In the spring of 2023, Hunter Craig ’84 attended a Hampden-Sydney Lacrosse game. Noticing that the facilities were in need of improvements, he approached Head Coach Jason Rostan to inquire about the program’s most pressing needs. After a few conversations and some rallying of the troops, the Hampden-Sydney Lacrosse Cabinet was born. Just six months later, the organization put on its first event: a fundraising banquet held at the Country Club of Virginia.
A runaway success, the inaugural banquet sold out to over 200 people. Guests traveled from all across the country to bid on silent auction items such as a five-day, four-night stay at Folly Farm in Hot Springs, Virginia; enjoy live music from bluegrass band Gallatin Canyon; and hear remarks from Kevin Corrigan, head coach of the defending NCAA DI lacrosse champions Notre Dame University—brother of David Corrigan ’79.
“It was the most electric room I’ve ever been in,” Craig says. “Hampden-Sydney captures people’s imaginations and for so long they hadn’t had a real way to interact with the lacrosse program. This gave them a way to get involved again.”
Attendees did indeed get involved as the event raised nearly $100,000 for player equipment, coach salaries, and facilities improvements to elevate the player experience: a key goal for cabinet member John Gibson ’82. “We aim to have the best player experience in Division III,” says Gibson. “That means creating a best-in-class game day experience, having the best equipment and plenty of it, hiring more great assistant coaches, and supporting Coach Rostan’s goals and objectives.”
In his 21st year at the College, eighth year as head coach, Jason Rostan ’03 is welcoming the additional support, both financial and moral. He says: “I am so grateful for our H-SC Lacrosse Cabinet and all of our alumni, families, and friends of the program for making the inaugural Face-Off Banquet a tremendous success. Most importantly, the event was all about bringing the Tiger Lacrosse family together in celebration of the program: past, present, and future. It was an evening of camaraderie and true support for a program that has meant so much to us all.”
The camaraderie in the room was palpable and Gibson notes that “there was so much love for Hampden-Sydney and each other in the room.” Amongst the 200 attendees were H-SC Lacrosse legends, like members from the founding team and former Coach Ray Rostan; all current senior players as well as two junior players; and members of the broader community such as Randy Weis, father of junior midfielder Gaines Weis ’25.
Despite having played lacrosse for Randolph-Macon, Weis is a staunch supporter of Tiger Lacrosse, citing the exceptional experience his son has had since the recruitment process as a driving factor. “There’s so much tradition around H-SC Lacrosse, and I see the capability of this program and the positive impact it has on the student athletes that I wanted to get involved,” Weis says. “Division III athletics in general are wildly dependent on alumni and family support, and I want to give the coaches all the assets we can to be as successful as possible.”
With a roster of more than 50 players, Lacrosse is the second largest team at the College and the only team that has been nationally ranked in five consecutive decades. H-SC Lacrosse is consistently in the national conversation and the goal of winning a national championship requires not only the hard work of players and coaches but also proper and perpetual financial investment.
The H-SC Lacrosse Cabinet aims to support Tiger lacrosse and Coach Rostan’s goals and objectives at the highest level through financial contributions, fundraising support, and building awareness for the program. Cabinet membership begins with a $5,000 annual commitment and includes benefits such as sideline passes and weekly communications from Coach Rostan. To learn more, contact Coach Jason Rostan ’03.