History
Syracuse played its first intercollegiate lacrosse game in 1916, and captured its first United States Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association (USILA) championship in 1920. It would go on to win USILA championships in 1922, 1924, and 1925 and a coaches poll national championship in 1957 . In the modern NCAA era, Syracuse has won eleven national championship titles, in 1983, 1988, 1989, 1993, 1995, 2000, 2002, 2004, 2008, and 2009, with one additional championship in 1990 vacated due to NCAA rules infractions after an investigation revealed that Nancy Simmons, the wife of Coach Roy Simmons, Jr., had co-signed a car loan for the team's star player, Paul Gait, in the 1990 season.
The Orange's eleven NCAA championship titles are the most since the NCAA began holding tournaments in 1971 NCAA Division I. Johns Hopkins University's thirty-four overall national championships, including nine during the NCAA era, is still the pace-setter.
Since 1916 until present, Syracuse has had four head coaches: Laurie D. Cox (1916–1930), 116-40-14 record, .724 winning percentage; Roy Simmons, Sr. (1931–1970), 253-130-1 record, .660 winning percentage; Roy Simmons, Jr. (1971–1998), 290-96-0 record, .751 winning percentage; and John Desko (1999–present), 102-38-0 record, .729 winning percentage. As of 2010, those coaches combined for a 806-309-15 record, which is a .723 winning percentage, with 14 total national titles.
Syracuse is one of seven Big East Conference schools that formally began competing in men's lacrosse in 2010. Previously, Syracuse men's lacrosse had remained independent (i.e., unaffiliated with any athletic conference). The other six Big East schools are Georgetown, Notre Dame, Providence, Rutgers, St. John's, and Villanova.
In the school's history, 12 players have been four-time All-Americans: Brad Kotz (1982-85), John Zulberti (1986-89), Gary Gait (1987-90), Pat McCabe (1988-91), Tom Marechek (1989-92), Charlie Lockwood (1991-94), Roy Colsey (1992-95), Ric Beardsley (1992-95), Casey Powell (1995-98), Ryan Powell (1997-00), Michael Springer (2000-03), and Mike Powell (2001-04).
Syracuse has also produced two Tewaaraton Trophy winners: Mike Powell (2002, 2004) and Mike Leveille (2008).
22 Orange players are enshrined in the U.S. Lacrosse Hall of Fame: Laurie D. Cox (year inducted - 1957), Irving Lydecker (1960), Frederick A. Fitch (1961), Victor Ross (1962; a three-time All American), David Periard Sr. (1964), Evan Corbin Sr. (1965), Victor J. Jenkins (1967), William N. Ritch (1972), Louis Robbins (1975), Stewart Lindsay Jr. (1977), William L. Fuller (1982), Jim Brown (1984), Ron Fraser (1987), Roy Simmons Jr. (1991), Oren R. Lyons (1992), Dick Finley (1999), Brad Kotz (2001), Gary Gait (2005), Thomas Ortese (2005), Charlie Baduini (2021)and Pat McCabe (2006), Tim Nelson (2011) and Roy Colsey (2011) Only Johns Hopkins (63) and Maryland (31) have more inductees in the Hall of Fame.
One notable tradition of the Syracuse program is the number 22 jersey, which is given to the player who is expected to be the team's best overall player. The number has been worn by Gary Gait, Charlie Lockwood, Casey Powell, Ryan Powell, Mike Powell, Dan Hardy, Cody Jamieson, and most recently Jojo Marasco.
Read more about this topic: Syracuse Orange Men's Lacrosse
Famous quotes containing the word history:
“It’s a very delicate surgical operation—to cut out the heart without killing the patient. The history of our country, however, is a very tough old patient, and we’ll do the best we can.”
—Dudley Nichols, U.S. screenwriter. Jean Renoir. Sorel (Philip Merivale)
“The history of American politics is littered with bodies of people who took so pure a position that they had no clout at all.”
—Ben C. Bradlee (b. 1921)
“The second day of July 1776, will be the most memorable epoch in the history of America. I am apt to believe that it will be celebrated by succeeding generations as the great anniversary festival. It ought to be commemorated, as the day of deliverance, by solemn acts of devotion to God Almighty. It ought to be solemnized with pomp and parade, with shows, games, sports, guns, bells, bonfires and illuminations, from one end of this continent to the other, from this time forward forever more”
—John Adams (1735–1826)