BALTIMORE, Md. --- The 1978 Roanoke College Men's Lacrosse Team was recognized during the NCAA Men's Lacrosse Championship weekend held at M&T Bank Stadium last weekend.

At halftime of the NCAA Div. II National Championship game, the former players came out to midfield and watched a short video of the 1978 season. The 24 former Maroons in attendance played a part in the 14-13 win over Hobart 33 years ago to win the school's second national championship in six years. The men's basketball team won the national title in 1972.

Just seven years into program-history, the men's lacrosse team was hoisting a national championship trophy. Roanoke finished 12-2 that year, the most single-season wins in program-history which stood for 27 seasons. The team opened its season with seven-straight victories, including wins over Div. I opponents Duke (9-7), UMBC (8-4) and N.C. State (15-11). The Maroons knocked off Adelphi, 13-8 in the NCAA quarterfinals and UMBC for a second time, 12-7, in the national semifinals to enter the programs' first national title game.

Hobart, which was the two-time defending national champions, was the favorite. The Statesmen have appeared in the national championship game over the past five years, eliminating the Maroons in two of the previous three tournaments. But this time Roanoke got the last laugh as defender and team captain Bob Rotanz scored his second goal of the year, which was the game-winner as the Maroons claimed the NCAA Div. II/III National Title.

This was a special group of individuals as eight members of the team have been inducted into the Roanoke College Athletic Hall of Fame. Five of those players were named USILA All-Americans after that magical season, including Rotanz, who was named both the USILA National Defenseman and National Player of the Year. Head Coach Paul Griffin, who coached the Maroons from 1973-81, was named USILA National Coach of the Year.