Two beloved lacrosse figures lost long battles with cancer last week.

With several college teams using fall ball as a platform to raise money for various charities supporting cancer research, the untimely deaths of Bob Vencak, 57, and Tom Keigler, 62, provided a solemn reminder of the disease’s undiscerning reach.

Vencak, who died last Tuesday, was a three-time All-American defenseman at Rutgers and an All-World selection for Team USA in the 1986 world championship. He was inducted into the US Lacrosse Long Island Metro Chapter Hall of Fame in 1998 and will be enshrined posthumously in the Rutgers Athletics Hall of Fame in a ceremony Friday. He was a finalist for the National Lacrosse Hall of Fame as recently as 2010.

Vencak’s family established a foundation to assist in the education of his son, Cole, and to provide a scholarship to a high school lacrosse player “that has the qualities and competitive traits that Robert had throughout his life.” Services were held last week in Smithtown, N.Y.

Keigler, arguably the best defenseman in the Washington and Lee’s illustrious lacrosse history, died the next day. He was a three-time All-American for the Generals (1975-77) and a two-time member of the U.S. national team (1978 and 1982). He has since served the sport as a coach and contributor, volunteering with US Lacrosse in numerous capacities, most recently as men’s chair of the Hall of Fame selection committee.

A memorial service for Keigler will be held Thursday in Baltimore. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be made to the US Lacrosse Foundation.