University Yale University Coach Andy Shay (since 2003) Colors Yale Blue and White Home ground Reese Stadium | Location New Haven, Connecticut Nickname Bulldogs Conference Ivy League | |
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Founded 1882; 135 years ago (1882) | ||
The Yale Bulldogs men's lacrosse team represents Yale University in National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I men's lacrosse. Yale competes as a member of the Ivy League and plays their home games at Reese Stadium in New Haven, Connecticut. The Bulldogs have captured the Ivy League championship five times. Yale is credited, alongside Harvard and Princeton, with the 1883 national championship.
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History
The first Yale lacrosse team was fielded in 1882 and joined the Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association the following year. The 1978 varsity team, coached by Bob McHenry, backed by the strong defensive efforts of John "Sandy" MacMullen, Mike Burns and Captain Brad Gano, and fueled offensively by Andy Murr, Mike Cromwell, John Piazza, Courtney Whitney, Mike Corcoran, Kevin Connolly and Brian Matthews, among others, was one of Yale's most colorful and exciting teams to watch in action.
Their record suffered, however, as the hotly recruited center midfielder, Todd "Tedious" LaRoche ('78), high scorer for Roger Ludlowe's varsity lacrosse team in 1974, did not play beyond his freshman year at Yale. LaRoche was the only player in Ludlowe history to score three consecutive single-handed goals from the face-off.
Yale has made six appearances in the NCAA tournament since its establishment in 1971. Their first appearance was in 1988, when they were eliminated in double overtime by Virginia, 10–9. In 1990, Yale earned a first-round bye, and then defeated Princeton, 17–9, for their first NCAA tournament win. The Bulldogs fell in the semifinals to Loyola, 14–13 in double overtime. Yale returned to the NCAA tournament in 1992, advancing through the first round with a win against Navy, 9–3, before being eliminated by Syracuse, 17–8.
Yale finished the 2010 season with a 10–4 record, but an Ivy League tournament semifinal loss to Princeton and a weak RPI kept them out of the NCAA field. The team finished the season ranked 18th in the Nike/Inside Lacrosse Men's Division I Media Poll.