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La Salle University's 23 varsity sports teams, known as the Explorers, compete in the NCAA's Division I and are a member of the Atlantic Ten Conference. The American football team previously played in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Football League and competed in the Division I-Championship Subdivision (formerly I-AA). The men's and women's basketball teams are also part of the Philadelphia Big 5. The Explorers nickname derives from a famous mistake made by a local Philadelphia sportswriter. The writer thought the university was named after the French explorer Sieur de La Salle, when in fact it is named after St. Jean-Baptiste de la Salle. However, the nickname caught on, and has remained ever since. La Salle's teams have won two national championships: The 1954 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament and the 1980 AIAW Field Hockey Championship. The school also won the 1952 National Invitation Tournament before the tournament became considered "second rate". La Salle's major historic rival has been the Hawks of the Saint Joseph's University, especially in men's basketball. Not only are both schools situated in Philadelphia, but they are also both Catholic, private institutions.
Despite La Salle's small undergraduate enrollment, the university has had quite a bit of success with its men's basketball program. The team has won eight City Championships (four were shared) and only Duke (7) has had more National Players of the Year than La Salle (3 - Lionel Simmons, Michael Brooks, and Tom Gola)[citation needed]. Tom Gola was listed on "ESPN's Countdown to the Greatest" College basketball players as #17. In addition to the National Championship and NIT Championship, La Salle was also a national finalist in the 1955 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament and was named the 53rd "Greatest College Basketball Program of All-Time" by Street & Smith's in January 2005.
[edit] Supported Sports
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Winter
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Spring
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Club Sports
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[edit] Professional Sports Alumni
For prestigious athletic alumni, see Noted Alumni.
La Salle has graduated 29 professional basketball players (in the NBA or ABA), four professional baseball players (in MLB), and two professional American football players (in the NFL).
[edit] Olympians
La Salle has had 17 Olympians, who have won a total of six medals (four gold, and two bronze) in 11 Olympic Games. Note: The La Salle Olympians who qualified for Moscow 1980 did not compete because of the U.S. boycott.
- Charles Kieffer --Crew -- GOLD MEDAL , pair with coxswain, Los Angeles 1932
- Joe Verdeur -- Swimming -- GOLD MEDAL, in 200 meter breaststroke, London 1948
- John McIntyre -- Crew -- coxswain in paired oars, London 1948
- Ira Davis -- Track and Field, Melbourne 1956, Rome 1960, and Tokyo 1964
- Al Cantello -- Track and Field, Rome 1960
- Hugh Foley -- Crew -- GOLD MEDAL in eight-man crew, Tokyo 1964
- Stan Cwiklinski -- Crew -- GOLD MEDAL in eight-man crew, Tokyo 1964
- William Belden -- Crew, Montreal 1976 and Moscow 1980
- Edwin Borja -- Swimming, Montreal 1976
- Edgar Borja -- Swimming, Moscow 1980
- Michael Brooks -- Basketball (Captain), Moscow 1980
- Diane Moyer -- Field Hockey, Moscow 1980 and BRONZE MEDAL Los Angeles 1984
- Kathy McGahey -- Field Hockey -- BRONZE MEDAL Los Angeles 1984
- Eric Buhain -- Swimming, Seoul 1988 and Barcelona 1992
- Diane Bracalente -- Field Hockey, Seoul 1988
- Frank Lescas -- Swimming, Barcelona 1992
- Derek Brown -- Team Handball, Atlanta 1996
[edit] External links
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La Salle University |
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| Academics |
Schools: School of Arts and Sciences • School of Business Administration • School of Nursing & Health Sciences
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| Athletics |
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| Campus |
Art Museum • Carriage House • Christian Brother's Residence • College Hall • Connelly Library • Japanese Tea Ceremony House • Peale House • Philadelphia
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| Miscellaneous |
La Salle University (book)
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La Salle Explorers Basketball 1953-1954 NCAA Champions |
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Frank Blatcher | Tom Gola | Charles Greenberg | Robert Maples | Francis O'Hara | Francis O'Malley | Charles Singley | John Yodsnukis
Coach Ken Loeffler |
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