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2005 FLC Men’s Soccer Team & Head Coach Jeremy Gunn inducted into RMAC Hall of Fame
Fort Lewis College Athletics shined on July 12 at the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference Hall of Fame & Awards Banquet in Colorado Springs. Inducted into the Hall of Fame were men’s soccer legends, renowned for their 2005 season when they went undefeated and became Division II National Champions. The title was the first in program history, as was the undefeated season. The team won FLC’s fifth RMAC regular season title and sixth RMAC tournament title. 2005 was a banner year for the program, fulfilling a quest for victory started in 1999 when FLC went to its first national championship game under the new leadership of Head Coach Jeremy Gunn. Gunn was also inducted into the Hall of Fame Friday evening.
"Coach Gunn is a natural leader of young men who created a soccer culture that is unmatched to this day at any level throughout the NCAA. His victories speak for themselves, yet it was his proclivity to build relationships to inspire student-athletes and engage a local community that made him the hall of fame coach and hall of fame person that we enthusiastically celebrate tonight at the RMAC Hall of Fame," said FLC Athletics Director Brandon Leimbach.
Gunn (1999-2006) was celebrated for his stellar accomplishments and for propelling the program toward success and infamy. In eight seasons as a Skyhawk, he won five RMAC Regular Season titles (2001, 2003-2006), five RMAC Tournament titles (1999-2001, 2005-2006), and made five NCAA Tournament appearances. He was a five-time RMAC Coach of the Year, a two-time United Soccer Coaches (formerly National Soccer Coaches Association of America) Midwest Region Coach of the Year, and in 2005, he was named the National Coach of the Year after the undefeated season (22-0-1).
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"Gunn taught his student-athletes to have fun and enjoy the collegiate journey and anyone in attendance tonight could feel the passion and know that Jeremy not only created a successful soccer club, but a Skyhawks family that takes pride in celebrating life together."
Brandon Leimbach, Athletics Director
Members of the 2005 team included Adam Beach, Jonathan Boyer, Nick Clark, Bernardo Costa, John Cunliffe, Tom Donley, John Eckhoff, Bryan Eisenbraun, Sean Flanagan, Kyle Fredrick, Ben Gantenbein, Kieran Hall, Erik Hardin, Ryan Kerr, Nick Kirchhof, Taylor Lavoy, , Ryan Parsons, Carter Rice, Casey Roberts, Paul Sanchez, Cole Sweetser, Justin Valashinas, Cliff Wilmes, and Kenny Wood. Coaching staff included Gunn, Jimmy Hall, Andy McDermid, Scott McGinn (student athletic-trainer), and Darren Morgan.
The 2005 Skyhawks brought in individual honors including team captain Eisenbraun being named RMAC Defensive Player of the Year. The team had four All-Americans, four All-Final Four Team members, five United Soccer Coaches All-Midwest Regional Team members, and Eisenbraun and teammate John Cunliffe were named NCAA DII Final Four Most Outstanding Defensive and Offensive Players, respectively. In 2016, the team was inducted into the Fort Lewis College Skyhawks Hall of Fame and this year, they will become the first-ever men’s or women’s soccer team to be inducted in to the RMAC Hall of Fame.
The 2018-19 women’s golf team received the Brechler Award for the top team grade point average for women’s golf in the conference. Members of the team included Judith Camacho, Shelby Hindes, Emilia Manntz, Isabella Martinez, Sophie Schwartz, Kara Tschirhart, Summer Vigil, Reiley Waldo, and Amanda Westrick. The award is named after Paul W. Brechler, a former RMAC Commissioner.
Watch the documentary on the history of the men's soccer program, published in 2016.