St. John Fisher University Athletics

In 1969, Dan O'Connor, Bill Brown and Joe Hazard got together in nearby Murray Hall behind where Growney Stadium now sits and began to lay the foundation for a football program at St. John Fisher College. Over the next two years, they worked diligently to plan, fundraise for and organize what would become the first-ever football season for St. John Fisher College. This process would not be easy, and the trio encountered numerous challenges along the way. They persevered many obstacles and on October 2nd, 1971, St. John Fisher College football played its first game. Since that game in 1971, Fisher football has won nearly 280 games, captured three club football national championships, claimed six Empire 8 Championships, reached the NCAA Championship five times including three runs to the Elite 8 and one trip to the Final Four. Additionally, Fisher has been awarded the Lambert Meadowlands trophy twice as the top team in the region. Without the tireless efforts and contributions from Brown, O'Conner and Hazard, Fisher football wouldn't enjoy the success, fundamental growth and rich history, that it has today.