At halftime of the Hobart College lacrosse game on Saturday, April 22, the Statesmen Athletic Association will honor the 1986, 1987, 1988 and 1989 Hobart lacrosse teams as Hobart Teams of Distinction. Each of the four teams won the Division III National Championship, extending the program's string of titles to 10 straight.
 
The Statesmen (6-6, 3-1) will host Mount St. Mary's University (4-7, 1-3) in a key Northeast Conference match up on Boswell Field. The game is scheduled to begin at noon. The Mountaineers are led by Head Coach Tom Gravante, a four-time lacrosse letterman at Hobart and a two-time All-American. He will be among the honorees, as he helped the Statesmen capture championships from 1985 to 1988.
 
The 1986 to 1989 Hobart lacrosse teams combined for a record of 54-13 (.806), including a 43-2 (.956) mark against Division III teams.
 
In 1986, Hobart rebounded from a season-opening loss to Johns Hopkins with a 15-game winning streak that culminated in a 13-10 victory over Washington (Md.) to secure the program's seventh consecutive national championship. The team featured seven All-Americans, including Iroquois Nationals Award (national player of the year) winner Tom Rosa '86, Lt. Col. Jack Turnbull Award (national attackman of the year) winner Ray Gilliam '87, and Fran McCall Award (national defenseman of the year) winner Devin Arkison '87.
 
A year later, the Statesmen stood at 4-4 after eight games, but finished strong winning six in a row for Division III title No. 8. The stretch run began with a 13-7 victory at Penn State and concluded with a 9-5 triumph over Ohio Wesleyan, which had beaten Hobart earlier in the season, in the national championship game. Five Statesmen were named to the 1987 All-America teams, including Gilliam, who earned the Iroquois Nationals Award and the Turnbull Award.
 
In 1988, Hobart was again stung by an early season loss to OWU, but got revenge in the title game. The Statesmen were 8-4 after a two-goal loss at Ithaca, but used a 15-10 win at Hofstra three days later to kick-start a six-game winning streak. Like the year before, the Battling Bishops stood between Hobart and the hardware. While the 1987 game had an element of drama with a mere four-goal margin of victory, this time the Statesmen left no doubt, thumping Ohio Wesleyan 18-9. The 1988 roster featured eight All-Americans, including Gravante who was the Iroquois Nationals and Turnbull awards winner and Shawn Trell '89, who earned the Ensign C. Markland Kelly Jr. Memorial Award (national goalie of the year).
 
Hobart got off to a fast start in 1989, bouncing back from a season-opening loss to North Carolina to win its next eight. The Statesmen went 1-3 in its next four contests, but all three losses were to Division I programs which steeled the program for another six-game winning streak. OWU was the only team standing between Hobart and a decade of dominance in Division III. The Statesmen scored an 11-8 victory over the Bishops to maintain their strangle hold on the championship trophy. Hobart again had eight All-Americans with Eric Stein '89 taking home the Iroquois Nationals Award, Trell repeating as the Kelly Award winner, and Bill Miller '91 capturing the Turnbull Award.
 
Although, Hobart's run of championships eventually reached 12, 1989 was the end of an era. Following the season, legendary Head Coach Dave Urick resigned to accept the same role at Georgetown University. In 11 seasons at the helm, he compiled a record of 129 wins against just 33 losses while mentoring 40 All-Americans.
 
Including Urick, who was the sole inductee in the Class of 1990, 10 Statesmen from the 1986 through 1989 teams have been inducted into the Hobart Hall of Fame. Additionally, Urick and Miller are members of the US Lacrosse Hall of Fame.
 
In 2006, the Statesmen Athletic Association Board of Directors instituted the classification Teams of Distinction to pay tribute to Hobart College intercollegiate teams of the past for their outstanding achievements in their respective athletic arenas and for their contributions to the athletic legacy of Hobart College.
 
Teams become eligible for Team of Distinction recognition 10 years after the completion of their season. Typically, a Team of Distinction has won a conference, regional or national championship; or been undefeated over the course of its season; or considered to be one of the "very best Hobart teams ever" in the respective sport; or has overcome exceptional challenges to be successful.
 
Hobart College traces its athletic roots back to the 1860s, and with the addition of these four lacrosse teams, the SAA has recognized 28 Teams of Distinction.