The number 37 has been has a lot of meaning for Bill Pilat. The Roanoke College Hall of Fame lacrosse coach wore it on his jersey as an All-American goalie for the Maroons, then went on to coach the team for 37 seasons.
The Maroons’ lacrosse season came to an end in the ODAC tournament last week and with it came the end of over 40 years of Pilat’s involvement with the program. Shortly thereafter he announced his retirement after 37 years as coach and four years in the goal.
“I never thought I would be at Roanoke this long,” said Pilat following the Maroons’ ouster in the Old Dominion Athletic Conference tournament last week. “I came to Roanoke because Paul Griffin recruited me but I stayed because I loved the people, the area and the tradition of lacrosse and academic excellence that is Roanoke College.”
Pilat came to Salem as a highly recruited goalie out of New Jersey in the early ’80s. As a player, Pilat was a three-time All-American, two-time ODAC Player of the Year, and the 1985 Roanoke Male Athlete of the Year. Also in 1985, Pilat received the C. Markland Kelly Award and the Hero’s Award as the nation’s top goaltender. With 710 collegiate saves, he has 29 more stops than any other keeper in school history. In addition to leading the program in career saves, Pilat has also coached six of the nine other players ranked in the top 10 all-time saves list at the school. Three of those goalies have earned All-American status.
“His accolades speak for themselves,” said former Roanoke College Athletic Director Scott Allison, who hired Pilat to lead the program in 1989. “Nobody loves Roanoke College more than Bill, and he loved and fought for his players. He has been a great representative of Roanoke College and a first-class role model.”
Pilat graduated cum laude from Roanoke in 1985 and earned a master’s degree from Alfred University in education in 1986. While at Alfred, he served as a graduate assistant with the Saxons’ lacrosse program. Pilat spent the 1987 season as a member of the Washington & Lee University staff, helping the Generals to a national semifinal appearance, before returning to Roanoke as an assistant in 1988.
Since the 1989 Pilat has led the Maroons to a 413-187 record over 37 seasons. He is the fourth winningest active coach in the country across all divisions and seventh overall among active and retired coaches. Pilat has a 202-50 record in the Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) for a winning percentage of over 80 percent.
Pilat was inducted into the Roanoke College Athletic Hall of Fame in 1995, and his number 37 jersey was retired. He’s also a member of the New Jersey Lacrosse Hall of Fame.
Pilat coached the Maroons to 10 ODAC titles, 14 NCAA Tournament appearances with four trips to the Final Four. He has been named the ODAC Coach of the Year 11 times and has coached 19 Roanoke College Male Athletes of the Year. Pilat has mentored 22 student-athletes inducted into the RC Sports Hall of Fame and he played with an additional four Hall of Famers. His players have earned 114 All-American Awards.
“Although I’ve only had the opportunity to work with Coach Pilat for the past two years, it’s been immediately clear why he has earned such deep respect across the campus and the lacrosse community,” said RC Director of Athletics Curtis Campbell. “His dedication to student-athletes, integrity in leadership, and passion for the game have left a lasting impression. I wish him all the best in his well-earned retirement and thank him for the legacy he leaves behind.”
Pilat’s son Will was a standout player for the Maroons and among the highlights of Bill’s career was being able to coach his son. Some of the memorable moments include beating Ithaca in the 1992 NCAA Semi finals at Alumni field to go on to the National Championship Game in Philadelphia and beating Stevenson in the 2011 NCAA Quarter Finals on their home field when they were the team picked to win the NCAA title. They had beaten Roanoke by 10 goals during the regular season.
Roanoke finished the 2025 season 13-6 and 8-2 in the Old Dominion Athletic Conference. The Maroons rank third in points (578) and points per game (19.0) and fifth in assists (217) in NCAA Division III. The Maroons lost a semifinal game to the University of Lynchburg, 15-11 in Lynchburg, and weren’t included in the NCAA Division III tournament despite a number 25 ranking in the United States Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association Poll.
Pilat won’t be on the Maroon sideline next season but he’s not entirely stepping away from the game he loves. He’ll continue to run his goalie camps, which are considered to be among the best in the nation.
“I will continue with my Goalie camps as I enjoy coaching and teaching,” he said. “The camps take up a lot of my time as they have grown considerably over the years. I have goalie camps in 10 different states now. I plan to spend more time at the Outer Banks in North Carolina and to play a little golf. I would like to see my twins Will and Emily as often as possible.
A national search for Pilat’s replacement will begin immediately. Assistant coach Chris Piatelli will serve as the interim head coach until a replacement is named.
“I am so proud to have been the coach of Roanoke men’s lacrosse for the past 37 years,” said Pilat. “The players I have coached mean everything to me. I’ve worked alongside some great coaches, administrators and athletes and this has been the best 37 years anyone could ask for. Our tradition of excellence in men’s lacrosse is well known throughout all of Division III and this is due to the hard work, commitment and dedication of our players, coaches and assistant coaches from the 1960s to the present day. Thank you to everyone who supported our program and who continue to support Roanoke lacrosse. I am proud to be a Maroon forever.”
PHOTO COURTESY ROANOKE COLLEGE
