1955 Northern California Intercollegiate Soccer Conference Champions
Head Coach: Gus Donoghue
Head Coach: Gus Donoghue
Overall Record: 6-0-1 NCISC Record: 6-0-1
All-NCISC Team: Bob Braghetta, Joe Ignoffo, Bob Machado, Joe Njoku-obi
Most Goals: Joe Njoku-obi (23)
USF Hall-of-Famers: Bob Braghetta, Joe Njoku-obi, Gus Donaghue
Coach Gus Donoghue had another typical season as his high flying eleven, led by All-Conference center-forward Joe Njoku-obi, went though their schedule undefeated to capture their eighth straight league title. Along with Njoku-obi, the Dons placed three others on the All-Conference team – goalie Bob Braghetta, center Bob Machado and outside left Joe Ignoffo.
Njoku-Obi set a new USF single season record with 23 goals scored – a record that was later broken by Bjorn Tronstad with 29 goals in 1979. Njoku-obi scored his 23 goals in just seven conference games. He scored five goals in an 8-2 win over City College of San Francisco and went off for four goals in wins over San Jose State, California and San Francisco State. He was named second team All-American.
Donoghue brought in Adrian Monzano, who had been the team MVP in as a senior in 1954, as an assistant coach. They focused on a high-pressure attacking style that led to 39 goals in seven games. The season’s high point, was hanging an 8-2 loss on City College of San Francisco – basically the same team that had snapped the Dons winning streak of 56 conference games in 1954.
Did You Know? In 1955 Joe Njoku-obi set a new USF single season record with 23 goals scored. The record was later broken by Hans Friessen, with 25 goals in 1969 and again by Bjorn Tronstad, with 29 goals in 1979, but it should be noted that Njoku-Obi scored his 23 goals in just seven games. Yes Friessen and Tronstad had amazing seasons in 1969 and 1979 respectively – but they each played in over three times as many games as Njoku-obi. Consider this - Njoku-Obi averaged an amazing 3.29 goals per contest. Thompson Usiyan from Appalachian State is listed in the NCAA record books as the all-time record holder with 46 goals in 17 games in 1980 – 2.71 goals per game – well short of Njoku-obi’s torrid scoring clip. Unfortunately for Njoku-obi, the NCAA didn’t begin keeping records for soccer until 1959 and Njoku-obi’s magnificent season came four years prior.
They Said It: “Joe Njoku-obi is a great team player. He can shoot well with either foot, but if he sees a teammate who is in the clear for a shot, he will pass the ball to him," USF Head Coach Gus Donoghue. "He has one of the hardest shots of any college player I have ever seen."
