A native of Long Island, New York, Bob Rotanz came to Roanoke College in the mid 1970s and immediately enhanced the rich lacrosse tradition the Maroons already had in place. During his career, Rotanz earned NCAA All-American honors on three occasions. His 1978 season will go down as one the greatest in program history. That year Rotanz was named National Defensive Player of the Year and overall National Player of the Year honors. He is just one of two players in program history to earn National Player of the Year honors. In that same season, Rotanz led the Maroons to a National Championship with a 14-13 victory over Hobart College, scoring the winning goal in the championship game. In his post-playing career, Rotanz helped expand the game of lacrosse in Southwest Virginia, founding the Southwest Virginia Lacrosse Association. Rotanz is a member of the Roanoke Athletic Hall of Fame and has had his jersey retired by the college. In 2022, Rotanz was the recipient of the Roanoke College Medal, the highest honor awarded by the institution to its alumni. Rotanz continues to be a fixture in the Roanoke area as co-owner of Mac and Bob’s restaurant in Salem, a community staple in Southwest Virginia.
