Friday October 4, the Maryland men's soccer program honored the 50^th anniversary of its first-ever national championship by welcoming back members of the 1968 title-winning squad to the match against then-No. 13 Michigan State. On December 7, 1968, Maryland and Michigan State played to a 2-2 draw and were declared co-champions.

The 1968 squad finished 14-0-1, the lone draw coming in the title game. The team was one of three in Maryland history to finish the season unbeaten, and the only undefeated team in collegiate soccer that season.

Under the lights at Ludwig Field, Les Bernard, Alvaro Bitencourt, Frank Delvecchio, Mario Jelencovich, Rocco Morelli, Manny Romero, Steve Salfeety, Frank Schoon, Melih Sensoy, Paul Stiehl, Rasim Tugberk, Bill Walker, Gary Wallace, Bo White, assistant coach Ronald Hoch and athletic trainer Len Myers reunited at a tailgate outside Ludwig over food and drinks.

For much of the 1968 team, they had not seen each other since achieving the pinnacle of collegiate soccer 50 years ago. Some of the team came from overseas to play at Maryland, and returned back after their collegiate soccer careers ended. Some had gone on to coach. Twenty five years past their national championship season, in 1993, some of the team reunited for an anniversary dinner, but not everyone was able to attend. But for the first time in 50 years - in which teammates had moved far away, grown large families, and sadly passed away - the 1968 title-winning team was able to properly regroup.

"We're very impressed," former defender Les Bernard said. "[Head Coach] Sasho [Cirovski] gave us whatever we needed to get in touch with some of these guys. I've been in touch with most of these guys on Facebook."

At the pregame tailgate, the 1968 team, joined by their families, reminisced about the season they had 50 years ago. They reflected on how accomplished their team was and what it was like to win Maryland soccer's first national championship.

Former forward Frank Schoon, who coincidentally trained Maryland's Chase Gasper and Michigan State's Cody Sweatte when they were young, still couldn't get over the fact that his Maryland team had a dominant win over collegiate soccer powerhouse St. Louis.

"We knew we were probably going to win because we beat St. Louis - which won the NCAA five times already," Schoon said. "They were the soccer power, and we beat them 3-1. Actually, they were still the better team. When we walked off the field and beat them 3-1, we just said that they did play better as a team, but we had 11 great individuals and that was the difference. We really took it to them.  We won every game in the season; we just had a good team."

Many of the players, Schoon included, have still kept up with Maryland's soccer team even after they've graduated and moved far away.

"Maryland is a recognized name when it comes to soccer," Schoon said.  "Every year, I try to watch as much as I can. But I also watch more of tactical, inside stuff and details. I think what Sasho has done is fantastic. He came in there - the program was really going downhill - he really made it happen. This is all Sasho's work, as far as I'm concerned. He's done a fantastic job, he really has."

Maryland head coach Sasho Cirovski privately addressed and honored the '68 team before they were honored on the field in front of an announced crowd of 3,145.

"We want to honor you in front of a field I wish you had when you played here," Cirovski said. "I can't thank you enough for coming here. This is a special, special university. It's a special place. I know there were times you didn't feel loved or respected to the level you should have. But make no mistake, you are champions. You are a part of the history of the university… a big part of it. You're an inspiration to me and the possibilities to win here."

Rasim Tugberk, who transferred from Istanbul and played on the '69 team which made it to the NCAA tournament semifinals, didn't play on the '68 national championship team but was with the team when they made history.

"I know what a tough mission we had and I'm comparing it to the growth of soccer in America now," Tugberk said. "These guys have even a tougher mission. I really value what they've accomplished and I'm so glad we're carrying on… even though it took 45 years to do it. Good things are worth the wait and I'm so glad that we were the first ones to do it and they repeated it again."