Rise Again: Howard University’s 1974 Soccer Champions

Send us a text

In this powerful Black History Month episode of Soccer Time Machine, Zosia and Frania travel back to the early 1970s to explore the true story of Howard University’s legendary men’s soccer team—the HBCU program that changed college soccer history. Kids and families will learn how Howard’s 1971 national championship was taken away by the NCAA, and how the Bison came back with a perfect 19–0 season in 1974 to reclaim their place at the top.

Listeners will meet coach Lincoln “Tiger” Phillips, the international players who chose an HBCU when other schools ignored them, and a team that refused to let a decision erase their greatness. Guided by the line from a famous poem, "Truth, crushed to earth, shall rise again," this episode shows how Howard’s 1974 NCAA title became a symbol of Black excellence, resilience, and justice in college sports.

Stay tuned for Quiz Time at the end of the episode, where Zosia and Frania help listeners review what they’ve learned about Howard University’s 1974 national champions—and then ask:

If your team had something unfair taken away, how would you rise again?