This year’s annual PAC(K) Pamplin event was a fun-filled and exciting night for Pio Fans on Palatine Hill. Record numbers of alumni, students, faculty and staff members packed the stands and cheered on the Lewis & Clark women’s & men's basketball teams Saturday night when both teams defeated NWC rival Linfield.

The evening kicked off with a reception and dinner buffet in the Hall of Champions where we celebrated our record-setting PAC membership numbers and “unveiled” a new donor wall where listed are over 430 donors who have given to our 19 athletic teams and have joined the Pioneer Athletic Club in the past year. These donors well surpassed last year’s record of 350 members on the way to reaching our 500 member goal for the 2007-08 year.

In addition to celebrating our PAC members we honored several guests including a special member of the Pioneer family who has been not only been a supporter, but a fan, coach and player for the Pioneers, Fred Wilson. Fred spent 20 years as the head football coach after a great career as a Pioneer student-athlete. He also coached baseball, wrestling, golf, and served as the Director of Athletics and as a professor at the College and touched many people in these capacities.

Fred was on hand when President Hochstettler thanked the current donors that have raised over $30k raised towards the $50k needed to fulfill the Fred Wilson Endowment,  paying lasting tribute to Fred for his dedication and contribution to the L&C Pioneers. When fully funded, the Fred Wilson Endowment will provide additional funds needed to entice the best student-athletes to attend and participate in sports at Lewis and Clark by meeting our recruitment goals and providing the greatest flexibility to meet future challenges.

Another special group honored by President Hochstettler on Saturday was the 1949 Championship Men’s Basketball team. Seven of the original team members join the festivities with their wives and were recognized during half-time of the men’s game.  This is the first athletic team in the history of Lewis & Clark College to win a Northwest Conference Championship and to be inducted into the Lewis & Clark Hall of fame!

It was another great night for Pioneer Athletics, highlighting the dramatic and positive changes that have occurred in the operations of the Athletic Department over the last year enabling our student-athletes being better able to compete successfully in the Northwest Conference and nationally!

Click on the photo to see the photo album from the event.