SALEM, Va. – Roanoke College football coach Bryan Stinespring delivered a simple message Monday night: The Maroons have made progress, but there is still more work to do.
Speaking to nearly 100 attendees at the Roanoke Valley Sports Club gathering inside the Salem Civic Center ballroom, Stinespring reflected on the program’s growth while offering a preview of the upcoming season.
Despite the team’s recent success, Stinespring emphasized that complacency cannot become part of the program’s culture.
“We’re here, we haven’t arrived,” Stinespring said. “I tell everybody, I tell our staff and our players, this will be as difficult a challenge as any one we’ve had because we’ve had success, people feel good about it, but this is no time for complacency. We’ve got to get out of our comfort zone once again to move us forward.”
In their first full season as a varsity program competing in the ODAC, the Maroons finished 5-4 overall, 4-4 in conference play.
Stinespring said the current stage of the program presents a unique test as the Maroons look to build on their recent accomplishments rather than settle for them.
“So this is as critical a moment as any that we’ve had,” he said. “The next moment’s the most critical, but I do think this presents its own unique challenge to be able to say, ‘Are we satisfied? Are we happy about where we are? Are we hungry to move forward?’”
During the event, Stinespring shared stories from throughout his coaching career while also updating attendees on the outlook for this year’s team.
Roanoke College players are scheduled to report for preseason camp on Aug. 10. The Maroons will open the 2026 season on Thursday, Sept. 3, with a road game against Virginia University of Lynchburg.