Men's Soccer 9/20/2016 11:16:00 AM Brendan Bittner

QU To Recognize 1966 National Championship on 50th Anniversary

QUINCY, Ill. – Quincy University will honor and recognize the members of the 1966 men's soccer team at halftime of Friday's (Sept. 23) men's soccer game at Jack Mackenzie Field at Legends Stadium, marking the 50-year anniversary of the first national championship in school history.

The team, which is enshrined in the QU Hall of Fame, will return to campus during this Homecoming weekend and partake in several events while reminiscing over their national championship season.

"It was a special group of guys we had," said Mike Villa, a team captain and the program's all-time leading scorer. "We got along well and had a lot of fun. We experienced a lot of success in a short amount of time."

The 1966 Hawks went 13-0 and put Quincy on the college soccer map with a 2-1 season-opening win over national power and defending NCAA national champion Saint Louis University. The Hawks won the national championship with a 6-1 triumph over Trenton State.

The current QU men's soccer team has carried on a high level of success, having advanced to the NCAA Tournament four out of the last six seasons, including a NCAA Tournament semifinal appearance in 2014.

"It's very gratifying. When I was a freshman the program had just started," said Villa. "Within three years we were national champions. To see that being carried on with the 11 national championships means a lot, especially for some of those kids who also played for me at Vianney (High School) and came to Quincy."

The former North Campus Field has also undergone significant upgrades in the last several years with the installation of synthetic turf prior to the 2013 season. The facility, now named Jack Mackenzie Field at Legends Stadium for the longtime legendary QU coach, has also seen an upgrade to the press box, courtesy of Jim Mentesti, Dr. Linda Moore and Paul Brown, and the addition of a team meeting room, courtesy of Dr. Moore.

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