Back to the Philadelphia Union Newsfeed

Mia Hamm, Anson Dorrance lead tributes to Tony DiCicco at star-studded memorial service

NEW BRITAIN, Conn. – Some of the most famous people to ever grace the biggest stages in American soccer took a collective journey off the beaten path Saturday.

Their destination was an auditorium on the campus of Central Connecticut State University, for a celebration of the life of former U.S. women’s national team coach Tony DiCicco.

Whether they arrived from the West Coast, the Midwest or the East, the occasion felt like a homecoming, even for those who had never set foot in the place.

The gathering featured a full complement of A-list names. Toward one side of the auditorium, there was Dan Flynn, CEO of the U.