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The 1984 and 1985 men's soccer teams helped serve as the catalyst that would launch the program to new heights at the national level and establish the Sunbirds as a perennial national contender.
During those two seasons the team solidified itself as a force to be reckoned with by knocking off many much larger universities such as UC Davis, Sacramento State and Cal State Fullerton. The '84 squad set the bar by winning 15 games, reaching the program's first title match and pushing the eventual national champions to three overtimes. The 1985 team took it a step further by winning 19 games and going undefeated against all NAIA teams during the regular season. The Sunbirds defeated Azusa Pacific and Westmont to win the district and won three matches at the national tournament to advance to the title match, this time being on the wrong end of a four-overtime thriller.
Despite missing out on a title by the narrowest of margins, a statement had been made. The Sunbirds had established themselves as the premier team in the West at the NAIA level and the stage was set for the future of a program that has gone on to win more than 500 matches and consistently compete at the highest levels of both the NAIA and NCAA Division II. Multiple members of the 1984-1985 teams went on to play professionally, while many more have become role models and leaders in their respective communities.
