La Salle Explorers

Intercollegiate sports teams of La Salle University

Athletic teams representing La Salle University

La Salle Explorers

University| La Salle University
Conference| A-10 (primary)
MAAC (women's water polo)
NCAA| Division I
Athletic director| Ashwin Puri
Location| Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Varsity teams| 19 (23 in 2025)
Basketball arena| John Glaser Arena
Baseball stadium| Hank DeVincent Field
Soccer stadium| McCarthy Stadium
Aquatics center| Kirk Pool
Mascot| The Explorer
Nickname| The Explorers
Fight song| Fight On, Explorers
Colors| Blue and gold[1]

Website| goexplorers.com

The La Salle Explorers are the varsity sports teams from La Salle University in Philadelphia. The Explorers compete in NCAA Division I as members of the Atlantic 10 Conference. The men's and women's basketball teams also participate in the Philadelphia Big 5. On June 3, 2019, Brian Baptiste was named director of athletics and recreation effective August 1, 2019. Baptiste is deputy AD for capital projects and operations at Northwestern University.

## Overview

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### The Explorers name

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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. The nickname caught on, however, and has remained ever since.

### The rivalry

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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 and are both members of both the Atlantic 10 and the Big 5.

### National championships

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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 when that tournament was still considered to be on par with the NCAA tournament.

## Sports sponsored

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Men's sports  | Women's sports

|

Baseball [n 1] | Acrobatics & tumbling [n 2]
Basketball | Basketball
Cross country | Cross country
Golf | Field hockey
Rowing | Golf
Soccer | Lacrosse
Swimming & diving | Rowing
Track & field1 | Rugby [n 2]
| Soccer
| Swimming and diving
| Track and field1
| Triathlon [n 2]
| Water polo
† – Track and field includes both indoor and outdoor

Notes

1. ^ Returning in 2025–26
2. ^ a b c From 2025–26

A member of the Atlantic 10 Conference, La Salle University sponsors teams in 7 men's and 11 women's NCAA sanctioned sports, plus one men's sport that is not recognized by the NCAA. The most recently added varsity sports are women's golf and men's and women's water polo, all added for 2016–17.[2] Baseball was dropped after the 2021 season (2020–21 school year), but will be reinstated for the 2026 season. At the same time that baseball is reinstated, La Salle will add three new women's sports, all included in the NCAA Emerging Sports for Women program—acrobatics & tumbling, rugby, and triathlon.[3]

### Men's basketball

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Main article: La Salle Explorers men's basketball

The men's basketball team has won eight City Championships (four were shared). 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.

Only Duke (7) and UCLA (4) have had more National Players of the Year than La Salle, which has had three
 Lionel Simmons, Michael Brooks, and Tom Gola. Tom Gola was listed on "ESPN's Countdown to the Greatest" College basketball players as #17.

### Women's basketball

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Main article: La Salle Explorers women's basketball

Atlantic 10 Conference logo in La Salle colors

The women's basketball team began play in the 1972–73 season, and has been to the NCAA Division I women's basketball tournament 5 times.

### Football

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Main article: La Salle Explorers football

La Salle discontinued football at the end the 2007 season.[4]

### Wrestling

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La Salle wrestling was dropped from the varsity sports program in 1998.[5]

### Club sports

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In addition to its varsity sports, La Salle also sponsors a number of club sports. These include:

* Ice hockey
* Men's Lacrosse
* Men's Rugby
* Ultimate Frisbee
* Women's Rugby
* Wrestling

## Professional sports alumni

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Main article: List of La Salle University People

## See also

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* Philadelphia portal

* Philadelphia Sports Hall of Fame
* Sports in Philadelphia#Collegiate sports

## References

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1. ^ La Salle Brand Standards Manual (PDF). July 29, 2021. Retrieved December 5, 2022.
2. ^ "La Salle Adds Men's And Women's Water Polo, Women's Golf As Varsity Sports" (Press release). La Salle Explorers. December 7, 2015. Retrieved July 16, 2016.
3. ^ "La Salle University Announces Addition of Four Varsity Sport Programs" (Press release). La Salle Explorers Athletics. April 17, 2024. Retrieved April 17, 2024.
4. ^ "La Salle Announces Discontinuation of Football Program" (Press release). La Salle University. November 19, 2007. Archived from the original on November 24, 2010.
5. ^ "College Programs Dropped Nationally". USA Wrestling-Kansas. February 22, 2017. Retrieved January 1, 2024.

## External links

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Wikimedia Commons has media related to La Salle University athletics.

* Official website

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La Salle University

Academics|

Schools
School of Arts and Sciences
School of Business Administration
School of Nursing & Health Sciences

Athletics|

* Explorers
* Football
* Hank DeVincent Field
* TruMark Financial Center
* McCarthy Stadium
* Men's basketball
* Women's basketball
* Tom Gola Arena
* Baseball (dormant)
* Softball

Historic buildings|

* Carriage House
* College Hall
* Japanese Tea Ceremony House
* Peale House

Student life|

* The Collegian
* La Salle TV
* WEXP

Alumni|

* Alumni

* Catholicism portal

Links to related articles

* v
* t
* e

Atlantic 10 Conference

Full members|

* Davidson College Wildcats
* Dayton Flyers
* Duquesne Dukes4
* Fordham Rams
* George Mason Patriots
* George Washington Revolutionaries
* La Salle Explorers4
* Loyola Ramblers4
* Rhode Island Rams
* Richmond Spiders
* St. Bonaventure Bonnies
* Saint Joseph's Hawks
* Saint Louis Billikens
* VCU Rams

Associate members|

* Lock Haven Bald Eagles1
* Delaware Blue Hens2
* High Point Panthers2
* Hobart Statesmen2
* UMass Minutemen2

Sports|

| Tournaments|

* Baseball
* Basketball (men's)
* Basketball (women's)

|

Seasons|

* Basketball (men's) seasons
* Football standings

Related articles|

* CAA Football

* 1field hockey
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* 3football
* 4non-baseball

* v
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Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference

Full members|

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Associate membrs|

* Albany Great Danes1
* Drake Bulldogs2
* Jacksonville Dolphins3
* Robert Morris Colonials2
* Stetson Hatters2
* La Salle Explorers4
* LIU Sharks4
* Villanova Wildcats4
* VMI Keydets4
* Wagner Seahawks4

Championships|

* Baseball
* Men's basketball
* Women's basketball
* Men's ice hockey
* Men's soccer
* Women's soccer

* 1golf (women's)
* 2rowing (women's)
* 3rowing (men's / women's)
* 4water polo (women's)

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See also: Philadelphia Big 5 and City 6

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Further information: Template:Defunct Philadelphia sports teams

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College athletics
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