Syracuse Orange men's lacrosse

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 Syracuse. And Syracuse won the coaches national championship in 1956 lead by Jim brown there future head coach and goalie and future indigenous people’s rights activist Oren Lyons^[2]

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.

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.^[3]

The Orange's ten NCAA championship titles are the most since the NCAA began holding tournaments in 1971 NCAA Division I.^[4]

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.

Syracuse has had five men's lacrosse head coaches since 1916:^[5][6]

• 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), 21-19-0 record, .525 winning percentage

As of games through 03/29/24, these coaches have combined for a 933-371-16 record, which is a .707 winning percentage, while winning 15 total national titles.

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

Syracuse has also produced two Tewaaraton Trophy winners:

• Mike Powell (2002, 2004)
• Mike Leveille (2008)

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.

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)

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)

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.^[7] 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.^[8]

The following is a list of Syracuse’s Men's Lacrosse results by season:

* - No games played due to World War II.

^† - NCAA canceled 2020 collegiate activities due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

• Johns Hopkins–Syracuse lacrosse rivalry
• Cornell–Syracuse lacrosse rivalry
• Hobart–Syracuse lacrosse rivalry
• Virginia–Syracuse lacrosse rivalry
• NCAA Men's Lacrosse Championship
• NCAA Division I men's lacrosse records
• USILA

• Fisher, Donald M. 2002. Lacrosse: A History of the Game. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press. ISBN 978-1421400440

• Official website