Athlete - Soccer
Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2017
Considered by many to be the rope that kept the Acadia Soccer Axemen tightly bound, Jeff Farquhar was a keeper for the team from the fall of 1990 to his graduation in the spring of 1994.
In his four years with the Axemen, Farquhar was an AUAA all-star twice, in 1992 and 1993. He was selected as a CIAU Second Team All-Canadian in ’93 as well.
Farquhar’s All-Canadian designation was only the second time in recent Axemen soccer history dating back to 1979 that a member was named to the All-Canadian squad.
Farquhar was viewed by many, including his teammates and head coach John Kehoe, as an incredible athlete: fast, agile, powerful and fearless. “He had a dominating presence on the field and owned the 18-yard box. It’s not an exaggeration to say that any ball that came into any part of the box was his,” said former teammate Jeff Aucoin (’96).
The Axemen hosted the CIAU men’s soccer national championship on historic Raymond Field for the first time in the program’s history in the fall of 1993.
In the opening weekend of that season, the Axemen handed the eventual AUAA champion Dalhousie Tigers a 1-0 loss, despite the Tigers landing a reported 30 shots on goal. Farquhar was named the player of the game for his incredible performance. Such efforts would be repeated often during his final season with the Axemen.
With a 3-3-6 record following the 1993 regular season, the Axemen, as host, headed into the CIAU championships on a four-game undefeated streak. Skeptics were silenced when Acadia surprised the OUAA champion Western Mustangs with a 0-0 tie and a 5-3 penalty kick win.
Farquhar was, again, the centre of attention for his amazing feats on the opening day of the national tournament and throughout championship weekend in Wolfville. Kehoe said Farquhar’s very strong natural athletic ability, agility, and quickness were exceptional.
“His athletic ability allowed him to stop shots and crosses that most keepers would only hope to touch. Jeff’s greatest asset was his command of the 18-yard box, directing his defense so both he and the field players worked as one unit,” Kehoe said.
An outstanding keeper and leader on the field, Farquhar frequently deflected any praise that came his way, choosing instead to applaud his teammates by saying “a goalie is only as good as the 10 players in from of him or her.”
We are pleased to welcome, in the Player category, Jeff Farquhar to the Acadia Sports Hall of Fame.