Soccer's Manfred Tschan To Receive Order Of The O
07/30/20 | Women's Soccer
EUGENE, Ore. – Manfred Tschan, the head coach of the first Oregon women's soccer team to play in a national tournament, has been selected as the 2020 Order of the O honorary member.
The Order of the O Honorarium is given annually to an individual who has made a contribution to the University of Oregon Department of Intercollegiate Athletics over an extended period of time, but was not a varsity letterwinner at the UO.
A native of Switzerland, Tschan served as the assistant coach on the Ducks' first varsity team in 1980 before being elevated to head coach in 1981. He helped guide the 1980 team to a 13-1-3 record. Oregon won the Northwest Collegiate Soccer Conference (NWCSC) that season with a 9-1-3 mark in league games.
In 1981 with Tschan as head coach, Oregon went 13-2-3 overall and 8-0-2 in the conference to repeat as NWCSC champions. The Ducks made their first appearance in the AIAW national tournament in Chapel Hill, N.C. Oregon opened the tournament with a 3-1 overtime loss to Connecticut before rebounding to defeat Massachusetts 1-0 and falling to Harvard 4-3 in overtime.
There might not have been a national tournament appearance for the Ducks were it not for Tschan's behind-the-scenes efforts to fund the 1981 season. In the spring of 1981, amidst a grave budget crisis, the University announced it was dropping women's soccer, baseball, women's golf and men's gymnastics from varsity status.
Tschan appealed to the athletic department to allow women's soccer to retain its varsity status for the fall of 1981. His appeal was based on the fact that the AIAW had earlier agreed to extend Oregon an invitation to the 1981 national tournament under three conditions, one of which was that the team was recognized as a varsity sport by the University. With a compelling case to allow the women's soccer team the opportunity to compete for a national championship the athletic department consented to keep women's soccer on its varsity rolls for the 1981 season.
But there were challenges. The program received no financial support from the University. Instead, the team raised its own funds to pay for travel and other expenses. One of those means was by cleaning Autzen Stadium and McArthur Court following Duck games. The trip to the national tournament in North Carolina was funded by a $40,000 loan that Tschan and all the team members signed for.
The Ducks met the other two provisions set forth by the AIAW – winning the 1981 NWCSC title and winning the regional tournament – to receive a national tournament bid. The Ducks lost their top scorer and starting sweeper during the regional tournament, but still managed a sixth-place national finish. Forward Michele Potestio and defender Meg Metz earned NSCAA All-America honors.
"I am excited that these former student-athletes are being recognized for their accomplishments," said Tschan in a 2007 press release honoring the 1980 and 1981 teams. "At a time that nobody would call the glory days of Duck athletics, these young women managed to achieve national recognition for their excellence on the soccer field."
Tschan went on to lead the men's team at Concordia University in Portland from 1984-87 before coaching men's soccer for 20 years at George Fox, where he compiled a record of 187-163-21. The Bruins made the NCCAA playoffs twice (1989-90), winning District 8 and national championships in 1990 with a 21-3-1 record and setting Bruin marks for wins and winning percentage (.860). The Bruins made the NAIA playoffs six times under Tschan (1990-93, 1996-97), winning District 2 crowns in 1990 and 1993, the Area 1 title in 1993, and playing in the NAIA National Tournament in 1993.
He stepped down from coaching in 2007 and was inducted into the George Fox Sports Hall of Fame in 2010.
Tschan earned a bachelor of science degree in education in 1976 from The Teachers' College of Hofwil, Switzerland, and a master of science degree in motor learning from Oregon. Tschan and his wife Vicki have two daughters, Twila and Heidi.
Tschan will be honored at Oregon's 2020 Hall of Fame ceremony, the date of which will be announced at a later time.
- www.GoDucks.com -
The Order of the O Honorarium is given annually to an individual who has made a contribution to the University of Oregon Department of Intercollegiate Athletics over an extended period of time, but was not a varsity letterwinner at the UO.
A native of Switzerland, Tschan served as the assistant coach on the Ducks' first varsity team in 1980 before being elevated to head coach in 1981. He helped guide the 1980 team to a 13-1-3 record. Oregon won the Northwest Collegiate Soccer Conference (NWCSC) that season with a 9-1-3 mark in league games.
In 1981 with Tschan as head coach, Oregon went 13-2-3 overall and 8-0-2 in the conference to repeat as NWCSC champions. The Ducks made their first appearance in the AIAW national tournament in Chapel Hill, N.C. Oregon opened the tournament with a 3-1 overtime loss to Connecticut before rebounding to defeat Massachusetts 1-0 and falling to Harvard 4-3 in overtime.
There might not have been a national tournament appearance for the Ducks were it not for Tschan's behind-the-scenes efforts to fund the 1981 season. In the spring of 1981, amidst a grave budget crisis, the University announced it was dropping women's soccer, baseball, women's golf and men's gymnastics from varsity status.
Tschan appealed to the athletic department to allow women's soccer to retain its varsity status for the fall of 1981. His appeal was based on the fact that the AIAW had earlier agreed to extend Oregon an invitation to the 1981 national tournament under three conditions, one of which was that the team was recognized as a varsity sport by the University. With a compelling case to allow the women's soccer team the opportunity to compete for a national championship the athletic department consented to keep women's soccer on its varsity rolls for the 1981 season.
But there were challenges. The program received no financial support from the University. Instead, the team raised its own funds to pay for travel and other expenses. One of those means was by cleaning Autzen Stadium and McArthur Court following Duck games. The trip to the national tournament in North Carolina was funded by a $40,000 loan that Tschan and all the team members signed for.
The Ducks met the other two provisions set forth by the AIAW – winning the 1981 NWCSC title and winning the regional tournament – to receive a national tournament bid. The Ducks lost their top scorer and starting sweeper during the regional tournament, but still managed a sixth-place national finish. Forward Michele Potestio and defender Meg Metz earned NSCAA All-America honors.
"I am excited that these former student-athletes are being recognized for their accomplishments," said Tschan in a 2007 press release honoring the 1980 and 1981 teams. "At a time that nobody would call the glory days of Duck athletics, these young women managed to achieve national recognition for their excellence on the soccer field."
Tschan went on to lead the men's team at Concordia University in Portland from 1984-87 before coaching men's soccer for 20 years at George Fox, where he compiled a record of 187-163-21. The Bruins made the NCCAA playoffs twice (1989-90), winning District 8 and national championships in 1990 with a 21-3-1 record and setting Bruin marks for wins and winning percentage (.860). The Bruins made the NAIA playoffs six times under Tschan (1990-93, 1996-97), winning District 2 crowns in 1990 and 1993, the Area 1 title in 1993, and playing in the NAIA National Tournament in 1993.
He stepped down from coaching in 2007 and was inducted into the George Fox Sports Hall of Fame in 2010.
Tschan earned a bachelor of science degree in education in 1976 from The Teachers' College of Hofwil, Switzerland, and a master of science degree in motor learning from Oregon. Tschan and his wife Vicki have two daughters, Twila and Heidi.
Tschan will be honored at Oregon's 2020 Hall of Fame ceremony, the date of which will be announced at a later time.
- www.GoDucks.com -
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