WINCHESTER, Va. - The Shenandoah University Department of Intercollegiate Athletics is inducting six individuals and one team into its Hall of Fame Class of 2026, with today's spotlight focusing on the 1989 ESAC and VISA Champion Men's Soccer Team.

The 1989 Men's Soccer team was, and still is, the greatest in program history. Led by head coach Court Smith in his 6th season, the team finally peaked in 1989, posting a 16-5-2 overall record on the year. 

Early on in the year, the team ended the first week of action with a 1-3 record, with losses to James Madison, Christopher Newport, and Virginia Wesleyan. Their lone victory came against #13 Mary Washington. They would go on to win 14 out of their final 16 regular season games en route to a bid into the ESAC Championship games.

They first squared off against Frostburg State in the ESAC South Division title game, winning by a staggering 4-0. This would be their second consecutive ESAC South Division title. Three different goal scorers and an own goal was the story in that contest, which also included Hornet keeper Tom Wallace recording nine saves, including one on a penalty kick.

Between the South Division title game and the ESAC championship game, the Hornets competed against DI Virginia Tech in hopes to make a late push into the NCAA Tournament game. They would fall in that contest 0-3.

Finally, in the ESAC Championship game, the Hornets faced North Division winners Cabrini. Shenandoah completely dominated Cabrini in the first half, where they could only scramble for a 1-0 halftime lead. It wasn't until the second goal coming with 4 minutes to go that the Hornets could start celebrating their conference championship win.

Shenandoah was unable to reach the NCAA Tournament, so their season would continue in the Virginia Intercollegiate Soccer Association (VISA) playoffs- a postseason tournament comprising the top four Division II and Division III teams in the state. The Hornets, by virtue of their record, got to host both games in the tournament.

In the VISA Semifinal, the Hornets faced Lynchburg College and took a 1-1 draw all the way to penalty kicks, where the Hornets would become victors with a 4-3 shootout win.

The win would lead the Hornets to a rematch with Virginia Wesleyan, a team they would lose to 0-2 earlier in the year. This game proved to be different, as the two teams played an almost perfectly even match that resulted in a 2-2 tie and the two teams sharing the VISA title (under VISA rules, the championship game is not decided by the customary best-of-five penalty shot system in case of a tie). Both coaches agreed this was fair, although both added they would have liked to have played longer to decide a winner.

The team was led by Willie Porter, a First Team All-VISA, First Team All-South Atlantic Region, and Third Team All-American Forward, who would score a team record 18 goals on the season. John Norem would be the team's other First Team All-VISA selection as a defender. Goalkeeper Tommy Wallace recorded 126 saves on the year with a .840 Save Percentage. He also recorded a 1.09 GAA and 5 shutouts.

The 1989 Men's Soccer Team and the rest of the inductees will be enshrined in the hall of fame on October 17, 2026 at 6:30 p.m. in the James R. Wilkins, Jr. Athletics & Events Center.

#GoSUHornets