The Genesee Community College Athletics Department honored its National Junior College Athletic Association D-III Men's Soccer National Championship with a special gathering on campus during lunchtime Nov. 16.

Athletic Director Kristen Schuth led the festivities that included some sage words from Coach Ken Gavin along with a video recap of the team's win at host Herkimer County Community College.

Team captain Glenn Holmes in video replay conceded that the team's 1-2 start really prepared them for the season that included a loss to Division I Mercer.

Putting aside that D-I loss, no team could claim any type of edge over Genesee in any way during the 2017 season. The other loss – to Camden County – was avenged when it counted most in the NJCAA D-III National Championship Semifinals with a 3-1 win that the team accomplished after knocking off Howard Community College by that same score in the quarterfinals.

With reigning champion Richland not allowing more than two goals against all season, it looked like if the Cougars were going to take the title that it might be by either a 1-0 or 2-1 score. Richland held true in not allowing more than two goals, but the Cougars had tournament most valuable player David Ormiston to help propel them after Charlie Livesey tied the title game at 1-1 after a perfect lead pass from Billy Murphy and then Iyad Lablack got the game winner from Joseph Calvert for Genesee's first national title in men's soccer.

The game also avenged Genesee's loss to Richland in the 2016 national semifinals and left the reigning champion as the 2017 runner-up.