The Knox-Lombard Athletic Hall of Fame
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The Knox men’s soccer teams of the 1970s were all outstanding, but the 1978 team stands out as one of the best ever.
The team went 7-4-1 overall against perhaps the most difficult schedule in the history of Knox men’s soccer. The regular season non-conference schedule included games against ranked opponents from all three NCAA divisions. They played Sangamon State University—ranked #4 in NCAA Division II—to a 1-1 tie. They also lost to NCAA Division I top-25 ranked Western Illinois University 2-0, NCAA Division II top-25 ranked University of Wisconsin-Green Bay 2-1, and NCAA Division III #11 ranked MacMurray 2-1 in overtime.
Coached by Burdett Loomis and assisted by Bob Sheehan, the 1978 men’s soccer team outscored opponents 34-14 overall and 24-2 in conference play en route to a 4-0 record in South Division play and a seventh straight South Division title. Seven of the team’s 11 starters were All-Midwest Conference selections. The team’s Midwest Conference championship loss to Carleton went to nine overtimes, which was, at the time, an NCAA record.
Martin Mauser ’79 and Norm Hillner ’79 graduated as the two leading scorers in Knox history. Mauser finished his career with 31 goals, a record at the time; Hillner finished with 29 goals and 37 assists for 95 total points, also a record at the time. Steve Laudel ’79 was the Team MVP all four years. Each were three-time All-National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) Illinois honorees, while Laudel also earned All-NSCAA Mideast Region honors. The three, along with the other 1979 graduates, had a 15-0-1 record in the MWC South Division over their four years.
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