Army Black Knights men's lacrosse

Last updated
Army Black Knights
Army West Point logo.svg
Founded1907
UniversityUnited States Military Academy
Head coachJoe Alberici (since 2006 season)
Stadium Michie Stadium
(capacity: 40,000)
Location West Point, New York
Conference Patriot League
Nickname Black Knights
ColorsBlack, gold, and gray [1]
     
Pre-NCAA era championships
1923, 1944, 1945, 1951, 1958, 1959, 1961, 1969
NCAA Tournament Final Fours
1971, 1984
NCAA Tournament Quarterfinals
1971, 1972, 1973, 1978, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1993, 2010, 2023
NCAA Tournament appearances
(18) 1971, 1972, 1973, 1978, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1987, 1993, 1996, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2010, 2019, 2023
Conference Tournament championships
2010, 2019, 2023
Conference regular season championships
1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2002, 2003, 2005, 2008, 2010, 2017, 2023, 2024
Brandon Butler against Syracuse in 2010 Army-Syracuse lacrosse 2010.jpg
Brandon Butler against Syracuse in 2010

The Army Black Knights men's lacrosse team represents the United States Military Academy (USMA, commonly known as "West Point") in National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I men's lacrosse competition. During the team's 92-year history, it has won eight national championships and made fifteen postseason NCAA tournament appearances. The team currently holds the fifth-most wins of any team, with an all-time record of 705–332–7. [2] [3]

Contents

History

The first Army lacrosse game was played in 1907 against Stevens Tech. The Cadets won that season's only contest, 3–1. In 1909 and 1910, Army again fielded a lacrosse team, which mostly played local high school and club teams, but also a game each against Stevens Tech and Columbia. In those first three seasons, Army won all ten games it played. In 1921, lacrosse returned to West Point for good. After a 2–3 mark that season, the Cadets improved to 6–1 the following year, which was the start to a 33-year streak of winning seasons. In 1923, Army finished with an 8–1–1 record and was named the national championship team by the United States Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association (USILA). [2]

In 1929, F. Morris Touchstone became the head coach. He remained in that post for 29 years and became Army's all-time winningest head coach in terms of wins with a record of 214–73–4 and winning percentage of 0.743. During this period, the lacrosse and football teams were closely connected and shared many personnel, as football players found the sport an excellent way to remain physically fit during the off-season. In both 1944 and 1945, Army won national championships in lacrosse and football. [2]

Bill Carpenter, the "Lonesome End" and a future Distinguished Service Cross recipient, continued the tradition as both a football and lacrosse star. After Touchstone's death, James F. Adams took over as head coach in 1958, and in that first season, led the Cadets to their first perfect record since 1910 and the national championship. He stayed on for 12 years and compiled three more shared titles and a winning percentage of 0.777. In 1961, Adams was named the national Coach of the Year. [2]

Army versus Rutgers in 2010 Army-Rutgers lacrosse 2010 1.jpg
Army versus Rutgers in 2010

Adams was replaced by Al Pisano. In 1971, the NCAA became the awarding authority for the lacrosse national championship and instituted the NCAA tournament. Army participated in each of the first three events. In the inaugural tournament, the Cadets routed Hofstra in order to advance to the final four, where Cornell edged them by one goal. Dick Edell replaced Pisano, and served for seven years before leaving to become Maryland's long-time coach. [4]

During the 1980s, Army appeared in six NCAA tournaments, including five consecutive ones starting in 1981. In 1984, Jack Emmer became head coach, and Army advanced to the final four, before being eliminated by Syracuse. The 1993 team finished with a 12–4 record, which included a defeat of Maryland in the first round of the NCAA tournament. In 1991, Army joined the Patriot League, and won its first 25 consecutive conference games, a league record. [4] In 1999, the athletic teams, formerly known as the "Cadets", officially changed their name to the "Black Knights". [5]

Rob McCallion midfielder in action against Navy during the 2009 Day of Rivals. ArmyNavyLax2009.JPG
Rob McCallion midfielder in action against Navy during the 2009 Day of Rivals.

Army made three straight NCAA tournament appearances from 2003 to 2005. The following season, former assistant coach Joe Alberici returned to West Point to assume the head job. That year, the Black Knights finished as runners-up in the Patriot League and narrowly missed a tournament berth. In 2008, Army earned the conference regular season championship and Alberici was named the Patriot League Coach of the Year. [4]

Home stadium

Army currently plays its home games at Michie Stadium, which is also the homefield of the football team and has an official capacity of 40,000. Prior to that, Army lacrosse used "The Plain" (the main parade ground), Clinton Field, Daly Field, and Shea Stadium. [2]

Championships

From 1934 through 1970, the United States Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association (USILA) awarded the Wingate Memorial Trophy to the NCAA Division I annual champion, based on regular-season records. Since 1971, the annual NCAA Men's Lacrosse Championship tournament has determined the top team in NCAA Division I lacrosse. Army has been awarded eight national championships, but none since the implementation of the NCAA tournament.

YearNational championshipsCoachRecord
1923 USILA Championship Talbot Hunter8–1–1
1944 Wingate Trophy F. Morris Touchstone6–2
1945Wingate Trophy (with Navy)F. Morris Touchstone5–1–1
1951Wingate Trophy (with Princeton)F. Morris Touchstone8–2
1958Wingate TrophyJames F. Adams9–0
1959Wingate Trophy (with Johns Hopkins)James F. Adams8–2
1961Wingate Trophy (with Navy)James F. Adams9–2
1969Wingate Trophy (with Johns Hopkins)James F. Adams10–1

Season results

The following is a list of Army's results by season as an NCAA Division I program:

SeasonCoachOverallConferenceStandingPostseason
Al Pisano (Independent)(1970–1976)
1971Al Pisano 11–2 NCAA Division I Final Four
1972Al Pisano 10–4 NCAA Division I Quarterfinals
1973Al Pisano 6–5 NCAA Division I Quarterfinals
1974Al Pisano 3–7
1975Al Pisano 5–5
1976Al Pisano 6–6
Al Pisano:48–32 (.600)
Dick Edell (Independent)(1977–1983)
1977Dick Edell 8–3
1978Dick Edell 10–3 NCAA Division I Quarterfinals
1979Dick Edell 10–3
1980Dick Edell 8–4
1981Dick Edell 10–4 NCAA Division I Quarterfinals
1982Dick Edell 9–4 NCAA Division I Quarterfinals
1983Dick Edell 11–3 NCAA Division I Quarterfinals
Dick Edell:66–24 (.733)
Jack Emmer (Independent)(1984–1990)
1984Jack Emmer 11–3 NCAA Division I Final Four
1985Jack Emmer 10–4 NCAA Division I Quarterfinals
1986Jack Emmer 6–6
1987Jack Emmer 10–5 NCAA Division I First Round
1988Jack Emmer 7–7
1989Jack Emmer 5–9
1990Jack Emmer 4–9
Jack Emmer (Patriot League)(1991–2005)
1991Jack Emmer 10–45–01st
1992Jack Emmer 10–45–01st
1993Jack Emmer 12–45–01st NCAA Division I Quarterfinals
1994Jack Emmer 8–75–01st
1995Jack Emmer 6–85–01st
1996Jack Emmer 10–54–12nd NCAA Division I First Round
1997Jack Emmer 9–55–01st
1998Jack Emmer 7–75–01st
1999Jack Emmer 8–64–1T–1st
2000Jack Emmer 8–74–23rd
2001Jack Emmer 8–64–23rd
2002Jack Emmer 8–65–1T–1st
2003Jack Emmer 8–85–1T–1st NCAA Division I First Round
2004Jack Emmer 10–54–3T–3rd NCAA Division I First Round
2005Jack Emmer 11–65–1T–1st NCAA Division I First Round
Jack Emmer:186–88 (.679)70–12 (.854)
Joe Alberici (Patriot League)(2006–Present)
2006Joe Alberici 8–74–2T–3rd
2007Joe Alberici 6–93–34th
2008Joe Alberici 9–65–1T–1st
2009Joe Alberici 6–102–4T–4th
2010Joe Alberici 11–66–01st NCAA Division I Quarterfinals
2011Joe Alberici 9–64–23rd
2012Joe Alberici 7–84–23rd
2013Joe Alberici 8–64–23rd
2014Joe Alberici 9–57–12nd
2015Joe Alberici 10–74–45th
2016Joe Alberici 10–75–3T–3rd
2017Joe Alberici 12–46–2T–1st
2018Joe Alberici 5–82–6T–7th
2019Joe Alberici 13–55–3T–2nd NCAA Division I First Round
2020Joe Alberici 6–22–0
2021 Joe Alberici 7–45–21st (North)
2022 Joe Alberici 12–46–2T–2nd
2023Joe Alberici 13–47–1T–1st NCAA Division I Quarterfinals
2024Joe Alberici 11–36–2T–1st
Joe Alberici:171–111 (.606)87–42 (.674)
Total:848–411–7 (.673)

      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

†NCAA canceled 2020 collegiate activities due to the COVID-19 virus.

See also

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References

  1. Army Brand Guidelines (PDF). April 13, 2015. Retrieved June 28, 2020.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 2009 Army Lacrosse Media Guide [ permanent dead link ], Army Athletic Communications, United States Military Academy, p. 78, 2009.
  3. Army Black Knights (M): 2009 Schedule Archived May 12, 2009, at the Wayback Machine , Inside Lacrosse , retrieved May 12, 2009.
  4. 1 2 3 Media guide, p. 79.
  5. SI Wire (April 7, 2015). "Army athletics dropping Black Knights nickname". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved August 27, 2019.