Stony Brook’s 1974 Club Football Team Celebrates 50th Anniversary

Several players from Stony Brook University's 1974 club football team - which helped revive the sport here and paved the way for so many athletes to follow - gathered on October 5 for the Stony Brook Club Football Era Reunion and the team's 50th anniversary.

Players from the team, then known as the Patriots, reunited at the Seawolves' game against Villanova, took a tour of the athletics facilities and enjoyed a pregame barbecue, which included a visit from Stony Brook University Interim President Richard McCormick.

"Reuniting with the guys was incredible," said John Quinn '77. "Some of us haven't seen each other since the '70s, but that camaraderie came right back. It was like we were in a time machine."

Stony Brook disbanded its football team in 1973 but the players didn't quit, bringing the sport back as a club the following year. Together with their new coach, Fred Kemp, the players had to manage all aspects of their team independently, including obtaining bleachers and equipment. "We fended for ourselves," recalled Quinn. "We built our own field and managed our own equipment." The team advanced to the club national championship in 1975.

The entire group was recognized during the game, and a tribute was held in memory of the late Kevin Kehoe '77.

Read the complete story at SB Matters.