In 1942, Roanoke College closed out its football season with a 42-0 loss at the hands of Catawba College. That’s also the last time the small liberal arts school would field a team, as the country entered World War II.
But that changes Sunday, when it takes on Hampden-Sydney College for the Maroons’ first game in 82 years.
A one-time history teacher, Roanoke College head football coach Bryan Stinespring understands there was a bigger cause when the country needed men to join the war effort. He says that won’t be lost on this year’s team.
“We need to honor that and respect that – to the tune that we’ll have an individual that wears the jersey ‘42’ each week,” he explains. “And that individual has done something that reflects what the team of 1942 was all about.”
Stinespring was hired last fall to build the football program after the school raised $1.3 million.
“In January, we had five players - we’re now at 62, so we’re in good shape,” he said. “The biggest part for me – is the young men that are here – legacy is important to them. There’s only so many times in life that you get to start something and make it your own.”
Stinespring is well known in the region with experience as an assistant coach at Virginia Tech, VMI and JMU, among others.
This fall, football is a club sport at Roanoke College, with a 5-game schedule. But the 2025 varsity season will bring a full schedule as Roanoke College joins the Old Dominion Athletic Conference, or ODAC, at the Division III level.
The school’s last football coach in that 1942 season was Buddy Hackman. Bud Pierce, his grandson, says he left a long legacy at Roanoke College.
“When he was 65 years old, he was in a good of a shape as he was when he was 20,” he said. Pierce has kept years of photos and other keepsakes tied this grandfather, including from his playing days at the University of Tennessee in the late 1920’s.
Hackman kept a nearly year-round schedule with Roanoke College athletics, and was involved years after the decision to end football, retiring as athletic director in 1971. He died in 1987.
“I remember in basketball camp, playing handball, playing tennis, swimming, they had to use proper technique,” Pierce said. “If they did that, then they’d be successful.”
Pierce he looks forward to sharing memories of his grandfather with the football team, with hopes of providing a little inspiration.
Along with the commitment to football comes band and cheer team programs, and a big boost to the Roanoke College student body.
President Frank Shushok said the goal of all three programs was 80 students, and the school has added 130 in year one.
“So that says that the timing was right, and the enthusiasm is high,” he said. “This is truly the student athlete in Division III sports. Not only are we trying to launch great students out on the field, we’re trying to build in them leadership capacity and character.”
Roanoke College will be part of more sports competition next spring. Head Competition Cheer Coach Katelyn Kaminski said the team just qualified for the NCAA College Nationals.
“Our team motto this year is legacy,” she explained. “So we’re building something that not a lot of DIII colleges have.”
The National Cheerleaders Association competition is next April in Daytona, Florida. Hired along with Kaminski last year, is Terrell Smith, the director of Marching and Spirit bands.
“Everyone just immediately bought into what the program is going to represent – and the effort, and the ‘get into-it-ness’ is my term –the ‘get into it-ness’ has just been astounding, it’s humbling.”
The college Spirit Band will play for basketball games once the football season is over. Another job for Smith – creating a modern arrangement for Maroon Victory, a Roanoke College fight song originally composed in 1922, with plans to perform it for a football crowd later this season.
The opening game halftime show will offer more contemporary tunes – a Michael Jackson medley.
Roanoke College will play its games at Salem Stadium, a longtime host to Division III football championships.
“It’s a development season for our players,” said Coach Bryan Stinespring. “They need to learn the expectation level, we’ve got to set a culture level. I want to walk onto that field, I want to be part of a team, and want to look into the stands, and see some people that are really excited about what’s going on here.”
Kickoff versus Hampden-Sydney’s JV team is Sunday at 2 p.m.
