Syracuse Orange men's lacrosse

History

Syracuse played its first intercollegiate lacrosse game in 1916, and captured its first United States Intercollegiate Lacrosse League (USILL) co-championship in 1920 based on winning its division. It would go on to claim USILL championships in 1922, 1924, and 1925 and a coaches' poll national championship in 1957.

The men's lacrosse team competed as independents until 2010 when the former Big East Conference began sponsoring men's lacrosse. It joined the Atlantic Coast Conference from the 2014 season onwards following the athletics program's switch to the ACC.

NCAA national championships

In the modern NCAA era, Syracuse has won 10 national championship titles, in 1983, 1988, 1989, 1993, 1995, 2000, 2002, 2004, 2008, and 2009, with an additional 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 ten NCAA championship titles are the most since the NCAA began holding tournaments in 1971 NCAA Division I. Johns Hopkins University's forty-four overall national championships, including nine during the NCAA era, is still the pace-setter.

Big East lacrosse

Syracuse was 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 were Georgetown, Notre Dame, Providence, Rutgers, St. John's, and Villanova.

Head coaches

Syracuse has had four men's lacrosse head coaches since 1916:

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

John Desko (1999–present), 102-38-0 record, .729 winning percentage

As of 2010, those coaches combined for an 806-309-15 record, which is a .723 winning percentage, with 14 total national titles.

USILA All-Americans

Twelve Syracuse Orange men's lacrosse players have been four-time United States Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association All-Americans:

Tewaaraton Trophy

Syracuse has also produced two Tewaaraton Trophy winners:

Mike Powell (2002, 2004)

[Kody Kindle] (2008)

US Lacrosse Hall of Fame

Twenty-three Orange men's lacrosse players and coaches are enshrined in the United States Lacrosse Hall of Fame:

Only Johns Hopkins (63) and Maryland (31) have more inductees in the Hall of Fame.

Canadian Lacrosse Hall of Fame

At least one former Syracuse Orange men's lacrosse player has been inducted in the Canadian Lacrosse Hall of Fame:

Tom Marechek (2012)

National Lacrosse League Hall of Fame

Several former Syracuse Orange men's lacrosse players have been inducted into the National Lacrosse League Hall of Fame:

Gary Gait (2006)

Paul Gait (2006)

Tom Marechek (2007)

Traditions

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, Jojo Marasco and most recently Jordan Evans.

Annual Record Men's Lacrosse

⁽¹⁾ Laxpower Power Rating ⁽²⁾ Lost NCAA 1st round 14-8 to Bryant. ⁽³⁾ Won NCAA 1st round 13-12 over Bucknell. Won quarterfinal 13-9 over Cornell. Won semifinal 14-8 over Denver. Lost to Duke in NCAA Finals 16-10. ⁽⁴⁾ Lost NCAA 1st round 12-9 to Duke. ⁽⁵⁾ Won NCAA 1st round 18-4 over Mount Saint Mary's. Lost quarterfinal 6-5 to Maryland. ⁽⁶⁾ Lost NCAA 1st round 9-8 to Army. ⁽⁷⁾ Won NCAA 1st round 11-4 over Siena. Won quarterfinal 11-6 over Maryland. Won semifinal 17-7 over Duke.
Defeated Cornell in NCAA Finals 10-9 to win National Title. ⁽⁸⁾ Won NCAA 1st round 20-3 over Canisius. Won quarterfinal 11-9 over Notre Dame. Won semifinal 12-11 over Virginia.
Defeated Johns Hopkins in NCAA Finals 13-10 to win National Title. ⁽⁹⁾ Won NCAA 1st round 11-4 over Harvard. Won quarterfinal 13-12 over Johns Hopkins. Lost semifinal 17-10 to Virginia. ⁽¹⁰⁾ Lost NCAA 1st round 16-15 to Massachusetts. ⁽¹¹⁾ Won NCAA 1st round 21-13 over Albany. Won quarterfinal 8-7 over Georgetown. Won semifinal 15-9 over Johns Hopkins.
Defeated Navy in NCAA Finals 14-13 to win National Title. ⁽¹²⁾ Won NCAA 1st round 13-11 over Dartmouth. Won quarterfinal 15-5 over Princeton. Lost semifinal 19-8 to Johns Hopkins. ⁽¹³⁾ Won quarterfinal 10-9 over Duke. Won semifinal 12-11 over Virginia.
Defeated Princeton in NCAA Finals 13-12 to win National Title. ⁽¹⁴⁾ Won quarterfinal 18-13 over Hofstra. Won semifinal 12-5 over Notre Dame. Lost to Princeton in NCAA Finals 10-9. ⁽¹⁵⁾ Won NCAA quarterfinal 17-13 over Georgetown. Won semifinal 14-12 over Johns Hopkins.
Defeated Princeton in NCAA Finals 13-7 to win National Title.