Harvard Crimson men's lacrosse

Harvard Crimson men's lacrosse
Founded1878; 146 years ago (1878)
UniversityHarvard University
Head coachGerry Byrne
StadiumJordan Field[1]
(capacity: 2,500)
LocationCambridge, Massachusetts
ConferenceIvy League
NicknameCrimson
ColorsCrimson, white, and black[2]
     
Pre-NCAA era championships
(13) - 1881, 1882, 1885, 1886, 1887, 1905, 1908, 1909, 1910, 1911, 1912, 1913, 1915
NCAA Tournament Quarterfinals
(3) - 1980, 1990, 1996
NCAA Tournament appearances
(7) - 1980, 1988, 1990, 1996, 2006, 2014, 2022
Conference regular season championships
(4) - 1964, 1980, 1990, 2014

The Harvard Crimson men's lacrosse team represents Harvard University in National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I men's lacrosse. Harvard competes as a member of the Ivy League and plays its home games at Cumnock Turf and Harvard Stadium in Cambridge, Massachusetts.[3]

History

19th century

Harvard lacrosse team of 1881

Harvard fielded its first lacrosse team in 1878,[3] and the following year, joined the United States National Amateur Lacrosse Association alongside New York University and nine club teams.[4] In 1881, Harvard defeated Princeton to win the first intercollegiate lacrosse tournament.[4][5]

In 1882, the Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association was formed, and the following season also inducted the newly established Yale lacrosse team.[4] Harvard and Princeton dominated the league throughout the 1880s,[4] and the Crimson claimed the title in 1882, 1885, 1886, and 1887.[3]

20th century

The United States Intercollegiate Lacrosse League (USILL) was formed in 1905, divided into a Northern Division and Southern Division. Championships were awarded in each division based on record and strength of schedule. Harvard was named the Northern Division champions six consecutive seasons from 1908 to 1913, and again in 1915.[4]

In 1941, Navy refused to play the integrated Harvard team, so its athletic director ordered home its one black player rather than forfeit the game.[6] The Crimson secured the Ivy League championship with the best league record in 1964*, 1980*, 1990*, and 2014* (* denotes title shared with at least one other team).[3] In 1971, the NCAA established the national championship tournament. Harvard made its first appearance in 1980, when it lost in the first round to Johns Hopkins, 16–12. The Crimson returned to the event in 1988 and were edged, 10–9, by Navy in the opening round. In 1990, Harvard won its first NCAA tournament game when it defeated Notre Dame, 9–3. In the quarterfinals, the Crimson were beaten handily, 18–3, by North Carolina. Harvard returned to the quarterfinals in 1996, after beating Hofstra, 15–12, and then fell to eventual national runners-up Virginia, 23–12.

21st century

After their 1996 appearance, the Crimson did not reach the tournament for another decade; when they were beaten in the 2006 first round by Syracuse, 11–4.[7]

Head coaches

Season results

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

Season Coach Overall Conference Standing Postseason
Bruce Munro (Ivy League) (1949–1974)
1971 Bruce Munro 8–3 4–2 3rd
1972 Bruce Munro 3–8 1–5 6th
1973 Bruce Munro 3–10 2–4 T–4th
1974 Bruce Munro 3–6 2–4 5th
Bruce Munro: 172–167–7 (.507) 37–63–1 (.371)
Bob Scalise (Ivy League) (1975–1987)
1975 Bob Scalise 4–7 1–5 6th
1976 Bob Scalise 10–5 3–3 T–3rd
1977 Bob Scalise 4–8 1–5 T–5th
1978 Bob Scalise 10–4 5–1 2nd
1979 Bob Scalise 10–4 4–2 T–2nd
1980 Bob Scalise 11–3 5–1 T–1st NCAA Division I Quarterfinals
1981 Bob Scalise 4–8 2–4 T–5th
1982 Bob Scalise 9–4 4–2 T–2nd
1983 Bob Scalise 6–8 1–5 6th
1984 Bob Scalise 8–6 3–3 4th
1985 Bob Scalise 3–11 0–6 7th
1986 Bob Scalise 9–5 4–2 T–2nd
1987 Bob Scalise 10–4 4–2 T–2nd
Bob Scalise: 98–77 (.560) 37–41 (.474)
Scott Anderson (Ivy League) (1988–2007)
1988 Scott Anderson 11–4 4–2 3rd NCAA Division I First Round
1989 Scott Anderson 7–7 2–4 T–5th
1990 Scott Anderson 12–3 5–1 T–1st NCAA Division I Quarterfinals
1991 Scott Anderson 3–10 2–4 T–5th
1992 Scott Anderson 4–9 1–5 6th
1993 Scott Anderson 7–8 2–4 T–5th
1994 Scott Anderson 5–8 2–4 5th
1995 Scott Anderson 8–5 4–2 3rd
1996 Scott Anderson 12–3 5–1 2nd NCAA Division I Quarterfinals
1997 Scott Anderson 8–6 4–2 T–2nd
1998 Scott Anderson 11–3 5–1 2nd
1999 Scott Anderson 3–10 1–5 7th
2000 Scott Anderson 7–6 3–3 T–3rd
2001 Scott Anderson 8–7 2–4 T–5th
2002 Scott Anderson 8–7 1–5 6th
2003 Scott Anderson 5–10 1–5 T–6th
2004 Scott Anderson 7–6 2–4 T–5th
2005 Scott Anderson 5–8 2–4 T–5th
2006 Scott Anderson 6–7 3–3 T–4th NCAA Division I First Round
2007 Scott Anderson 5–7 3–3 T–3rd
Scott Anderson: 142–134 (.514) 54–66 (.450)
John Tillman (Ivy League) (2008–2010)
2008 John Tillman 6–8 1–5 6th
2009 John Tillman 8–5 3–3 4th
2010 John Tillman 6–6 2–4 T–5th
John Tillman: 20–19 (.513) 6–12 (.333)
Chris Wojcik (Ivy League) (2011–2019)
2011 Chris Wojcik 10–6 3–3 T–3rd
2012 Chris Wojcik 6–8 2–4 5th
2013 Chris Wojcik 6–8 2–4 T–5th
2014 Chris Wojcik 10–7 5–1 T–1st NCAA Division I First Round
2015 Chris Wojcik 7–7 2–4 6th
2016 Chris Wojcik 8–8 3–3 4th
2017 Chris Wojcik 6–7 2–4 6th
2018 Chris Wojcik 7–6 2–4 6th
2019 Chris Wojcik 5–8 1–5 6th
Chris Wojcik: 65–65 (.500) 22–32 (.407)
Gerry Byrne (Ivy League) (2020–Present)
2020 Gerry Byrne 2–2 † † †
2021 Gerry Byrne 0–0 †† †† ††
2022 Gerry Byrne 8–5 3–3 T–4th NCAA Division I First Round
2023 Gerry Byrne 5–7 2–4 T–5th
2024 Gerry Byrne 8–5 2–4 T–5th
Gerry Byrne: 23–19 (.548) 5–13 (.278)
Total: 723–720–22 (.501)

      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.
†† Ivy League cancelled 2021 collegiate season due to the COVID-19 virus.

References

  1. ^ Men's lacrosse schedule (2024) on gocrimson.com
  2. ^ "Color Scheme" (PDF). Harvard Athletics Brand Identity Guide. July 27, 2021. Retrieved October 31, 2021.
  3. ^ a b c d 2010 Quick Facts, Harvard University, 2010, retrieved May 31, 2010.
  4. ^ a b c d e David G. Pietramala, Bob Scott, Lacrosse: Technique and Tradition, p. 12, Baltimore: JHU Press, 2006, ISBN 0-8018-8371-7.
  5. ^ I. B. Lydecker, LYDECKER TELLS HISTORY OF LACROSSE FROM TIME OF INDIAN TO PRESENT DAY; Coach of University Lacrosse Team Narrates Progress of Sport Since Medicine Men Were Umpires and Squaws Joined Cheering Section to Urge on Warriors, The Harvard Crimson, May 23, 1925, retrieved May 31, 2010.
  6. ^ Discomfort; With quiet grace, two black men change the heart of Harvard in 1941., The Boston Herald, December 12, 2004, retrieved May 31, 2010.
  7. ^ Official 2008 NCAA Men's and Women's Lacrosse Record Book (PDF), National Collegiate Athletic Association, retrieved May 30, 2010.