There’s nothing like the atmosphere of Seattle University soccer. A sea of red filled the grandstands of the newly renovated Championship Field. No seats were left empty as Seattle U Men’s Soccer prepared to take on crosstown rivals, the University of Washington (UW), challenging the Huskies for the annual Fewing Cup.
The two teams last faced off Nov 21 in the first round of the 2024 NCAA Men’s National Soccer Tournament. That match came down to the wire, with both sides going scoreless during the entirety of regulation time, as well as two overtime periods. UW would go on to take the match, scoring three penalty kicks to SU’s zero and ending the Redhawks’ season.
The name “Fewing Cup” was first coined in 2016 and is derived from former Huskies midfielder and Redhawks Men’s Soccer Coach, Peter Fewing.
Fewing, a Washington native, is a graduate of Highline High School in Burien, WA, where in his senior year he led the team to a state championship. Fewing would go on to attend Green River College for a short stint, later transferring to UW. The midfielder spent two seasons at UW from 1983-84, earning the starting spot his freshman year.
“I wouldn’t be coaching here if I didn’t play at the University of Washington. That gave me a chance to continue playing. That took me to F.C. Seattle. That took me to coaching after that. I owe UW an awful lot… I am proud that I played at Washington,” Fewing commented on the impact that UW had on him.
After his time with the Huskies, Fewing went on to play six seasons, 1985-1990, at the professional level for F.C. Seattle Storm in the Western Soccer Alliance, now known as the American Professional Soccer League.
Fewing accepted the offer to coach for Seattle U (the Chieftains at the time) in 1988. In his second season at the helm for the Chieftains, Fewing led the team to their first winning season in nine years and would later be named the NAIA Division 1 Coach of the Year in 1991, the first of his many accolades. Fewing would go on to lead the Chieftains to their first national championship in 1997, capping off their immaculate 27-0 undefeated season.
At the Division II level, Fewing continued to lead many successful squads, including yet another undefeated season in 2004, where the newly renamed Redhawks went 22-0-1, taking home yet another national championship. This 2004 performance would lead to Fewing being named the NCAA Division II Coach of the Year, Far-West Region Coach of the Year and Great Northwest Athletic Conference Coach of the Year, all in just one season. Fewing resigned from coaching the Redhawks in 2006 after 18 seasons and would later go on to become a broadcaster for the Seattle Sounders, as well as taking on coaching positions for the Tacoma Tide and Kitsap Pumas, both in the Premier Development League.
Fewing made his return to the Redhawks in 2012, leading Seattle U to multiple successful seasons, now at the Division I level. Fewing would go on to step down from coaching once again in 2023, ending his coaching career with a record of 343-197-50. Fewing remains at Seattle U as the Associate Athletic Director For Special Projects.
To Fewing, it’s less about the soccer itself, but instead the development of his athletes as individuals that keeps him involved with the university.
“Well, the kids and the mission. The Jesuit mission is huge here to me… I like the education our guys get. I have the privilege of seeing guys that are now 55 years old… We’ve developed a lot of really wonderful teachers, engineers, CEOs of companies, CFOs, firefighters, police officers, it’s been wonderful,” Fewing said..
The Redhawks were the first to gain momentum during the match, striking first with a goal in the ninth minute from Senior Midfielder Yeider Zuluaga. 14 minutes later, Freshman Forward, Allen Blegay put Seattle U up 2-0 early in the first half with a goal, the first of his collegiate career.
It looked good for the home team early on in the first half, but the Huskies wouldn’t let those goals go unanswered. In the 37th minute, Redshirt Sophomore Midfielder Connor Lofy put the Huskies on the board with his first and only goal this season. From there, it was UW’s ballgame. The Huskies would go on to score six unanswered goals throughout the remainder of the match, securing the Fewing Cup for the second year in a row. With this win, UW increases their Fewing Cup lead, 9-4.
“We were up 2-0 you know, we started off strong. I think we need to go back and see the mistakes that we made, what changed after those 20-30 minutes and reflect, and just try to put together 90 minutes of the same 20 that we played that first match. Just try to replicate that, game in game out,” senior midfielder and former Husky, Cooper Brunell said.
At the time of publishing, Seattle U Men’s Soccer has gone unbeaten in their last three matches, defeating UC Davis (9/13) and Denver (9/22) with scores of 4-0 and 3-0 respectively. They also tied Cal State Fullerton (9/18) 3-3.
The Redhawks hit the road to take on Saint Mary’s Sept. 27, hoping to continue their hot streak and learning from their mistakes during the Fewing Cup.
