The History of Boston College Soccer
The Boston College Eagles boast a rich history in both men's and women's soccer, marked by periods of success, conference transitions, and dedicated coaches. This article delves into the program's evolution, highlighting key moments, influential figures, and the challenges faced along the way.
Women's Soccer: A Legacy of Growth and Change
The Boston College Eagles women's soccer team represents Boston College in the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) of NCAA Division I women's college soccer. While the team has never clinched the ACC regular season championship, it has secured the ECAC championship twice and shared the ACC regular season title once, showcasing its competitive spirit.
The LaVigne Era: A Promising Start
The Boston College women's soccer program enjoyed a successful beginning under the guidance of coach Mike LaVigne in the 1980s. LaVigne's tenure was marked by consistent performance, never losing more than five games in a season. He led the team to their first two NCAA Tournament appearances in 1982 and 1983. The team was also ranked in the top 10 nationally from 1981 to 1984. However, citing disagreements with then Athletic Director Mary Carson and the lack of a suitable field for hosting the 1983 NCAA Tournament, LaVigne made the decision to resign as head coach.
Kaplan and Biancardi: Building on the Foundation
Susan Kaplan succeeded LaVigne as head coach, leading the team through the remainder of the 1980s. Under Kaplan, the Eagles qualified for the NCAA tournament twice, in 1984 and 1985. Kaplan also guided the team to double-digit wins in four of her six seasons. Terez Biancardi took over the program in 1990. The first two years of her tenure proved difficult, with the Eagles winning 6 and 7 games during those years. However, the next few years proved to be a return to form, with the team notching double digit wins in 1992-1994. In 1993 the team moved to the Big East Conference. This move was associated with Boston College becoming a full member of the conference. The first years were fairly successful, with the team finishing runners up in the 1994 Big East Tournament. However, their good run would not continue. The team failed to make the NCAA and Conference tournament in 1995 and 1996. After finishing both seasons with 9 wins, Biancardi would leave the program in 1996.
The Foley Years: Consistency and NCAA Tournament Runs
Alison Foley's arrival as head coach marked a period of sustained success for the program. The team won 12 games in 1998, her second season and 16 games in 1999. The team returned to the NCAA Tournament in 1999, losing in the first round. Foley consistently led the team to double-digit wins each season and NCAA Tournament appearances in 8 out of 10 years during the 2000s. In 2009, the team achieved their first quarterfinal appearance.
Read also: Gridiron Showdown: Missouri vs. Boston College
A significant development during Foley's tenure was Boston College's transition from the Big East to the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) in 2003, with full competition commencing in 2005. The team's final season in the Big East in 2004 was one of their best, finishing 7-3 in conference play and reaching the semifinals of the conference tournament. The early years in the ACC were also successful, with the team consistently finishing among the top teams in the conference between 2005 and 2010. The team won a share of the regular season title in 2009.
The Eagles continued to demonstrate their competitive edge in the 2010s, securing NCAA tournament berths in 5 years and ACC Tournament qualifications in 6 years. In 2014, they ended a streak of 11 straight NCAA appearances when they missed the tournament after a 10-8-1 season. This was on the heels of a 2013 season where they made the NCAA Quarterfinals for the third time in program history. Many of the Eagle's most famous players played for the team during this period, including Kristie Mewis who went on to play for the United States women's national soccer team. However, from 2014 to 2017, the Eagles experienced a downturn, never finishing above seventh in the ACC, and only making the NCAA tournament once. In 2017, they made the ACC tournament as the last invited team. 2018 was a turnaround year, where the team finished 14-4-1, qualifying for both the ACC tournament and the NCAA tournament. They also won 10 straight games, tying a program record for most consecutive wins in a season. After the season, Alison Foley resigned as coach after 22 years. There were some questions over the reasoning behind her resignation, as the team had 22 winning seasons under her, and made the NCAA Tournament 15 times during her tenure.
Recent Challenges and New Leadership
Jason Lowe was appointed as the new coach in January 2019. In Lowe's first year, the Eagles finished 14th in the ACC, their lowest ever. The decade started with a season shortened by the COVID-19 pandemic. The team played an ACC fall season and a non-conference spring season. They finished 3-10-1 overall and did not qualify for the postseason. The team played a full 2021 season, finishing 7-10-1 overall and 1-9-0 in ACC play to finish in a tie for twelfth place. This marked the third straight year where the Eagles won only one conference game, and their 7 overall wins were the lowest in a full season since 1991. The team's fortunes did not improve in 2022, when they finished 5-8-5 overall and 1-7-2 in ACC play. This was the fourth straight year, and every year in Lowe's tenure, where the Eagles won only one conference game. The five overall wins were the lowest in a full season in program history until the next year in 2023 when the Eagles finished 3-9-6 overall. They also finished 0-6-4 in ACC play. The three wins and zero conference wins were program lows at the time and the six draws were a program high. Lowe was fired after the 2023 season and replaced by Chris Watkins. Watkins had a successful first season, finishing 12-5-2 overall and 4-4-2 in ACC play.
Men's Soccer: Tradition and Competition
The Boston College Eagles men's soccer team represents Boston College in men's soccer. The team is a member of the Atlantic Coast Conference of the National Collegiate Athletic Association, having previously competed in the Big East Conference.
Club Soccer
The Boston College Men’s Club Soccer Team was founded on the principle that competitive soccer can still be played even if it is not at the NCAA level. They compete as a member of NIRSA’s Region 1 Club Conference and is consistently one of the top ranked teams in the Northeast. The soccer season is traditional in that it runs from early September to mid-November and officially begins after a team is named from tryouts, which are held the first week of the fall semester. Practices are held 2-3 times a week on Alumni or the Newton Soccer fields, and games are usually either on Saturday or Sunday. In recent years, BCFC qualified for Competitive Nationals in 2017.
Read also: ACC Showdown: Virginia Tech Battles Boston College
Read also: History of the BU Bridge
tags: #boston #college #soccer #history
