SMU Hall Of Fame: Kamal Khalilian’s Record-Setting Journey
Oct 8 | Men's Soccer, Hall of Fame
Many athletes shy away from the Texas heat. Some see it as something they have to overcome. Kamal Khalilian embraced it.
In fact, the weather helped bring Khalilian to SMU, where he became one of the most prolific goal-scorers and playmakers in the history of the men's soccer program. More than four decades later, he still holds the SMU career record for goals scored and points and ranks second in assists. His name remains atop the single-game record book, too, thanks to a five-goal, 13-point performance in 1980.
Now, Khalilian has another honor to add to his legacy.
The former Mustang was recently selected for induction into the SMU Hall of Fame.
When SMU Athletic Director Damon Evans called to deliver the news, Khalilian had a question of his own.
"I was surprised. To be honest, a lot of people asked me years ago why I'm not in the Hall of Fame," Kamal said. "So when they called me, I told Mr. Evans, 'What took you so long to call me?' He says, 'Well, you're the man.'"
The moment had arrived.
"It was a really exciting day," Kamal said. "It was amazing. It's an honor. They gave me good news and made my day. My family, my brother, my teammates, I sent them pictures, and they were all congratulating me. It was great."
Khalilian's path to Dallas began thousands of miles away.
In 1976, he represented Iran at the AFC Youth Championship in Thailand. Iran went undefeated and won its fourth straight title, with Khalilian making his mark.
"I was playing for the U20 Iranian National Team, and the Asian Championships were in Thailand. We won the championship that year, and the coach we had put me at the right halfback position, but still, I scored the first three goals, all three games."
A few years later, Khalilian came to the United States. His brothers were living in Chicago, so that was his first stop when he arrived in 1979.Â
He worked out with the University of Chicago and received a scholarship offer.
There was just one problem.
"I didn't like the weather. It was real cold in 1979, Christmas when I got to Chicago," Kamal said. "There was snow everywhere. It was in January, and it was snow everywhere. I couldn't see the cars. I said, 'How do you guys live here?'"
Khalilian had grown up somewhere much warmer.
"Because I was born in South Iran, the weather was like Dallas, Texas," Kamal said. "So I'm used to the hot weather. I love sunshine. So I said, 'No, I can't live in this weather.'"
So he headed south.
At Northeastern Oklahoma College, Khalilian found a unique opportunity.
"They said, 'Hey, can you run the soccer program for us? We've never had a soccer program.' I said, 'Of course. I can play and I coach at the same time,'" Kamal said. "They gave me a scholarship for tuition and so forth and said, 'You can run the program for us.' So that's what I did."
Khalilian spent one semester there before another opportunity came calling.Â
Saeid Baghvardani, a couple of years older than Khalilian, was playing at SMU and made the connection. The Mustangs were interested but needed to see him in person before offering a scholarship.
The workout went well.
Very well.
Khalilian arrived at SMU for the 1980 season, and it didn't take long for him to make an impression.
Khalilian scored three goals in the first half of an exhibition.
"My assistant coach, Rich Mungioli, pulled me out and said, 'Don't play the second half,'" Kamal said. "After the game he walked with me. He said, 'Don't be upset that I got you out. They told me you're good, but I didn't know you were that good.'"
Khalilian's first season would become one of the most productive individual seasons in SMU men's soccer history.
The Mustangs were coming off their first NCAA Tournament appearance and advanced to the second round for the first time in 1980, outscoring opponents 71-8 along the way.Â
Khalilian accounted for much of that offense.
He set SMU single-season records for goals (27) and points (65), earning First Team All-America honors.
And he was just getting started.
Over his three seasons, Khalilian helped the Mustangs to a 44-8-5 record. He finished his SMU career with 58 goals, 37 assists and 153 points — all in just three seasons.Â
More than four decades later, his 58 goals remain a program record. His 153 points are also No. 1, while his 37 assists rank second.Â
His single-game numbers are just as remarkable.
Early in 1980, Kamal scored four goals at Tulsa. Just a few matches later against Austin College, he recorded five goals and three assists for 13 points — a mark that remains the SMU single-game record for points. His five goals are tied for the program record with Garrett McLaughlin, who matched the mark in 2019.
"I never thought about having the record for scoring goals. That was just natural," Kamal said. "To be honest with you, I really liked assists better than scoring goals. I enjoyed assisting."
Sometimes, that meant passing up a goal of his own.
Khalilian remembers one game against Tulsa when he beat three or four defenders and found himself with a great chance to score. Instead, he passed to the center forward on his right, who scored.
"Coach told me, 'Come on, you were there. Why give it to him?'" Kamal remembered.
His response?
"I said, 'Coach, I had a 98% chance and he had a 100% chance.'"
It didn't hurt that the player he passed to was his brother, Kamran, who spent the 1981 season at SMU.
For all the goals Khalilian scored, one stands out above the rest.
It came against Indiana in 1980, when the Hoosiers would go on to finish as the national runner-up.
"I'm not left-footed. I'm right-footed, but I use both. My strong foot is my right," Kamal said. "The defender had the ball back right behind the 18-yard box. I was at 25 yards, and I volleyed it to my left foot, and it was top corner."
More than 40 years later, he can still see it.
"It was like yesterday I shot that goal. We didn't make it to the final, but they made it. That was a good memory for me. That was the best goal I think I scored."
Khalilian's three seasons at SMU came at a time when professional soccer in the United States was still in its infancy. Opportunities to continue playing professionally in the U.S. or overseas were limited, and eventually Khalilian moved on from competitive soccer.
But he never really left the game.
He stayed in touch with former teammates Jeff Coleman, David Easterling and goalkeeper Jon Mamula, among others. He also remained connected to SMU through the Jordan Mann Alumni Game.
And at 70, he still plays soccer every Sunday.
"I used to go there and play with them, and I'd meet the older players, my teammates, and I'd meet the new players," Kamal said. "The coach (Kevin Hudson) always introduced me to them, and he told them, 'This is the guy that scored 58 goals.'"
Khalilian always had the same message for the current Mustangs.
"I always told them, 'I really pray one of you guys breaks my record,'" Kamal said. "To encourage them."
Because for Khalilian, it wasn't about the records. It was about being part of something at SMU.
The Mustangs became more than a soccer team. Dallas became more than a destination.Â
SMU became a second home and a second family for Khalilian — who came from Iran as a young man, traveled south from Chicago, started a program in Oklahoma and ultimately rewrote the record book at SMU.
"I was there for three years, and those are the best three years of my life," Kamal said. "I still don't believe what happened. It's an honor, especially me coming from a different country. It's amazing. It feels great, and all my friends, they always call me and say they're so proud of me, and I have to thank SMU for doing that."
