Hall of Fame
Led by coach Milan Kesar - the second most successful coach in team history by winning percentage at their time of induction - the 1973 men’s soccer team posted the program’s second ever double-digit win season with a 14-2 mark - a program record for wins at the time - including an unblemished record at home. The squad also became the first team in program history to advance to a National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics Regional Championship final.
The team reeled off 11-straight wins to open the season - the longest undefeated streak in program history at the time - beginning with a 9-1 victory over the University of Maine at Farmington on the road before Keene State College ended the streak with a 6-0 shutout triumph on their home field. The Braves went 3-1 rest of the season, with the only loss coming at Eastern Connecticut State University in the regional championship game. The Warriors shutout the Braves 2-0 in the championship final, however, en route to the championship game Husson earned a 1-0 victory over Keene State on their home field to revenge the earlier loss to them. The 7-3 victory over the University of Maine at Presque Isle in the opening round of the NAIA New England regional tournament allowed the 1973 team to break the single-season win mark of 12 that was set by the 1972 team.
During that 11-game winning streak, the Braves scored ten or more goals in seven of them, including a 14-0 victory over Southern New Hampshire University (formerly New Hampshire College) and 29-0 triumph over Unity College. Husson also picked up wins over the University of New England (formerly St. Francis College), Nasson College, Ricker College, Vermont State University Lyndon (formerly Lyndon State College), Nathaniel Hawthorne College, University of Southern Maine (formerly University of Maine at Portland-Gorham), University of Maine at Presque Isle and Franklin Pierce University (formerly Franklin Pierce College).
Once the season had finished the 1973 team had set 47 school records. At the time of their induction, the team still held 26 of the them, including the records for most goals scored in a game (29 vs. Unity), most assists in a game (29 vs. Unity) and a season (131), assists per game average (8.19), points scored in a game (87 vs. Unity), points per game average (24.69), shutouts (10), shutout percentage (.625), and the largest margin of victory (29 vs. Unity). Along with the records for goals scored by an individual in a game (13 by Stacey DeCastro '75 vs. Unity) and a season (62 by S. DeCastro), goals per game average by an individual in a season (3.88 by S. DeCastro), assists per game average by an individual in a season (1.69 by Harold DeCastro '76), points scored by an individual in a game (30 by S. DeCastro vs. Unity) and a season (142 by S. DeCastro), points per game average by an individual in a season (8.88 by S. DeCastro) and shots attempted by an individual in a game (21 by S. DeCastro vs. Southern Maine).
The team featured seven Husson University Sports Hall of Fame members in: S. DeCastro, H. DeCastro, Frank Brandao '75, Ben Brandao '73, J.J. Lagesse '75, Joseph Mello '78 and John Silveria '75. They will now be joined by Mike Bell '73, Steve Noyes '77, Gil Nevers, Rick Sylvain '74, Nick Civitillo '75, Jack Poyer '75, Leslie Farr, Bill Finney, Gary Powers, Art Bartholomew '74, Rudi Cabral, Jim Kinney '77 and student manager Ed Oliver '76.
