Houghton University Athletics

Dan Dominguez grew up as a multi-sport athlete, excelling in soccer, basketball and baseball. But it was in the sport of soccer where he would have the most impact and would carry him on to a successful four-year career as a Highlander.
 
Dan Dominguez started playing indoor soccer with his brother as an 8-year-old. He says his parents did it just to get them out of the house on Saturday mornings, but the young brothers quickly grew to love the sport and their father even started a travel team – the Wheaton Wings – in their town. Dominguez says he appreciated his club coach Sal Vacarro, who pushed but loved his players.
 
But sport wasn’t Dominguez’s only focus. An avid reader and problem-solver, he loved trying to solve problems and excelled in academics. His parents were Houghton graduates as were several other family members, but Dominguez wasn’t overly excited about coming here. In fact, Houghton was his “fall back” school after he decided not to attend the Naval Academy. “But it turned out to be the best decision I could have made for college,” he says.
 
Being able to play soccer made the experience even more meaningful. Dominguez loved being a part of a team and developing deep friendships forged through shared hard work and achievements. Goofing off on vans trips to away games, listening to Classic Rock and playing cards created lasting memories, as did the challenges of three-a-day practices in preseason.
 
Dominguez played for the Highlanders from 1990-1993. He was a two-time NAIA All-America selection (honorable mention in 1991 and third team in 1993), four-time All-District 18 honoree and District 18 Co-Player of the Year in 1993. He currently sits third in both career goals with 57 and assists with 42.

He was part of a team that produced 59 wins, 16 losses and 6 ties, including a senior campaign of 18-2-1 and a final NAIA ranking of No. 6. His teams won four KECC titles and four NAIA District 18 Championships.
 
Coach Doug Burke described Dominguez as one of the top 5 players in Houghton soccer history. “He was a privilege and joy to coach. Dan was and is a great representative of Houghton College and his family,” says the legendary coach.
 
With a career in law solidly in his sights, Dominguez also excelled in the classroom and was recognized with two NAIA All-America Scholar-Athlete awards.
 
Dominguez says having a structured schedule as a student-athlete helped him in his academic pursuits, but it did create some long and busy days. Dominguez recalls taking the Law School Admission Test on the same day the team played Belhaven, the #1 team in the country. After taking the test in Buffalo in the morning, Dominguez arrived back in Houghton as the team was walking to the field. Physically and mentally exhausted, Dominguez scored a goal that day, but the team ultimately lost 2-1 on a last-minute free kick.
 
Dominguez credits head coach Doug Burke and assistant coach Peter Roman as being influences on him, shaping him as a soccer player, serving as Godly role models and lifelong friends. “Through the leadership of my coaches and teammates, I was able to strengthen my faith in Jesus Christ, which has been critical to, and my foundation through, my schooling and my career,” he says.
 
From Houghton, Dominguez enrolled at the University of Chicago Law School, where he graduated with honors in 1997. Since then he has been a corporate attorney at the law firm of Barack Ferrazzano in Chicago, where he is now a partner and serves as the chair of the fashion, luxury and retail practice.
 
His busy work schedule includes a lot of travel, limiting his free time, but he is an avid fan of his kids, Max and Alie, who play year-round travel soccer. When he and his wife, Maureen, are not serving as chauffeurs to their children, they are regular attenders at Wheaton Bible Church and spend a lot of time with their Christian school community.
 
Dominguez has also found time to serve his alma mater as a member and former chair of the Houghton Athletics Advisory Board, allowing him to re-connect with many friends and the Houghton community in a new way.