Hall of Fame
Robert Tifft ’94 – Class of 2006
When Losing is intolerable…
He came to Le Moyne from a storied West Genesee Lacrosse program that wins championships more often than not; including two Class A titles while he was on the team. Losing a match was an unfamiliar experience and one he did not like at all. Friends knew that “Tifter” would be unapproachable for some time after a loss. They also knew that the Dolphins’ next opponent was certain to pay a price…
That price was often high. He was capable of taking over a match by himself. His teammates especially remember an ECAC semifinal against a powerful New York Tech team that he single-handedly dominated in the last few minutes to deliver a one-goal Dolphin victory.
When losing is intolerable you are driven to excel. On the attack, he was a mixture of power and grace: quick, but capable of strong moves to the net. Captain of the 1993 team, he graduated as Le Moyne’s all-time leader in points, goals and assists. His 131 goals currently rank second on the career list, 66 assists are fifth and 197 points are fifth on the all-time chart. The program’s first-ever first-team All-America selection, he was named the empire Lacrosse League’s Most Valuable Player in 1992 and 1993.
His drive to excel extends beyond lacrosse to his role as a husband and father; his career as Director of Human Resource at Blasland, Bouck & Lee; and to an array of community endeavors. He is known as a person who will consistently step forward when there is a need. He volunteers as a youth soccer and baseball coach. He was a catalyst in creating the Upstate Outdoor Lacrosse League; and he played a critical role in Lysander Youth Hockey.
A player whose distaste for losing drove him to excellence, and a Le Moyne graduate whose career and community service reflects honor on his alma mater, it is fitting that
Robert Tifft ’94 is the first Le Moyne College men’s lacrosse player
to be inducted to the Le Moyne College Athletic Hall of Fame
October 20, 2006.
