The Syracuse Orange men's lacrosse team represents Syracuse University in NCAA Division I men's college lacrosse. The Orange have won 15 national championship titles, and currently compete as a member of the Atlantic Coast Conference men's lacrosse conference. Syracuse plays its home games at the JMA Wireless Dome in Syracuse, New York.
History
Syracuse played its first intercollegiate lacrosse game in 1916, and captured United States Intercollegiate Lacrosse League (USILL) co-championships in 1920, 1922, 1924, and 1925 based on winning the Northern Division. It would claim 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 one 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.
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 five men's lacrosse head coaches since 1916:
Laurie D. Cox (1916–1930), 116-40-15 record, .722 winning percentage
Roy Simmons, Sr. (1931–1970), 253-130-1 record, .660 winning percentage
Roy Simmons, Jr. (1971–1998), 287-96-0 record, .749 winning percentage
John Desko (1999–2021), 258-86-0 record, .750 winning percentage
Gary Gait (2021–present), 12-17-0 record, 41.38 winning percentage,
, those coaches combined for a 919-362-16 record, which is a .714 winning percentage, with 15 total national titles.
Individual honors and awards
USILA All-Americans
Twelve Syracuse Orange men's lacrosse players have been four-time United States Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association 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 (1997-2000) Michael Springer (2000–03) Mike Powell (2001–04)
Tewaaraton Trophy
Syracuse has also produced two Tewaaraton Trophy winners:
Mike Powell (2002, 2004) Mike Leveille (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:
Laurie D. Cox (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) John Desko (1979) William L. Fuller (1982) Jim Brown (1984) Ron Fraser (1987) Roy Simmons Jr. (1991) Oren R. Lyons, Jr. (1992) Dick Finley (1999) Brad Kotz (2001) Gary Gait (2005) Thomas Ortese (2005) Pat McCabe (2006) Tim Nelson (2011) Roy Colsey (2011) John Zulberti (2015)
Only Johns Hopkins (63) and Maryland (31) have more inductees in the Hall of Fame.
Canadian Lacrosse Hall of Fame
At least three former Syracuse Orange men's lacrosse player has been inducted in the Canadian Lacrosse Hall of Fame: Tom Marechek (2012) Gary Gait (2014) Paul Gait (2014)
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, Jordan Evans, Chase Scanlan, and most currently Joey Spallina.
Season Results
The following is a list of Syracuse’s Men's Lacrosse results by season:
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