La Salle Explorers

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 name 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 men's and women's basketball teams are also part of the Big 5.

[edit] Supported Sports

Fall

Winter

Spring

Club Sports

For prestigious athletic alumni, see Noted Alumni.

La Salle has graduated 22 professional basketball players (in the NBA or ABA), and four professional baseball players (in MLB).

Johnny Beall- MLB
Michael Brooks - NBA
Joe Bryant - NBA, Father of Kobe Bryant and current head coach of the Los Angeles Sparks of the WNBA
Rasual Butler - Active basketball player for the New Orleans/Oklahoma City Hornets
Larry Cannon - ABA
Frank DiMichele - MLB
Ken Durrett - NBA
Bobby Fields - ABA
Tom Filer - MLB
Larry Foust - NBA
Jack George - NBA
Norm Grekin - NBA
Lefty Hoerst - MLB
Ralph Lewis - NBA
Jackie Moore - NBA
Doug Overton - NBA, Director of Player Development for the Philadelphia 76ers
Jim Phelan - NBA
Tom Piotrowski - NBA
Lionel Simmons - NBA
Steven Smith - Active basketball player for the 76ers
George Sutor - NBA
Fatty Taylor - ABA, NBA
Bernie Williams - NBA, ABA
Randy Woods - NBA

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