Temple Athletics mourns death of former men’s soccer standout

Ed Tatoian, a two-time national champion at Temple, died last week at 88.

Ed Tatoian, a two-time national championship soccer player and Temple University Hall of Famer, died on June 7, the university announced on June 13. He was 88. 

In his first national championship win in 1951, Tatoian scored two goals to seal a 2-0 win over San Francisco at Kezar Stadium, according to the press release. 

Two years later, during a 9-0-0 season, Tatoian scored four goals in the final nine minutes of the National Championship match against Army West Point. With the help of Tatoian, Temple jumped to a 5-2 comeback win.

Tatoian was named most valuable player after the Owls won the National Championship in 1953, according to the release. He was an all star performer and was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1994.

Before starting at Temple, Tatoian attended Northeast High School, where he stood out on the soccer field and later played professionally for the Ukrainian Nationals in the American Soccer League in 1961. 

Tatoian served in the U.S. Army after college and was an educator at Bartram High School in Southwest Philadelphia, according to the release. He was a member of Holy Trinity Armenian Church.

Tatoian is survived by his cousin James Tatoian and his longtime companion Ute “Andi” Walker.


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