The St. Lawrence-Norwich football game is one of the oldest continuous NCAA Division III non-conference rivalries in the nation. On September 9th, the Saints and Cadets will face each other for the 40th consecutive season, but this year, the matchup will take on new meaning, as the two teams will battle for the Hoffman Cup.

For the last 14 years, the Hoffman Cup was awarded to the winner of the football game between St. Lawrence and the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy. Tom Hoffman '75 P'20 dedicated the game to his father, Captain Richard A. Hoffman, a 1944 graduate of Merchant Marine, for his 80th birthday in 2003. Captain Hoffman passed away in 2006, but the Hoffman Cup continued to honor both him and his family's commitment to athletics, the Merchant Marine Academy and St. Lawrence University.

With Merchant Marine no longer on the St. Lawrence football schedule, the St. Lawrence-Norwich game will offer an opportunity to continue to honor the legacy of the Hoffman family both at St. Lawrence and in the military.

"Football has always been an important part of my life," said Tom Hoffman. "Over the years, I've seen how much the Hoffman Cup means to the players, and it has become a real rallying point in the schedule for my family and a lot of alumni. It's great that the tradition will continue in a new form with Norwich."

While this year's game takes place at Norwich, Hoffman Cup games at St. Lawrence in years to come will be Military Appreciation games with free admission for veterans and active duty military personnel.

A new cup is being made for the new matchup, and perpetual plaques will also be provided to both programs to recognize the teams' Most Valuable Player in the game.

"The Hoffman Cup has become an important part of St. Lawrence football tradition," said head coach Dan Puckhaber. "Norwich has always been a tough opponent for us, and I don't think there's a better way to honor the legacy of Captain Hoffman and the Hoffman family than by extending the tradition to our rivalry with the Cadets."

St. Lawrence holds a 9-5 record in Hoffman Cup games, including a 7-1 mark in the last eight years. St. Lawrence also holds a slight edge in the matchup with Norwich, going 32-29 against the Cadets. Norwich won first meeting between the two teams on November 2, 1907, but the Saints have won the last two meetings, including a 52-0 victory in week two last year.