WASHINGTON - Georgetown University long-time men's lacrosse head coach Dave Urick announced today that he will step down after 23 years at the helm of the Hoya program. Urick will remain on the Hilltop to serve as Special Assistant to the Athletics Director.
"Dave Urick has been a great ambassador for Georgetown University and he has guided our men's lacrosse program to the top of the sport nationally," Reed said. "He is an icon in the sport and his legacy on the Hilltop will last for years to come. Dave brought our program from the ground up and made it one of the best in the country, both on the field and off. We're grateful for all that he has done for men's lacrosse and Georgetown University and I'm happy that we will have him here as a resource."
Under Urick's guidance, Georgetown advanced to the NCAA Tournament in 11-consecutive seasons between 1997 and 2007. During that stretch, the Hoyas advanced to the NCAA Quarterfinals nine times, including six-straight seasons. In 1999, the Hoyas advanced all the way to the NCAA semifinals, the best finish ever in the history of Georgetown lacrosse.
Urick's career at Georgetown concludes with a 23-year record of 223-99, including a school record 13 wins in 1999. His teams won at least 10 games on 12 occasions, posted winning records in 21 of 23 seasons and finished with a .500 record or better since he took over as head coach in 1990, the only winning seasons in the program's 37-year history of Division I competition.
The Hoyas were ranked in the top 10 of the final United States Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association (USILA) Top 20 Poll in 12 of the last 16 years. After beating Maryland in the 2007 season opener, Georgetown was ranked No. 1 in the county in the USILA Top 20 poll. It was only the second time in program history, and the first since 2003, the team was ranked No. 1 in the country.
Urick came to Georgetown after spending 10 years as the head coach at Hobart College. During his tenure at Hobart, Urick amassed a 122-30 record and won 10-consecutive NCAA Division III titles. He is one of only four coaches in the history of the NCAA to have won 10-consecutive national titles. In 33 seasons as a head coach at the collegiate level, Urick posted an impressive record of 345-129 for a .733 winning percentage. Urick retires ranked third all-time in coaching victories (345) and third in winning percentage (.728).
He earned his 250th career-coaching win vs. Manhattan in the NCAA Tournament on May 12, 2002, and earned his 300th against Fairfield on April 7, 2007. Following the 2010 season Urick was named the USILA Howdy Myers Man of the Year in recognition for his contributions to the game.
In 33 seasons as a head coach, Urick had 102 different players earn All-America accolades. All 65 of Georgetown's All-Americans have come under the tutelage of Urick. Attackman Greg McCavera became the first GU player to garner First Team All-America honors in 1999 and five other Hoyas have earned that distinction since, Steve Dusseau (2001, 2002), Kyle Sweeney (2002), Brodie Merrill (2004, 2005), Walid Hajj (2004) and Jerry Lambe (2008). In 2005, Merrill became only the second Georgetown player, joining Dusseau, to earn two first team honors.
Urick twice earned league coach of the year honors (ECAC Coach of the Year in 2000 and 2007) and had 63 players earn all-league honors, first in the ECAC and then in the BIG EAST. His players won Offensive Player of the Year five times, Defensive Player of the Year six times and two players were named league Rookie of the Year.
In addition, Urick has had 53 of his players participate in the prestigious North-South All-Star Game. All but two of the 36 Georgetown players to participate in the North-South Game played under Urick. Urick coached in the North-South All-Star Game in 1984 and 1992 and took the helm of the South squad again in 2004.
Urick-coached players have also had a major impact on the international stage. At the 2006 International Lacrosse Federation World Championships, Merrill, who was named the tournament's Outstanding Defensive Player, led the Canadian National Team to a 15-10 win over the United States in the championship game. Team USA's roster included Sweeney and Urick's son, Scott. During the summer of 2008, then-Hoya Craig Dowd was named the Most Outstanding Attackman, and Bobby Boyle helped lead the United States U-19 to the World Championship.
Urick has been inducted to four Halls of Fame for his contributions to lacrosse as a coach. The latest induction was to the Potomac Chapter of the United States Lacrosse Hall of Fame on January 22, 2005 and prior to that he was inducted into the National Lacrosse Hall of Fame on July 23, 1998. On October 6, 1990, Urick was inducted into the Hobart College Athletic Hall of Fame. He was also inducted into the Hall of Fame of the Upstate New York Lacrosse Foundation Chapter in February of 1991.
Prior to his 10 years as the mentor of the Hobart lacrosse team, Urick served eight seasons as assistant coach and helped Hobart win back-to-back NCAA Championships in 1976 and 1977. Also in 1977, Urick took the helm of the Statesmen's football team and won Coach of the Year honors in the Independent College Athletic Conference in his first season, as he guided the team to a 7-2 mark. He served as Hobart's head football coach until 1981.
A 1970 graduate of Cortland State, Urick was an All-ECAC linebacker as well as captain of both the football and lacrosse teams as a senior. He was inducted into Cortland State's Athletic Hall of Fame in 1986 and was the recipient of the Distinguished Alumnus Award in 1980.
One of Urick's many honors in the lacrosse world was being selected to serve as head coach of the 1986 Team USA, which won the gold medal at the World Games in Toronto. He served as an assistant on the 1982 USA team that won the gold medal and is the current Chair of the USA Team Coaches Selection Committee. In 1980 and 1981, Urick was the recipient of the United States Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association's Francis L. "Babe" Kraus Award as the Coach of the Year. Urick is a former Chairman and member of the NCAA Men's Lacrosse Committee and the USILA Rules Advisory Committee.
A national search for a new head coach will begin immediately.