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On Oct. 3, three
Mercer soccer players and two long-time assistant coaches were inducted
into the MCCC Soccer Hall of Fame. The 2008 inductees include players
Kathy Creegan, Randy Garber, and Blamo Kwein, and assistant coaches
Bill Daily and John Pietrowski. Head Coach Charlie Inverso was the
presenter, handing out plaques, handshakes and hugs to the proud
recipients.
Randy Garber ('72) is considered one of the greatest players ever
to don a Mercer jersey. He was a two-time MCCC All-American in 1971
and 1972, when the Vikings achieved a combined record of 34-6 and
back-to-back appearances at the nationals. He continued his academic
and playing career at Penn State University, where he was named
an All-American in 1974. He went on to play professional soccer
in the NASL, most notably for the Tampa Bay Rowdies. Following his
professional career, he returned to Abington High School, from which
he graduated in 1971, and has enjoyed a successful career as a varsity
soccer coach and physical education teacher. Last season, he coached
current Vikings midfielder Julian Ward.
A graduate of Bordentown High School, alum Kathy Shaw Creegan ('88)
was captain and sweeper for the Vikings' 1988 women's soccer team,
which placed third in the nation under Head Coach Bill Drake. Creegan
met her husband, alum John Creegan ('00), a player on the men's
team, in MCCC's athletic training room. Currently, she is an instructional
aide for the Special Education program in Bordentown.
Blamo Kwein was a stand-out at Trenton Central High School before
enrolling at MCCC in 1989. He led the 1991 Vikings to a 24-0 record,
scoring 25 goals and being named an All-American. He scored the
winning goal in the national championship game, played at the Mercer
field, when he broke a 0-0 tie with 15 minutes remaining. He is
the second leading scorer in MCCC history and is still active in
Mercer County soccer, serving as a coach with the Glenn Myernich
Soccer Foundation, which brings soccer opportunities to inner city
youth.
A former stand-out at Bishop Egan High School and Bucks County Community
College, Assistant Coach Bill Daily joined the Mercer staff in 1994
after coaching at Allentown High School. During the 14 years he
has served on the coaching staff, the Vikings have won three national
championships, have placed second four times and have made nine
Final Four appearances for a combined record of 223 wins, 26 losses
and 8 ties.
During John Pietrowski's 15 years as an MCCC assistant coach, the
Vikings have won more than 230 games, competing in the national
Final Four nine times and winning the national championship three
times. An MCCC alum ('58) who completed his bachelor's degree at
Trenton State College (now TCNJ), Pietrowski coached at Northern
Highlands High School for 27 years, where he won four state sectional
titles and 16 league championships. He was named Suburban Coach
of the Year four times.
Assistant
Coach Johh Pietrowski with Coach Inverso
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