By Dave Johnson
W&M Athletics
 
The William & Mary men's soccer teams in the late 1980s were particularly close knit. So much so that a group of them, more than three decades removed from graduation, regularly get together for beach trips.
 
"We grew up together, and as adults, we're just as close as we were as late teenagers," said Darcy Curran '87, a former midfielder. "We've been with each other through marriages and births — and now, unfortunately, deaths."
 
Doug Annakin '88 died on May 22, 2020 of esophageal cancer. His lifelong buddies were devastated, but it didn't dampen resolve to keep getting together. In fact, it only strengthened it.
 
Curran and former teammate Scott Repke '86 are spearheading the Douglas Annakin Endowment for Men's Soccer. Former Tribe coach Al Albert, now associate director of development, said almost $60,000 has already been raised in cash and another $85,000 in pledges.
 
"It's a natural extension of those relationships to honor him," said Curran, president and CEO of Highline Warren in Memphis. "What I hope is that this will be one of the many reasons to continue getting together in Williamsburg with our old teammates and classmates and friends."
 
It all goes back to the remarkable bond those teams had.
 
"We lived together, we ate together, we did everything together," said Repke, principal and financial advisor with Bernstein's Philadelphia's office. "And after we graduated, we stayed in touch and did things together.
 
"To lose someone like Doug, who was such a big part of our lives, was so hard. After he passed away, Darcy and I decided to do something to honor him."
 
In addition to the endowment, plans are in the works for a weekend to honor Annakin this fall. Friends and family — including his wife and two children from Evansville, Indiana — plan to come for a weekend of fun, golf, and hilarious stories.
 
A midfielder from 1984-87, Annakin played in 23 games and scored three goals. He was a valuable part of those teams, which went 56-20-6 in Annakin's four seasons and won the CAA championship his senior year.
 
"You could call 14 guys on the team from that time, and they'd all tell you great stories," Repke said. "You could probably write a book on him. That's how popular he was.
 
"He was a really good soul. You'd talk to him, and he was totally focused on you. No distractions. And if you asked him to do something for you, he'd do it in a second. He was that kind of person."
 
After graduation, Annakin returned to his beloved hometown, where he worked in the insurance industry. He was active in the community as president of the Evansville Country Club and a member of YMCA's Board of Directors, to name but two of his endeavors.
 
He and his wife of 27 years, Peggy, have a daughter (Berkley) and son (Baxter).
 
"He was Mr. Evansville," Curran said.  "Middle America, salt of the earth, that kind of guy."

Anyone wanting to support the Annakin Endowment at W&M can make their gift online at Give Now to the Annakin Endowment or email Al Albert at afabe@wm.edu.