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NC State Wolfpack men's lacrosse

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NC State Wolfpack men's lacrosse
Founded1973
UniversityNC State University
LocationRaleigh, North Carolina
ConferenceAtlantic Coast Conference
NicknameWolfpack
ColorsRed and white[1]
   
NCAA Tournament appearances
1979

The NC State Wolfpack men's lacrosse team represented North Carolina State University in NCAA Division I men's lacrosse from 1973 to 1982 and currently represents the university in the Southeast Lacrosse Conference. The team was disbanded as a varsity sport after the 1982 season.[2] The team currently competes in the Men's Collegiate Lacrosse Association Division I.

History

The first Wolfpack team, initially granted club status, was introduced in 1972 by Colonel Robert E. Conroy, a military science instructor. Conroy played college lacrosse at the University of Massachusetts Amherst from 1954 to 1956. The next year NC State approved varsity status, and began playing against a mix of club and varsity programs, ending with a record of 3–9. That year Colonel Conroy was transferred leaving a vacancy in the coaching position. His successor, Dr. Charles E. Patch, had never coached or seen a full game but did graduate from SUNY Cortland, one of the nation's premier lacrosse programs.[3]

With a new coach and only 4 of the 19 team members having lacrosse experience, the team went 1–13. After records of 7–7 and 8–8 in 1975 and 1976 respectively, the program began to gain some measure of success. In 1977 the team vaulted into the limelight of Division I college lacrosse with the recruitment of three time first-team All-American Stan Cockerton, who still ranks second in all-time NCAA career goals. That year the Wolfpack finished 10–4 with a No. 14 national ranking. Success continued the next year as NC State defeated perennial powerhouses North Carolina and Virginia to end up with a 9–4 record and a No. 9 national ranking. After that year, Dr. Patch resigned to continue the growth of the program, and ex-Virginia assistant coach Larry Gross was hired to take over. The Wolfpack would follow with an 8–4 record, a No. 6 national ranking, and its first and only NCAA tournament appearance.[4]

The tournament culminated in an early first round exit to eventual National Champion Johns Hopkins. In the next three years the team would go 6–5 in 1980, 7–4 and a No. 11 national rank in 1981, and finally 5–6 in the 1982 season. The team lost varsity status following 1982. Future national champion Tim Nelson was on the Wolfpack squad that final season, transferring to Syracuse where he led the team to a National Title in 1983.

Lacrosse was removed as a varsity sport due to several reasons as stated by the Athletic Department, including Title IX considerations. At the time of dropping the sport, there were no high school teams playing lacrosse in North Carolina and the recruiting would have to be done out of state. The only D1 programs in the state were UNC and Duke and the travel budget was very small. But the biggest factor in eliminating the sport was the lack of scholarships, without which the team could not competitively compete in the ACC. However Title IX compliance stands in the way of reinstating the program and the sport remains as a club team today playing in the Atlantic Lacrosse Conference of the MCLA.

Due to the expansion of the game throughout the country, there has been much more attention placed into the eventual reestablishment of the program as a varsity-level sport. However, funds remain an issue. As stated by former NC State Athletic Director Debbie Yow, "I have a personal appreciation for the sport of lacrosse. That said, I can not foresee a time when we would voluntarily add any sport. The current 23 varsity sports need and deserve our attention and financial support."[5]

Season Results

The following is a list of NC State's results by season as an NCAA Division I program:[6]

Season Coach Overall Conference Standing Postseason
Robert Conroy (Atlantic Coast Conference) (1973–1974)
1973 Robert Conroy 3–8 0–2 5th
Robert Conroy: 3–8 (.273) 0–2 (.000)
Charles Patch (Atlantic Coast Conference) (1974–1978)
1974 Charles Patch 1–10 0–2 5th
1975 Charles Patch 3–7 0–2 5th
1976 Charles Patch 5–8 0–2 5th
1977 Charles Patch 7–4 1–1 T–2nd
1978 Charles Patch 7–4 3–1 2nd
Charles Patch: 23–33 (.411) 4–8 (.333)
Larry Gross (Atlantic Coast Conference) (1979–1982)
1979 Larry Gross 8–4 2–2 3rd NCAA Division I Quarterfinals
1980 Larry Gross 6–5 2–2 T–3rd
1981 Larry Gross 7–4 1–3 4th
1982 Larry Gross 5–6 1–3 4th
Larry Gross: 26–19 (.578) 6–10 (.375)
Total: 52–60 (.464)

      National champion         Postseason invitational champion  
      Conference regular season champion         Conference regular season and conference tournament champion
      Division regular season champion       Division regular season and conference tournament champion
      Conference tournament champion

See also

References

  1. ^ NC State Athletics Brand Guide (PDF). January 11, 2023. Retrieved February 25, 2023.
  2. ^ Jackson, James H (Dec 24, 1982). "Lacrosse association accepts 9 new teams, North Carolina State has dropped lacrosse". The Baltimore Sun.
  3. ^ Friedlander, Brett (May 27, 2011). "N.C. State lacrosse gone, but not forgotten to former coach". Wilmington Star News.
  4. ^ Tanton, Bill (November 2, 2002). "The ACC's 5th Player". Lacrosse Magazine.
  5. ^ Friedlander, Brett (May 27, 2011). "N.C. State lacrosse gone, but not forgotten to former coach". Wilmington Star News.
  6. ^ "2019_ACC_MLacrosse_RecordBook (PDF) - Atlantic Coast Conference" (PDF). theacc.com. Retrieved 2020-04-10.
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