1939 -- Gas was 10 cents a gallon and the average cost of a new home was $3,800. 1939 was also the year SF State's men's soccer program kicked off -- and just like the cost of living, their history has also inflated.

Throughout the historic 70 years of men's soccer at SF State, the Gators have had quite the number of ups and downs -- from discouraging back to back one-win seasons in 1959 and 1960 to winning four conference championships in 1967, 68, 72 and 78. Here's a look at some great players who have taken the field donning the purple and gold, some significant moments in Gator history and possible future stars in the making.

Top 5: Gnawing Gators

Paul and Peter Mangini:
Before the NFL had the Manning brothers, SF State had the Mangini twins. The Mangini brothers played from 1979-82, starring in 73 games each. They led their 1980 team to a school record 124 points in a single season. Paul Mangini holds the school career record for goals with 35, has 14 career assists ranking third all-time and has the career record for points with 84. Peter Mangini tallied 30 career goals, 16 assists and 75 career points ranking second in all three categories in Gator history.

Dylan Glass:
Before Dylan Glass made his tearful farewell this season, the senior left his mark. Joining the Gators in 2006, Glass has recorded six goals, eight assists and 20 points this season. The forward has been as smooth as glass his entire career --- his 62 points and 24 goals rank third all-time in the respected categories and his 14 assists place him third on the all-time list.

Billy Papadopoulos:
Papadopoulos played for the Gators from 1986-89 and ranks first for the best last name in school history. Papadopoulos played in 66 career games amassing 52 career points and 23 career goals, ranking fourth all-time in both categories. In his 1989 season, he had 11 goals ranking sixth for a single-season and 25 points ranking eighth for a single-season.

Ricardo Rasner:
Ricardo Rasner, the Gator's man between the pipes from 1992-93, managed 15 wins and 14 shutouts. Rasner only posted a record of 15-17-6, but he set a school record with 200 saves in his 1993 season and notched 382 career saves.

Honorable Mention:

This season, senior Wes Whitt was most notable for his intimidating style of defense and tremendous free-kick ability. The captain played every position except goalkeeper for the Gators and finished fourth on the all-time assist list.

The 1978 FWC champions and NCAA II western regional finalist team was led by Tom Harvey, who scored 26 points and 11 goals. He was thus backed up by goalkeeper Scott Ludwig, who recorded seven wins during that memorable season.

During the Gators' 1968 FWC title campaign, All-American candidate Otto Bos made great defensive strides in helping his team reach the top of their division.

Andreas Wolf, the Gators' keeper from 1981-84, had 6.5 shutouts, 8 wins and set a school record with only 17 goals allowed during his 1982 season.

Future Greats?

With a talented young roster, the future could be as prestigious as the past; here is a look at a few Gators with the potential to make this list.

Edgar Villagrana, freshman, Pittsburgh, Calif. Villagrana tallied two game winning goals, totaled six goals tied for the team lead and finished tied for third on the team with 12 points. Two of his six goals were game-winning, the last of which came in the Gators' 2-1 overtime win against Cal State Monterey Bay, which also broke a Gator five-game losing streak.

Arnol Arceta, sophomore, Bay Point, Calif. Arceta also scored six goals for the Gators, and finished second on the team with 13 points.

Mike McNeil, freshman, Oakdale, Calif. This young keeper, touted earlier in the season as a top fantasy prospect, played in 10 games, posting a record of 4-4-1. McNeil also went on to mark three shutouts and 50 saves this season.

Significant moments revisited: historical accounts from SF State's previous publications.

In 1967, approximately 28 years after the founding of the men's soccer program, the Gators had their first Far Western Conference title. In 1968, the Gators repeated the feat, capturing their second conference title.

Phoenix, Oct. 24, 1968: Art Bridgman, men's soccer head coach since 1950, partially credits his team's success to San Francisco's nightlife.

"In fact, these country boys (from Davis, Arcata and Chico) are so tired from the night before the game that SF State can usually defeat the opposition very handily."

In the same issue, Bridgman addressed a problem that still nags today --- no fan support. Bridgman confides that his team has all the ingredients to form a championship team, with one glaring exception -- fans. "It is difficult for the players to be up for a contest when there is no support ... The players need support from the sidelines."

Phoenix, Nov. 21, 1968: The Gators clinched their second consecutive FWC title by defeating UC Davis 3-1. The squad was built mainly of international players, with only one member from the United States.

Phoenix, Jan. 16, 1969: After clinching the FWC title, the Gators fell 9-0 in the NCAA regional playoffs to the then number-one ranked San Jose State Spartans.

Phoenix, Sept. 16, 1976: "When SF State soccer coach Art Bridgman returned from summer vacation, he expected to greet more than a dozen returning lettermen and field a team with a real shot of winning a Far Western Conference championship this Fall. What he got instead was two returning lettermen, one of whom has since quit, and a team that is almost as young as most high school squads."

The Gators got smoked 13-0 in their preseason opener against San Jose state and didn't win a game all season.

Phoenix, Sept. 29, 1977: Art Bridgman, coach for the last 26 years, stepped down due to health problems and a heavy class load. The man who took charge of the Gators was Luis Sagastume, who ushered in his own successful era. In 1977, Sagastume took his team to western regionals, where they lost. By 1978, Sagastume completely reversed his team's losing ways, taking the squad to the FWC title.

Zenger's/Golden Gater, Oct. 30, 1978: "This team has always had an inferiority complex because no one had ever played on a championship team before. Now we know we can play with anybody. A lot of it, of course, has to do with winning -- but a lot has to do with Louie," Toby Rappolt said, then soccer player, acknowledging Sagastume's presence.

"He's great. Lou has a lot of experience; he's been playing soccer all his life. He gives everyone a chance to play -- and that makes us feel good," Mike Graham, then soccer player, said after their 3-0 win over Hayward.

Zenger's/Golden Gater, Nov. 14, 1978: After the Gator's 2-1 overtime win against Chico in the NCAA Div. II Western Regional playoffs, Rappolt had this to say about their next opponent, Seattle-Pacific: "Seattle-Pacific has a lot of big defenders. But I don't care who they have -- they could have Pelé -- because we'll kill 'em."

Seattle-Pacific didn't have the great Brazilian soccer specialist, but they still upended SF State 2-1 in the NCAA Western Regional final.

After his two terrific seasons at SF State, Sagastume was lured into a soccer coaching position at the Air Force Academy, where he accumulated a record of 303-196-43 after 28 years. Upon leaving SF State, Jack Hyde took the reigns of the soccer program in 1979.

Marking his 30th anniversary at SF State this year, Hyde is now solely in charge of the women's team. Up until 1994, Hyde skippered both men's and women's teams, not without complications, however, as demonstrated in this next clip from 1987.

Golden Gater, Oct. 15, 1987: Soccer coach Jack Hyde suspended second leading goal scorer Nick Psiol, who quit the team after the suspension. The suspension came when Psiol smiled during a "chalk-talk" where Hyde wrote on a chalk board the conference records of all the teams, which was a combined 0-0. Hyde's intention was to show that his squad still had a shot at the title.

"I thought it was funny. I smiled and Jack didn't like that," Psiol said of the chalk-talk. "He coaches you like you're a bunch of kids."

"Nick had a few problems being a team player," Hyde said in 1987. "It was a combination of disruptiveness during practice and an inability to put the team before self."

In early 2009, Sagastume was honored for his terrific work as head coach from 1977-78 and was thus elected into SF State's Athletic Hall of Fame.

Golden Gate [X]press, Feb. 26, 2009: "To remember the success I had in the two years I coached here, and the players that I got, and the lives that I touched, it's just an incredible career," Luis Sagastume said.

"Our intention wasn't to play soccer. But then from God, came this guy. He dropped out of the sky. For two years, we won the lottery. We had no idea that in terms of playing, this was going to be the greatest moment of our lives," Toby commented on his former coach being inducted into the Hall of Fame.