Indiana University of Pennsylvania (IUP) recently celebrated the 50-year anniversary of its 1977 NCAA Division II men's basketball national championship team. Former players and coaches gathered for a reunion event, reflecting on the historic season that culminated in a 57-54 victory over Winston-Salem State University in the title game.
The championship, secured on March 19, 1977, in Springfield, Illinois, remains the only national title in program history. The team, coached by Gene Wettstone, finished the season with a 27-5 record. Key players included guard Gary Mance, who was named the tournament's Most Outstanding Player.
There is no verifiable record of IUP winning back-to-back national championships in men's basketball. The program's sole NCAA national title is from the 1977 season. The reunion served to honor the legacy of that singular achievement nearly five decades later.
