ELKINS, W. Va. - As Spain prepares to play for the FIFA World Cup title on Sunday, Davis & Elkins College has an unexpected connection to the championship match that stretches back more than three decades.
At the center of that story is the late Hank Steinbrecher, a 1971 Davis & Elkins graduate whose leadership helped transform American soccer during one of the sport's most pivotal eras.
As secretary general of the U.S. Soccer Federation from 1990-2000, Steinbrecher was instrumental in bringing the 1994 FIFA World Cup to the United States. The tournament, still the highest-attended World Cup in history, elevated soccer's profile in America, helped launch Major League Soccer two years later and marked the beginning of a new era for the sport in the United States.
Working alongside Steinbrecher was one of his closest friends and former Davis & Elkins teammates, Bill Nuttall.
A standout goalkeeper on D&E's 1968 and 1970 NAIA national championship teams, Nuttall served as general manager of the U.S. Men's National Team leading up to the 1994 World Cup. Together, the two former Senators helped guide the United States through the country's most significant moment in international soccer, culminating in a Round of 16 appearance that changed perceptions of the American game.
More than 30 years later, that friendship created another unexpected World Cup connection.
After relocating to Chattanooga, Tennessee, Nuttall became a driving force in positioning the city as a FIFA World Cup training site. Working with local leaders, Baylor School and tournament organizers, he helped secure Spain as Chattanooga's host team during the 2026 tournament.
Now, after weeks of training in Chattanooga, Spain will take the field Sunday with a chance to win the World Cup, giving Nuttall another unique connection to soccer's biggest stage.
The story is also a reminder of the lasting impact Davis & Elkins alumni have had on the sport.
Steinbrecher, who passed away in March 2025, is remembered as one of the architects of modern American soccer. His vision helped establish the United States as a global soccer destination and laid the foundation for generations of players, coaches and fans.
Nuttall's career mirrored that influence. Following his All-American career at D&E, he played professionally in the North American Soccer League before moving into coaching and administration, eventually helping prepare the U.S. Men's National Team for the 1994 World Cup and later bringing one of the world's premier national teams to Chattanooga.
The Davis & Elkins connection to the FIFA World Cup extends beyond the front office. Glenn Davis, a 1983 graduate and former D&E men's soccer player, recently completed his eighth FIFA World Cup as a broadcaster. Representing ESPN Houston, Davis called seven matches from Houston and the Spain vs. Belgium quarterfinal in Los Angeles, further highlighting the College's longstanding presence on soccer's biggest stage.
As Spain competes for the sport's ultimate prize on Sunday, the Davis & Elkins connection to the FIFA World Cup comes full circle. What began on the soccer fields of a small college in Elkins has reached the highest levels of the world's game. From Bill Nuttall helping shape the modern U.S. game, to Hank Steinbrecher leading one of the most transformative eras in American soccer, to Glenn Davis bringing the tournament to audiences around the world, D&E alumni have left an enduring mark on soccer's biggest stage. Their paths have been different, but they all began in the same place: Davis & Elkins College.
