A two year backup to Bob Sharpenter, Ed Lopata served as the team's starting center during his senior season.

Lopata was the only scholarship player remaining from the 1959 recruiting class and was elected captain in 1962-63 following the graduation of eight members from the 1961-62 team. After scoring just 26 points in his first two seasons, Lopata finished fifth in scoring as a senior, with six double figure games and a career high 19 points versus Detroit.

Following basketball, Lopata earned his law degree at Georgetown and served in the U.S. Marine Corps in Vietnam before returning to Washington for a career in insurance law.

Ed Lopata died of stomach cancer in 2008 at the age of 66.