FOREST, Va. --- In the 11th edition of the ODAC 40 features, we take a look back to a stellar 1992 spring campaign at Roanoke College that featured arguably the best combined season by a conference school's men's and women's lacrosse teams. Both the Maroons men's and women's programs won games in the NCAA Tournament after strong ODAC seasons.
Both programs were inducted into the 2012 class of the Roanoke College Athletic Hall of Fame. Watch the feature below, courtesy of Red Velocity Inc., that was produced for that induction. Learn more about some of the highlights from that season and their journey throughout the 1992 campaign.
The Roanoke women's team ran thru its conference slate of games with a 7-0 record behind ODAC Player of the Year and captain, Courtney Dittman. The Maroons entered the ODAC championship against Washington and Lee University with an unblemished 13-0 record, but they came up on the wrong side of a tight 10-9 final score to snap the 13-game run.
Roanoke's women returned to their winning ways in the NCAA Division III Tournament with a 15-11 victory over Frostburg State in the quarterfinals. In the semifinals, the Maroons squared off with Trenton State (now TCNJ), which along with Ursinus College, had dominated the first seven years of the women's national tournament. The eventual national champion defeated Roanoke, 17-3.*
Related Item: 1992 Roanoke Women's Lacrosse Hall of Fame Entry
The men's program skated thru the ODAC regular season with a perfect 6-0 mark as part of a 12-4 overall showing, which marked an improvement by four overall wins from its 8-5 campaign in 1991. Head coach Bill Pilat, with his first recruiting class in tow, earned ODAC Coach of the Year honors while defenseman Dan Morison took home ODAC Player of the Year accolades.
In the NCAA Tournament, Roanoke's men won a nail-biter via a 16-15 result over Gettsburg College in the quarterfinals. That setup an offensive explosion in the semifinals, where Roanoke dispatched Ithaca College, 20-10. RC's national championship opponent was Nazareth College, who entered the game on the heels of a 13-12 overtime victory over then 12-time defending champion Hobart College. NC got the best of the Maroons' for the title, posting a 22-11 final result.
Related Item: 1992 Roanoke Men's Lacrosse Hall of Fame Entry
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The conclusion of the 2015-16 athletic seasons etched 40 years of competition in the ODAC into the history books. In celebration of the accomplishments of conference member teams, coaches, and athletes, the ODAC will feature key milestones throughout the first 40 years of the conference. Each school has submitted a selection of top events, moments, tenures, and performances. The features developed by the ODAC will take several forms -- some audio interviews, others with video content, photo albums, and other pertinent items. All current 14 full-time member institutions will be featured throughout the season.