1993 West Coast Conference Champions
Head Coach: Steve Negoesco
Overall Record: 13-4-4 WCC Record: 4-1-1
All-WCC Team: Staale Soebye, Cato Solberg, Greg Vandenberg
Most Goals: Cato Solberg (15) Most Assists: Staale Soebye (17)
Most Points: Cato Solberg (36 – 15 goals, 6 assists)
Goals Against Average: Scott Thompson (1.04)
USF Hall-of-Famers: Staale Soebye, Steve Negoesco
The 1993 Dons soccer team surprised all the experts. They were not rated in any of the soccer publications pre-season polls, yet managed to come on towards the end of the season and gained the co-championship of the WCC, advancing to the finals of the NCAA Western Regionals. “We came into the season unranked and maybe that allowed us to surprise some people,” noted USF Head Coach Steve Negoesco.
The Dons were just 1-2-2 after the first five games of the season, with losses to Loyola-Maryland and Fresno State and ties with Stanford and Wisconsin-Green Bay. The only early season victory was a 5-1 rout of Sacramento State, as junior forward Staale Soebye led the way with two goals and two assists.
After falling to Fresno State 5-1 on September 19, the Dons got red-hot, going the next 11 games without a defeat. USF was 9-0-2 over the 11-game stretch, outscoring their opponents 29-11.
The Dons finished 4-1-1 in the WCC and shared the co-championship with Santa Clara. The Dons earned the WCC’s automatic bid to the NCAA playoffs since they had defeated the Broncos 2-1 in the two teams lone regular season match-up. However, Santa Clara earned an ‘at large’ bid, and in the first round of the NCAA playoffs the two teams played again at the Western Regionals. The Dons again prevailed by a 2-1 score, this time in overtime as Cato Solberg scored the game winning goal.
USF advanced to the second round and squared off against perennial power St. Louis. The Dons again secured a 2-1 win as Solberg and Greg Vandenberg each scored goals for USF. Next, USF was off to the NCAA Quarterfinals and the Western Regional Finals to take on mighty Cal State Fullerton. The game was a defensive struggle and the Titans ended the Dons season with a 1-0 victory.
