scarves, which are synonymous with soccer passion. Past Saints also attended a social event the night before.
“The celebration was a huge success, and I was overwhelmed by how many alumni attended,” said Ron Landolt, ’80. “I enjoyed visiting with many of my former teammates. And I would say it was the largest turnout for a soccer match in the history of Maryville. The new Saints Pavilion was definitely standing room only that day.”
Current men’s soccer coach David Korn said the weekend reminded him how grateful he is to be part of such a strong program. “I see the value our alumni brought to the program and the tremendous pride they take in our success now. They also continue to support our student-athletes and take a sincere interest in them. It’s truly unique,” he said.
Fifty years ago in 1972, the very first men’s soccer team was led by coach Gary Utz and was nicknamed The Brewers. They finished their inaugural season with a 3-8-1 record. Three years later, the team posted its first winning season under coach Bob Rau.
Landolt, who is fifth all time in points with his 28 goals and 10 assists, started his career at Maryville the following year in 1976. He was inducted into the Maryville Athletics Hall of Fame in 1988 and has aided with creating an alumni scholarship for men’s soccer student-athletes.
“Maryville was a great fit for me to continue to play soccer while obtaining my business degree,” he explained. “Everyone I met during my campus tour, including (athletic director) Bill Heitholt and (coach) Bob Rau, was very caring and interested in me and my personal goals.”
In 1979, during his senior year, the newly named Saints reached double digits in wins for the first time. Landolt said defeating rivals McKendree and Washington University were the highlights of his career on the field, and he fondly remembers spending time with teammates off the field.
One of his teammates, Matt Crawford, ’81, was also on hand during the celebration. He was instrumental in promoting the event through his alumni newsletter. Crawford also mentioned the travel to away games and celebrating wins as some of his favorite memories. “I loved it all,” he said. “Walking onto the field for a game on a bright, crisp September day. Cold, wet practices in late October. Adventures on road trips and postgame celebrations at home.”
Even after graduation, Crawford continued his dedication by completing a partially started record book. “In 2012, I happened to check out the team’s website and found there was virtually nothing prior to 2000,” he said. “I thought it a great injustice that there was no record of the guys who started the program since they had made it possible for me to play college soccer.”
After six years of researching, Crawford was able to piece together the 1972 – 1999 seasons and delivered the files to the Saints athletics office. The 39-page cataloged record book can be found online at maryvillesaints.com. “The project was a labor of love,” Crawford said. “I contacted numerous former players, collecting copies of schedules, photos and other mementos. I spent hours poring through microfiche and online archives. I scoured the internet for opponents’ websites for records of our games against them.”
The record book is expected to grow in accomplishments and trophies in the coming years. The Saints have averaged 12 wins the past five years. In 2021, the team won the Great Lakes Valley Conference Championship, marking back-to-back GLVC titles.