Sports

Results: NIRSA Collegiate Soccer Sport Club Championships

Some things shine brighter when the lights go out

Women’s Champions: San Diego State University

Men’s Champions: University of Michigan

NIRSA Tournament Staff

Stephen R. Covey once said, “When you have a challenge and the response is equal to the challenge, that’s called ‘success.’” The 2006 NIRSA Collegiate Soccer Sport Club Championships and staff were unquestionably successful.

This year’s event, which took place November 16-18 in Tempe, Arizona, was hosted at two separate locations—seven fields at the Tempe Sports Complex, and five fields at Benedict Multipurpose Fields. The staff split to work both fields and ran a very smooth tournament with 79 teams in 4 divisions. As teams began getting eliminated on the second night of the tournament, all of the games moved to the Tempe Sports Complex to conclude the evening’s contests. The challenge came as the sun went down, the darkness of the desert night set in, and the lights for the fields did not come on. Another four hours of games were scheduled to be played on those seven fields, which was impossible without any lighting. The staff reacted quickly and were able to completely relocate, reschedule, and re-set up the fields in nearly an hour’s time and continue play at the other site. The staff’s teamwork, flexibility, and ability to react quickly was phenomenal and the remainder of the tournament ran very smoothly.

Randall Ford, a Co-Director of Competition, was pleased with the successful outcome of the tournament. "The 2006 volunteer staff did another outstanding job. When faced with a challenging Friday night, everyone pulled together to make the adjustments as smoothly as possible. Due to their hard work, the tournament was a great success."

Aside from the lighting issues, the event brought much excitement to the athletes and spectators, as the level of competition was extremely high. A total of nine play-off games were decided by overtime penalty kick rounds, including some that exceeded the standard five rounds. In the men’s championship consolation final, Brown University was down two goals to defending National Champions Colorado University, and scored three goals in the last ten minutes to win the game. In 2005, the University of Virginia women’s team won the open division while Michigan State’s women’s team didn’t even attend the national tournament, yet both teams went all the way to the semifinals in the championship division this year. History was in the making throughout the entire event.

Ultimately, the tournament resulted in four division winners who muscled through a long three-day tournament to end their season with a win. In the championship division, two midwest teams battled in the men’s division and two teams from the west took each other on in the women’s division. San Diego State University women’s team defeated Colorado University’s “Gold” team in the championship finals. The University of Michigan men’s team stole the show against midwest opponents the University of Illinois. The men’s open division was won by hosting school Arizona State against Kansas University. The women’s open division was topped by the University of California, Santa Barbara over Colorado University’s “Black” team.

“The Finalists had a grueling schedule,” said Doug Ewing, Co-Director of Competition. “They ended up playing six games in three days. This clearly demonstrates the competitive nature of the event, as well as the fitness required to perform.”

Accompanying the outstanding athleticism and competition was a fine display of sportsmanship. Minnesota State University Mankato men’s team and the University of Illinois women’s team won the sportsmanship awards due to their consistent and excellent attitudes throughout the tournament. All of the teams and athletes showed great spirit of play and respect for their opponents and officials, with only five red cards given throughout the entire 149-game tournament. The athletes helped each other up and shook hands and chit-chatted before and after matches, which created a friendly sport environment.

NIRSA would like to thank all those who contributed to the success of this event.

Tournament Hosts

• Arizona State University
• The City of Tempe
• The Tempe Convention and Visitors Bureau

Tournament Administrators

• Directors of Competition: Doug Ewing, Arizona State University and Randall Ford, University of Texas at Austin
• Director of Officials: Noah Yannie, Palm Beach Atlantic University
• Officials Assignor: David Cymerman

Host Committee: Arizona State University

• Director, Campus Recreation: Tamra Garstka
• Host Committee Co-Chairs: Jeff Bricker & Kenny Turbush
• Host Committee members: Chad Ellsworth, Justin Kern, Julie Kipper, Mary O’Mahoney, Kari Mattfolk, Stefani Price, Doug Ewing

NIRSA Tournament Staff:

• Hafedh Benhadhj: Ohio University
• Jeff Bricker, Arizona State University
• Vinnie Daino, Purdue University
• Mick DeLuca, UCLA
• Jonathon Elliot, Texas Tech University
• Chad Ellsworth, Arizona State University
• Megan Green, University of Texas at Dallas
• Lisa Hanson, North Carolina State University
• Nick Kramer, Arizona State University
• Justin Kern, Arizona State University
• Nathan Martin, University of New Mexico
• Chris McAlpine, Texas State University – San Marcos
• Vanessa McGill, Stephan F. Austin University
• Chad McKenzie, University of Texas at Austin
• Chad Moorehead, University of Houston
• Cody Nicholls, University of Arizona
• Mary O’Mahoney, University of Arizona
• Mitchell Reum, University of Florida
• Kris Schoech, University of Colorado
• Bill Sells, Ohio University
• Shannon Shaffer, Texas A & M University
• Howard Taylor, Purdue University
• Sarah Taylor, Arizona State University
• Steven Taylor, Kansas State University
• Seth Thomas, University of Alabama
• Stephanie Thompson, Texas State University – San Marcos
• Kenny Turbush, Arizona State University
• Steve Waden, University of Houston
• Kami White Waden, University of Houston
• Nicole Widmer, University of Arizona
• Christina Williams, University of Missouri
• Michelle Williams, Purdue University