USF is, and has been for a long time, justifiably proud of its soccer teams. A winning soccer team is a tradition on the Hilltop, dating back from the 1930s. This year's booters lived up to that tradition by annexing their tenth consecutive Northern California Intercollegiate Soccer Conference Championship. In amassing a record of six wins, one tie, and no losses, the Dons achieved their third straight undefeated season. University Director of Admissions, Dr. Augustine P. "Gus" Donoghue, completed his thirteenth season as Head Coach, a season which saw the Dons run their league record, which started in 1949, up to 91 games without a defeat our ot 92.
The success of this year's 1956 team was particularly gratifying since most of the members of the all-conquering 1956 team had graduated. The only starters returning from the 1956 club were fullback Ben Schweizer, goalie Jim Bednar, outside Stan Jonah, and inside Arnold Calonje. Peter Wolfe, All-Conference center forward, sat out the 1956 season with a knee injury, and Mike Balibrera, another member of the 1955 squad, who did not play last year, also returned. This group was bolstered by returning reserves Emil Gabriel, Erich Fink, Haroun Usman, Bob Hidalgo, and Ed Duran. Wayne Saindon, Tony Njoku, J. J. Pou, Serge Buernin, Alex Ysrael, Jerry Lobregat, Joey Stevens, and Bob Papara all integrated into the Don style of play in a way that made an undefeated season possible (TheDon).
