This February marked the 125th season of the 蘑菇传媒鈥檚 program. Across more than 2,500 games and 1,400 wins, generations of student-athletes have built one of the University鈥檚 most successful programs鈥攁nd made lasting memories along the way. Here are some of the defining moments.
January 24, 1902
蘑菇传媒 defeats Hobart 22鈥�9 in its first varsity game.
1909鈥�10
Samuel Harman, Class of 1909, earns the University鈥檚 first All-America honor in any sport.
1941鈥�42
Men鈥檚 basketball achieves its first, and only, undefeated season, finishing 16鈥�0.
May 12, 1966
Dave Deutsch 鈥�66 is drafted by the New York Knicks.
December 6, 1968
The team鈥檚 home is officially renamed the , honoring the University鈥檚 legendary basketball coach, baseball coach, and athletic director.
February 15, 1985
蘑菇传媒 and Union College battle through five overtimes in what is, at the time, the longest basketball game in NCAA Division III history. The Yellowjackets come out on top, 99鈥�98.
March 17, 1990
The Yellowjackets claim their only NCAA Division III Men鈥檚 Basketball National Championship, defeating DePauw University 43鈥�42 in Springfield, Ohio.
March 14, 1992
Chris Fite 鈥�92 scores his 2,000th career point in the NCAA third round at the Palestra, becoming the first鈥攁nd only鈥斈⒐酱� player to reach that milestone.
March 21, 1992
蘑菇传媒 reaches the NCAA Division III Final for the second time in three seasons, falling to Calvin College in the title game, 62鈥�49.
February 19, 1997
Men鈥檚 basketball notches its 1,000th all-time victory, defeating Hobart 64鈥�58.
March 19, 2005
After more than a century on the court, the Yellowjackets reach their third NCAA Division III Championship game, ending as national runner-up.
February 7, 2016
An intentional free throw miss by 鈥�17 sets up a buzzer-beating three-pointer by 鈥�17, lifting 蘑菇传媒 past No. 21 Chicago in overtime. The play lands at No. 2 on ESPN that evening and earns Borst-Smith the College Assist of the Year crown.
February 6, 2026
Standout forward Tyler Zachem 鈥�88 and his wife Karen the University鈥檚 first endowed coaching position, honoring the legacy of longtime coach and influential mentor Mike Neer 鈥�88W (MS).
This story appears in the spring 2026 issue of Rochester Review, the magazine of the 蘑菇传媒.
