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Program Overview The motto of the Muhlenberg College men’s soccer program is Nil Satis Nisi Optimum — only the best will satisfy. The application of this principle is at the core of one of the most successful Division III programs in the nation. Since 1989, the Mules have earned postseason berths in 10 of 13 seasons, including eight bids to the NCAA Tournament. In 1994, Muhlenberg reached the national semifinals before getting eliminated by eventual national champion Williams on penalty kicks. The Mules are ranked in the regional top 10 every year and have made frequent appearances in the national top 10. “Only the best will satisfy” applies on and off the field. Muhlenberg was the only collegiate men’s program to be honored with the NSCAA Team Academic Award for having a cumulative grade-point average over 3.0 in both 1995 and 1996. Muhlenberg annually has one of the most difficult schedules in Division III. Nine of the Mules’ 16 regular-season games in 1999 were against teams that received national or regional rankings, and three were against teams that were ranked in the Division III top 10 at the time of the game. One of the Muhlenberg’s guests at their 1999 Kwik Goal/T.G.I.Friday’s Classic was 1997 national champion and 1999 runner-up Wheaton. Three of the seven Division III national champions between 1994 and 2000 were on the Mules’ schedule in 2000: Bethany, New Jersey and Messiah. The 10-game Centennial Conference schedule is extremely challenging. CC teams typically win more than 60 percent of their matches, and the league has produced three different “Elite Eight” teams this decade (including Muhlenberg in 1995). Muhlenberg’s regular-season schedule begins with a scrimmage in late August (frequently against a Division I opponent; Penn State in 1997) and ends in mid-November. The Mules host the Kwik Goal Classic every year and have traveled to tournaments at Binghamton, Drew, Ohio Wesleyan, Frostburg State, Christopher Newport, Wheaton (Chicago) and Rochester Institute of Technology. The Mules traditionally get tremendous spectator support at home matches. They ranked seventh in Division III in attendance in 1999. Muhlenberg carries a squad of about 30 players and schedules 3-5 junior varsity matches. Every four years, the team travels to Europe for a trip that combines soccer against top club teams with sightseeing and cultural exchange. |
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Head Coach Sean Topping
Sean Topping was named head coach of the Muhlenberg men’s
soccer team in the summer of 2002 and led the Mules to a 13-8 record and a
Centennial Conference playoff berth in his first season.
A 1998 graduate of Muhlenberg, Topping was a four-year letterwiner for the Mules and and co-captain of the 1997 Centennial Conference championship team. He was named to the All-CC first team as a back in 1996 and as a midfielder in 1997 and earned all-region honors both seasons.
Topping served as an assistant coach at Muhlenberg in 1999 and 2000 and was head men’s and women’s coach at Franklin College in Lugano, Switzerland, during the 2001-02 school year.
To contact Coach Topping:
Sean Topping
Muhlenberg College
2400 Chew Street
Allentown, PA 18104
(484) 664-3383
topping@muhlenberg.edu
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History Muhlenberg men’s soccer has an enviable history that includes 10 NCAA Tournament bids (including a trip to the semifinals in 1995), three Centennial Conference championships, two Middle Atlantic Conference championships, three ECAC South championships and five MAC South championships. In the 35 years of competition since 1967, the Mules have compiled a remarkable record of 386-169-47 (.680). Muhlenberg has also produced two Academic All-Americans, seven All-Americans, 36 All-Region players and 123 All-Conference players (including seven Conference Players of the Year). |
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2001 Season Highlights
• Muhlenberg finished first or second in its league for the 13th time
in 14 seasons. The Mules were 12-6 overall, 6-3 in the Centennial
Conference, and qualified for the first CC Tournament.
• All six losses (including three in overtime) came to teams that were
ranked in the region during
the year. Muhlenberg was ranked as high as fourth in the region.
• The Mules finished the regular season with a five-game winning
streak, overcoming a two-goal second-half deficit to edge Ursinus, 3-2, in
the finale and clinch a playoff berth.
• The team featured a balanced scoring attack that was best
illustrated when eight different players scored goals in the first half of
an 8-0 win against Centenary. Muhlenberg tied a school record in that game
by scoring all eight goals in the first half. The Mules had six different
players score in a 6-1 defeat of Franklin & Marshall.
HONORS Academic All-America David Vassilaros (third team) Centennial Conference Academic Honor Roll Tom Hartey Chris Rowley David Vassilaros Kevin Welding All-Centennial Conference Ben Long (first team) Greg Ramos (first team) Chris Rowley (second team) Evan Smallwood (second team) Quentin McDowell (honorable mention) Centennial Conference Player of the Week Evan Smallwood
Questions or comments? Send mail to falk@muhlenberg.edu
Last updated December 20, 2002