UVM Legend Greig Passes Away

Coach Founded Catamount Men's Soccer Program

June 22, 2009

Former University of Vermont coach and UVM Athletics Hall of Famer Hal Greig passed away in Ticonderoga, N.Y. Wednesday after a long, courageous battle with an illness.

Greig, 79, was the architect of the Vermont men�s soccer program, as well as the founder of the equally successful Hartwick College program.

Hal Greig

Hal Greig founded men's soccer programs at the University of Vermont and Hartwick College. (Photo courtesy University of Vermont athletics)

Greig, who was hired by another legendary Vermont figure Archie Post, joined the University of Vermont staff in 1962 as a physical education instructor. Shortly after arriving he started building the foundation of a varsity men�s soccer program. In 1964, Vermont fielded its first men�s soccer team and posted a 3-4 record. The program�s first win was a 3-1 victory over neighboring rival Saint Michael�s.

During the next five years, the Catamounts won five straight Yankee Conference titles while posting an impressive record of 33-11-1 (.744). Greig was the coach for all but one of those seasons, taking a sabbatical in 1968, when the Catamounts went 6-3 under Robert Stone.

After guiding Vermont to a 7-1-1 record and a fifth consecutive Yankee Conference title, Greig stepped down as men�s soccer coach.

Greig won 68.2 percent of the soccer games he coached (50-23-1) in his years at Vermont and Hartwick. He started the Hartwick program in the fall of 1956 after earning his undergraduate degree from Springfield College. Greig was 17-12 in four seasons at Hartwick, including an 8-1 mark in 1959.

Following his stint at Hartwick, Greig pursued a master�s degree at Purdue University. Upon completing his degree, Greig returned to northern New England to start the UVM program.

In a tribute to Greig, the men�s soccer program created the Hal Greig Award in 1966. The honor is presented to the Vermont men�s soccer student-athlete who, in the opinion of his teammates, through his desire, hustle and love of the game, has done the most for the program. Also, the program�s annual alumni game is known as the Hal Greig Alumni Game.

Following the 1969 season, Greig became head coach of the UVM men�s tennis program, a position he held for 17 years and compiled a record of 129-69-1. Vermont won three Yankee Conference championships and the New England championship in 1985 under his leadership.

Greig, who was born in Quebec City in 1929, was inducted into the UVM Athletic Hall of Fame in 1996.

Also an avid sailor, Greig made a trip across the Atlantic Ocean, from Jamestown, R.I. to Cork, Ireland in 1985. He served on the Board of Governors of the Lake Champlain Community Sailing Center during his time in Vermont.

Greig is survived by his wife, Carol Ann and two children: a son, Geoff, a former UVM men�s soccer standout and 1995 UVM Athletic Hall of Fame inductee; and a daughter, Heather.

A service for Hal Greig will be held on Aug. 2 at Grace United Methodist Church in Essex Junction, Vt. at 4 p.m.

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