Dave Pietramala - Men's Lacrosse Coach - Syracuse University Athletics

Dave Pietramala

Title:
Assistant Coach
Email:
sulax@syr.edu
Phone:
4390

The greatest offensive player in lacrosse has tapped the game's most heralded defender to be his assistant coach, as Syracuse head coach Gary Gait announced Dave Pietramala will join his coaching staff on Monday, June 14, 2021.

"I want to thank John Wildhack and Gary Gait for this opportunity," Pietramala said. "I'm so excited to work with Gary and be on the same team as him. I've always had great respect for this program, its tradition and the fan support Syracuse has. I'm looking forward to being part of all that, getting to know the players and getting to work."

Pietramala – one of the best defensemen to ever play the sport – brings over 30 years of coaching experience to the Syracuse staff. Most recently, he spent 20 seasons as the head coach at Johns Hopkins, where he guided the Blue Jays to two NCAA Championships, seven final fours and became the program's all-time winningest coach (207-93).

He spent last season working for Legendary Sports Group. "I want to thank Legendary Sports Group, Brendan Kelly and Dave Cottle for allowing me to stay involved in the sport and I appreciate the opportunity they gave me," Pietramala said.

Pietramala fills out Syracuse's full-time coaching staff as Gait retained Pat March as an assistant coach as well. March is entering his third season with the Orange.

"I'm thrilled to welcome Dave to the staff here at Syracuse," Gait said. "He's a phenomenal coach and we're fortunate that he's bringing his experience and track record of success to Syracuse."

Pietramala returned to his alma mater, Johns Hopkins prior to the 2001 season, where he immediately led them to Championship Weekend four times in his first-five seasons. The Blue Jays won the National Championship in 2005 and 2007 under his watch.

Prior to taking over at Hopkins, Pietramala spent three seasons as the head coach at Cornell. With the Big Red, he oversaw a quick turnaround, leading them to a 23-17 record, the first NCAA Tournament appearance in five years, and just their second in over a decade when the 2000 team made it.

Pietramala also had assistant coaching stints Gilman, Johns Hopkins, Penn and Loyola before securing his first head coaching job with the Big Red in 1998. He has mentored over 100 All-Americans in his career, including 98 in his head coaching tenure alone.

As a player, he is known as one of the best defensemen ever. He led the Blue Jays to the 1987 NCAA Championship and the 1989 title game, where they fell to Syracuse in what is widely considered to be one of the best championship games ever. He was the recipient of the Schmeisser Award as the nation's outstanding defenseman in 1988 and 1989 and earned the Lt. Raymond J. Enners Award as the nation's most outstanding player in 1989, as well.

It was Pietramala who interrupted Gait's stretch of what could have been three-straight national player of the year awards. Gait won the Enners Award in 1988 and 1990.

Pietramala also played in the club ranks with Mt. Washington and professionally in the Major Indoor Lacrosse League. He was inducted into the National Lacrosse Hall of Fame in 2004.

Most recently, Pietramala was selected as the recipient of the 2020 Tewaaraton Legends Award, which he will receive at the annual Tewaaraton Foundation awards ceremony on May 28, 2020.

Pietramala is the only person in the history of college lacrosse to win a Division I national championship as both a player and a head coach, something Gait is aiming to become the second person to do.