Mitchell Mourns Loss of Hank Steinbrecher
NEW LONDON, Conn. – The Mitchell College community is in mourning following the recent loss of former men's soccer player and Hall of Fame Class of 2006 inductee, Hank Steinbrecher at the age of 77.
Steinbrecher was a strong defensive player for the 1967 and 1968 Mitchell men's soccer teams, who posted an overall record of 19-5-1 and earned berths each year in the National Junior College Athletic Association Region XV tournaments. Upon graduating from Mitchell with his associate's degree, he went on to Davis & Elkins College and played on their national championship team. Steinbrecher earned his master's degree in education from West Virginia University and then began a career in the world of sports.
Following a successful coaching career, he became involved with the 1984 Summer Olympic Games for the United States Olympic Committee and served as the venue director for the Harvard University site that hosted Olympic soccer contests. From that opportunity, he then became Director of Sports Marketing with Quaker Oats, directing their Gatorade brand in the mid to late 1980s.
As the General Secretary of the United States Soccer Federation (1990-2000), Steinbrecher was a leader in organizing U.S. National Teams for a string of major events, including two men's World Cups (1994, 1998), three Women's World Cups, two Copa Americas, five CONCACAF Gold Cups and three Olympic Games.
He was inducted into the National Soccer Hall of Fame (2005). He is also a member of the New England Soccer Hall of Fame, the Eastern New York Soccer Hall of Fame, and the North Carolina Soccer Hall of Fame, and the Mitchell College Hall of Fame (2006). He earned the NSCAA Honor Award (2005), and USSF Lifetime Membership (2003).
Earlier this year, he was inducted into the Connecticut Soccer Hall of Fame.
Steinbrecher is survived by his wife, Ruth Anne, and his two sons, Chad and Corey.
