B.J. O'Hara Joins Men's Lacrosse Staff as a Volunteer Assistant Coach
1/25/2002 6:10:02 PM | Men's Lacrosse
Syracuse University head men's lacrosse coach John Desko announced today that B.J. O'Hara will join the Orangemen coaching staff as a volunteer assistant coach. He replaces John Zulberti, who held the position of volunteer assistant during the 2001 season.
"We feel quite fortunate to gain a coach of B.J.'s caliber and experience," Desko said. "I expect that he will have an immediate impact on our program."
O'Hara served as the head men's lacrosse coach at Hobart College from 1990-2001. At Hobart he compiled a 97-63 overall record and guided the program through its transition from an NCAA Division III power to an NCAA Division I tournament qualifier. He led the Statesmen to three NCAA Division III Championships (1990, 1991 and 1993), the program's first-ever NCAA Division I Tournament berth in 1998, and the Patriot League Championship and NCAA Tournament in 2000.
Prior to Hobart, O'Hara was the head men's lacrosse coach and head women's soccer coach at Dartmouth College for three seasons (1987-1989). He also served as head lacrosse coach at Alfred University in 1980.
O'Hara began his coaching career in 1976 as an assistant coach at West Genesee High School. He moved on to the collegiate ranks as an assistant coach at North Carolina State during the 1978-79 academic year. In 1981, O'Hara worked as an assistant coach at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, before moving back to Hobart, his alma mater, to serve as assistant coach from 1982-86.
In 1995, O'Hara was inducted into the Upstate New York Lacrosse Foundation Hall of Fame. In 1998, he was inducted into the Hobart College Hall of Fame.
The addition of O'Hara makes the Syracuse coaching staff perhaps the most experienced staff in the country. Between the four coaches, there is a combined 89 years of experience (Desko - 22 years, Roy Simmons III - 21 years, Kevin Donahue - 20 years and O'Hara - 26 years). Those figures include high school coaching experience.
