Hall of Fame
Eugene DuChateau found his way to Garden City, New York in the fall of 1972 to play for legendary Adelphi head coach Mel Less. He had an immediate impact on the Panthers, helping the Brown and Gold to a record of 12-3-2 in his first season in goal and culminating with a spot in the NCAA Division II Tournament.
The following season DuChateau set the Adelphi single season record by allowing just 0.53 per game, pushing the Panthers through to the NCAA Division II Tournament Consolation game; there, they topped UMBC, 1-0, and earned third place. The Brown and Gold posted a record of 4-1 in the tournament and 16-2-1 overall as DuChateau was honored as a National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) All-Region selection.
His career improved further as DuChateau and his teammates reached the pinnacle of the Division II soccer world in the fall of 1974, as they handed Seattle Pacific a 3-2 loss in the National Championship; the concluded their campaign with a 16-1-1 record and the University’s first NCAA Division II crown in any sport. For his efforts, DuChateau was again awarded NSCAA All-Region status and was joined by teammates Nimrod Dreyfuss as the program’s first All-Americans.
DuChateau’s charmed collegiate career came to a close in late 1975 as Adelphi was awarded an NCAA Championship spot for the fourth straight season. The squad rolled through Bentley (2-0) and Le Moyne (6-0) in the first two rounds, setting up a rematch of the prior year’s National Championship in the semifinals. This time Seattle Pacific exacted revenge, forcing Adelphi to take its frustrations out on Wisconsin Green Bay to the tune of a 9-1 victory in the consolation game.
In all, DuChateau would leave Adelphi as the school’s all-time wins leader with 58 career victories and hold three of the top-five single season goals against averages (0.53-’73, 0.61-’74 and 0.75-’75). He also appeared in the NSCAA All-Star game, captaining the East squad before being drafted in the second round of the North American Soccer League draft by the Hartford Bicentennials.
DuChateau played six seasons in the NASL for five different teams, making a total of 74 appearances and retiring after the 1981 NASL indoor season. He has continued to give back and share his love for the sport in coaching youth soccer. DuChateau guided his daughters to three state cup championships in California from 1996-2001 and was named the Double Goal Coach Award winner in 2004 by the Positive Coaching Alliance.
DuChateau found his niche off the field as a sales executive, capturing the President’s Club Award five times since 2001. He currently resides in Roseville, California with his wife Laurie; he has two children, Roman and Genae, along with two grandchildren, Krue and Kynslee.
