One of SUNY Cortland's most talented all-around athletes, Chris Sweeney was a two-time soccer All-American and lettered in basketball and baseball (and even spent some time as a track and field high jumper). He earned the prestigious Red Letters in soccer and basketball and was named the 1960 Beta Phi Epsilon Sports King. During the 1960 season, Sweeney, a first team All-American forward, paced Coach "Prof" Holloway's talent-laden Cortland squad to the school's first-ever soccer appearance in the NCAA Tournament. His overtime penalty kick goal against Brockport preserved an unbeaten record during the regular season.
"Chris was one of the best players I ever coached in baseball," recalled C-Club Hall of Famer Bob Wallace '53, who directed the Red Dragon baseball program from 1958 to 1982. "Whether he pitched, played first base, the outfield or second base, he was the best player on the field. If rules weren't in existence at that time preventing players from competing in two sports during the same season, Chris would have also been a member of the track team -he was the best high jumper in school, and the football team - he was the best kicker in the school."
A native of Valley Stream, N.Y., Sweeney graduated from Central High. He earned a Bachelor of Science from SUNY Cortland and a master's degree from Ball State University, where he coached the soccer team. For 34 years, Sweeney was an active and influential figure in Long Island soccer circles as a coach and a physical education/athletics chair at Berner and Massapequa High Schools. He won three county titles before retiring in June. He received the Nassau County Soccer Sportsmanship Award Trophy five times and the Nassau County Soccer Coach of the Year three times.
He was a longtime youth soccer coach, camp director and volunteer, and a former State Select Soccer Coach. He also coached scholastic basketball, baseball and girls softball. "Chris instituted many innovative concepts and was instrumental in the reorganization of soccer in Nassau County," said C-Club Hall of Fame member John Eden '62, a former Cortland teammate of Sweeney's and head soccer coach at North Babylon (N.Y.) High. "Chris never hesitated to volunteer his services at clinics and meetings if it was for the cause of improving soccer. He has earned the respect of all his peers."
