05/19/2026
Cortland’s 2006 national championship lacrosse team is set to be honored during Sunday’s NCAA Division III National Championship game between RIT and Tufts at Scott Stadium in Charlottesville, Virginia.
The NCAA will recognize the team on the field at halftime of the title game to mark the 20-year anniversary of the title thriller. According to Kyle Lambert ’06, over 30 members of the team will be in attendance.
The Division III national championship game can be viewed live on NCAA.com.
In 2006, the Red Dragons captured the third national championship in program history following a stunning postseason run. Cortland reached the national championship with a 16-7 win over Stevens Tech in the first round, followed by a 12-8 triumph over Middlebury in the quarterfinals before punching its ticket to the championship game in Philadelphia with a 7-6 overtime win over Wesleyan.
In front of 24,000 fans, the Red Dragons upended Salisbury, the three-time defending national champion, with a 13-12 victory in overtime to claim the national championship.
Lambert, a second-team All-American in 2006 and member of the national championship team, has helped connect his fellow Red Dragons and organize the team’s appearance at the national championship, hosted at the University of Virginia.
“My teammates and I grew up watching these championship games every Memorial Day weekend,” commented Lambert. “We dreamed of the opportunity to be part of a team that would be invited back to celebrate the 20th anniversary of its championship. In 2001, there were 40 individuals, including both players and coaches, who committed themselves to achieve something special and were able to accomplish that goal. We are excited to get together, share updates on our lives and share memories of the championship season.”
Cortland’s historic season garnered numerous accolades, as six members of the Red Dragon roster earned All-American honors. Mike Abbott ’09 was named to the first team; Lambert, Matt O’Connell ’06, M ’10 and Dan Schmitt ’06 were named to the second team; Chaney Raymond ’08 landed on the third team and Ben Gaebel was named an honorable mention All-American.
In addition, Abbott and Schmitt were selected to compete in the annual North-South game, showcasing the top talent across Division III lacrosse.