University of Vermont Athletic Hall of Fame
William Willey 1966 - Soccer
The Most Valuable Player of the first two men's varsity soccer teams ever at UVM, Bill 'Chubby' Willey was one of the original architects of the program. A 1998 Athletic Hall of Fame inductee and Essex Junction native, Willey was instrumental in organizing club soccer at UVM in 1963 and 1964.
Along with Coach Hal Greig and another enthusiastic student, Ted Manning, Willey helped recruit players, schedule games, organize car pools and do anything else necessary to put a competitive team on the field. A standout fullback who was elected captain of those first two varsity teams, Willey led the much improved Cats to a Yankee Conference championship in 1965. In addition to team MVP honors, Willey was named to the state collegiate all-star team both seasons and was an honorable mention all-Yankee Conference selection in 1965.
The Cats were 3-4-0 in their inaugural varsity season and then went 7-2-0 to win the conference crown in 1965. This began a Vermont run where the Cats captured at least a share of the Yankee Conference crown for five straight years, and six of the next seven. While in the Army following graduation from UVM, Willey was captain of the Fort Sill "Cannoneers" which won the fourth US Army Championships in 1968.
He also helped form the Vermont summer soccer league which still exists today, and also helped found the highly successful Green Mountain Soccer Club. Other members of that club include UVM Hall of Famers Jack Semler, Pete Baldwin, Carl Christensen, John Koerner, Bob Schroeder, David Eddy, Geoff Greig and Jeff Taft.
Willey served as soccer coach at St. Michael's College for several years returning the program to respectability. Along the way, he has coached the area women's 19 and under select team and the 14-17 year old boys in the Burlington International Games for several years. He has also served as an assistant coach and advisor with the Essex High girls' soccer program.
According to Hall of Famer Jeff Taft '68, Willey "has always been a strong competitor, but also a sane one with a fine sense of sportsmanship. He is also a well-respected member of the community, contributing to many events."
