On April 25, 2025, the men’s soccer program at Olivet Nazarene University hosted an alumni soccer game and event. More than 30 former players returned to campus — ranging from recent graduates to men who had played ONU soccer in the 1990s.
In addition to facilitating a celebratory time of connection between current and past players, the purpose of the event was to commemorate the 10-year anniversary of when the 2014-15 team won both the regular season and tournament titles in the Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference (CCAC) for the first time in the University’s history. Former head coach David Blahnik ’07/’10 MBA and seven members from that historic team were in attendance.
The event began with dinner, followed by two evening games. The first game had the champions from the 2014 team pitted against the current reserve team, and the second game was a combination of graduating seniors and recent alumni playing against members of the varsity team.
Current head coach Jon Forsythe, who was hired in March 2024, saw the event as a way of connecting the past with the present. Although the men’s soccer program has hosted similar events before, this was the first one in recent years. But based on the success of the event, Coach Forsythe has plans to make it an annual occurrence.
“This event was an excellent opportunity to speak with many of the alumni that helped build the heritage and reputation of the program that we now enjoy,” he says. “It has been great to put faces with the names of some of the legendary players that have represented ONU.”
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