III 

117TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. RES. 257 

Commending and congratulating the Marshall University Thundering Herd 

men’s soccer team for winning the 2020 National Collegiate Athletic 

Association Division I men’s soccer national championship. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

MAY 28 (legislative day, MAY 27), 2021 

Mrs. CAPITO (for herself and Mr. MANCHIN) submitted the following 

resolution; which was considered and agreed to 

RESOLUTION 

Commending and congratulating the Marshall University 

Thundering Herd men’s soccer team for winning the 

2020 National Collegiate Athletic Association Division 

I men’s soccer national championship. 

Whereas, on May 17, 2021, the Marshall University Thundering Herd men’s soccer team (in this preamble referred 

to as the ‘‘Thundering Herd’’) defeated the Indiana University Hoosiers by a score of 1 to 0 in overtime in the 

2020 National Collegiate Athletic Association (in this 

preamble referred to as the ‘‘NCAA’’) Division I national 

championship game; 

Whereas the 2020 NCAA Division I national championship is 

the first national championship in the history of the 


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•SRES 257 ATS 

men’s soccer program at Marshall University and the 

University’s first Division I championship in any sport; 

Whereas the Thundering Herd is the first active member of 

the Conference USA to win a NCAA national championship in any sport; 

Whereas the 2020 NCAA men’s soccer season was moved 

from the fall of 2020 to the spring of 2021 due to the 

coronavirus pandemic; 

Whereas the Thundering Herd overcame the adversity of the 

season, finishing with a record of 13 wins, 2 losses, and 

3 draws; 

Whereas the Thundering Herd were the Conference USA regular season champions, earning the team a bid to the 

NCAA tournament; 

Whereas the number 10 seeded Thundering Herd won 4 

games in the NCAA tournament leading up to the national championship game, by defeating the number 23 

seeded Fordham University, the number 1 seeded 

Clemson University, the number 8 seeded Georgetown 

University, and the number 16 seeded University of 

North Carolina; 

Whereas Jamil Roberts scored his third game-winning goal in 

the NCAA Tournament in the 98th minute of the national championship game, solidifying the Thundering 

Herd’s victory and earning him the title of the NCAA 

Tournament’s Offensive Most Outstanding Player; 

Whereas Nathan Dossantos, Vinicius Fernandes, Max 

Schneider, and Vitor Dias of Marshall University were 

named to the NCAA All-Tournament Team; 

Whereas in 4 years as head coach, Chris Grassie took the 

team from missing the Conference USA Tournament in 


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•SRES 257 ATS 

his first season to becoming the 2020 national champions; and 

Whereas Coach Grassie has rallied the Sons and Daughters 

of Marshall University around the soccer program, thus 

transforming Marshall University into a soccer school: 

Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the Senate— 

2 (1) commends the Marshall University Thun3 dering Herd men’s soccer team (in this resolution 

4 referred to as the ‘‘Thundering Herd’’) for winning 

5 the 2020 National Collegiate Athletic Association 

6 Division I men’s soccer national championship; 

7 (2) recognizes the players, coaches, and staff of 

8 the Thundering Herd; and 

9 (3) respectfully requests that the Secretary of 

10 the Senate transmit an enrolled copy of this resolu11 tion to— 

12 (A) the President of Marshall University, 

13 Jerome A. Gilbert; and 

14 (B) the head coach of the Thundering 

15 Herd, Chris Grassie. 

Æ 


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