Hall of Fame
Walt Kocubinski '73 was the third Lafayette basketball player from the early 1970's to be inducted into the Lafayette Athletic Hall of Fame. Together with Tracy Tripucka and Jay Mottola, Kocubinski helped to deliver a stunning 72-71 upset win over Virginia in the 1972 NIT first round, what many believe to be the Leopard's finest hour in sports. It was Kocubinski's layup with just seconds remaining that tied the score and set the stage for Mottola's game-winning free throw. "It was the hardest layup I ever made," said the 6-foo-5 Kocubinski, recalling the play which was set up by Mottola's pass. With the muscular Kocubinski roaming the lane, Lafayette's combined three-year record was 54-25. Individually, his best season was as a junior, the same season Tripucka and Mottola were seniors, when he averaged 18.5 points and nine rebounds and helped Lafayette to a 21-6 record that included a couple of games in the NIT.
