Lehigh welcomes back Patriot League Champion football alumni

BETHLEHEM, Pa. – On Saturday, September 18, Lehigh Football alumni, family, and friends gathered at Lehigh's home game against Princeton to welcome back the members of the Lehigh Patriot League Championship Football teams. The event, which kicked off with a reception at the Rust Family Football Pavilion, reunited members from Lehigh's eight Patriot League Championship teams ('93, '95, '98, '99, '00, '01, '04, '06) to celebrate Lehigh's success in winning more Patriot League Championships than any other league institution.

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Members of Lehigh's eight Patriot League Championship Football Teams

Football alumni were excited to catch-up with former teammates and cheer on the current team of Mountain Hawks.

"It was a great day seeing all of my former teammates and the members of the other Patriot League championship teams. I think all of us former players like a nice cheer from the crowd once in a while,” said Lance Haynes, Captain of the 1993 championship team.

During a special halftime celebration, members were recognized for their teams' remarkable accomplishments, including:

- A combined record of 43 – 4 vs. Patriot League opponents, including a 6 – 2 record vs. Lafayette

- 18 ECAC All Stars and 10 Associated Press All-Americans including Ian Eason '00 and current Lehigh Football Offensive Coordinator Dave Cecchini '95 (both were in attendance)

- The 2001 team was the ECAC Team of the Year and the Division 1-AA Lambert Cup Champion

Pete DeLuca '79, Alumni Ambassador to Lehigh Football, the lead position in the Lehigh Football Partnership, spoke of the importance of Champions Weekend as it “celebrated the student-athlete in general and the history of Lehigh Football specifically.” Keith Rust '57, whose generosity created the Rust Family Football Pavilion, was “very pleased” to attend the event and believed that the Pavilion's mission was to “bring alumni, football or otherwise, together by supplying a place to do so.”

The day concluded with a 35-22 win over Princeton – adding even more joy to the celebration.

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