Dozens of Baum’s disciples from three decades of coaching, many wearing T-shirts declaring them part of the “Baum Squad,” returned to East Lansing for the 1-0 win over Northwestern, which secured Baum’s first Big Ten regular season title.

Alumni ventured from as far west as Seattle and as east as Boston in honor of the grizzled head coach who will cede the position to head coach designate Damon Rensing.

“Looking up and seeing these past players, it’s just breathtaking,” said Baum, wearing a green Spartan jacket, a Big Ten championship hat and a wide smile. “It’s almost surreal out here to see all my friends and past players and parents and alumni. It’s like a dream and it’s one of the happiest moments of my life.”

Pregame remembrance of Baum’s legacy was limited to a moving billboard in the stadium that read “Thank You, Joe Baum” and a few appreciative banners as the Spartans concentrated on their final Big Ten regular season game. With the win, Baum secured the conference championship trophy, one of several memorable items presented to the legendary coach after the victory.

Women’s soccer head coach Tom Saxton offered a framed picture of Baum for his five years he served as the first MSU women’s head coach from 1986-90. Members of the current men’s team gave Baum a mug with a gray block “S” printed on the outside, which Baum said he’ll first use for a glass of 7UP or Dr. Pepper.

“We’ve had people come in from all over the country for this,” said Saxton, who played for Baum at MSU in the early 1980s. “I think I’ve been here for all but four or five of Joe’s years and I’ve seen faces from every era of MSU soccer (Sunday), which is really special.”

The charismatic Baum, known for his bright personality and graying, scraggly beard, embraced current and former players on the field in celebration of both his 2008 conference title and 32 years of coaching.

“I don’t think you ever think of Michigan State soccer without associating it with Joe Baum,” said Sherin Elwy, an MSU midfielder from the mid-1980s who traveled from Massachusetts for Baum’s final home game. “He is the program.”

Baum will stay with the program as a volunteer assistant coach on Rensing’s staff next season, keeping the face of MSU men’s soccer on the pitch for years to come.

“He’s just a natural coach, a leader people kind of gravitate toward to hear what he has to say,” said Reese Miller, 61, of Okemos, who met Baum in 1965 when the pair were Case Hall roommates and attended Sunday’s game.

“He’s not changed one bit. He’s got the same character today that he had in 1965. And he is a character.”