BALTIMORE -- US Lacrosse has announced that John Desko, head coach at Syracuse University, has been appointed head coach for the 2006 U.S. Men’s National Team. The U.S. will compete in the 2006 International Lacrosse Federation World Championship in Canada.
“We’re ecstatic with the selection of John Desko,” said Jody Martin, Men’s Division Director of US Lacrosse. “His championship track record speaks for itself and he brings an exciting, high-energy style to the team. We’re very pleased to have someone like him coach at the highest level of our national teams program as we defend our world championship in 2006.”
“I think the committee did a great job selecting an outstanding coach,” said Dave Urick, chair of the coach selection committee and the head coach at Georgetown University. “We’re pretty excited to have a coach like John Desko picking up the mantle and taking on the challenge.”
Three assistant coaches will be announced in January 2005 and team player tryouts will be held in June 2005 at the University of Maryland-Baltimore County.
Desko led Syracuse past Navy 14-13 last May to win the NCAA Division I championship before 43,898 fans at Baltimore’s M&T Bank Stadium. It was his third national championship in six seasons as the Syracuse coach. He has a career record of 80-19 as a head coach and has guided Syracuse to six consecutive NCAA semifinal appearances, extending the school’s amazing string to 22 straight final fours. Three of Desko’s Syracuse players—Josh Coffman, John Glatzel and Michael Powell—were members of the U.S. team that won the ILF championship in 2002.
A graduate of Syracuse University, Desko earned All-America honors on defense as a senior in 1979. He helped the Orange to its first NCAA tournament appearance that year. He joined the coaching staff the following season and helped the team capture six national championships in his 19 seasons as an assistant. Desko was inducted into the US Lacrosse Upstate New York Chapter Hall of Fame in 1997.
The 2006 ILF World Championship will be held in London, Ontario from July 13-22. The U.S. has won six consecutive world championships and eight of the nine ILF championships held since 1967. The only time the U.S. has lost in ILF outdoor championship play was the 1978 final against Canada.
US Lacrosse, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, is the national governing body for men's and women's lacrosse. Warrior Lacrosse is the official exclusive equipment supplier to the U.S. Men’s National Team Program.
