The lacrosse world has lost an icon.
Dave Urick, a National Lacrosse Hall of Fame coach who led Hobart to an unprecedented 10 consecutive NCAA Division III men’s lacrosse championships and only added to his legacy with a successful 23-year run at Georgetown, has died at age 75.
A 1970 graduate of coach factory Cortland State, Urick had a career spanning more than 40 years. He started as an assistant football and lacrosse coach at Hobart in 1971.
After helping Hobart to three national championships as an assistant coach in the 1970s, Urick was co-head coach of the Statesmen in 1979 and took over as head coach in 1980. He led the Statesmen to the inaugural NCAA Division III championship in 1980 and proceeded to win 10 straight championships before leaving in 1990 to take over as the head coach at Georgetown.
All told, the Statesmen won 12 straight Division III titles from 1980-1991 — the last two coming under Urick disciple B.J. O’Hara. They added to their championship haul in 1993, punctuating a historic run of 15 national titles in 18 years.
Urick’s record at the school was 129-33, including a 90-3 mark against Division III opponents. His teams produced 40 All-Americans, including nine national players of the year. He was inducted into Hobart’s Hall of Fame in 1990, a year after he left for Georgetown.
Over a 23-year career at Georgetown, Urick had a record of 223-99 and led the Hoyas to 11 straight NCAA Division I tournament appearances from 1997 to 2007, including the school’s first semifinal appearance (1999).
He retired following the 2012 season and amassed a 352-132 (.727) record in 33 years as a head coach at Georgetown and Hobart.
Urick also helped lead the U.S. Men's National Team to two world championships, serving as an assistant coach in 1982 and the head coach in 1986. His son, Scott, played for him at Georgetown and later played on the U.S. team.
Urick was a graduate of Cortland State where he played defense on the lacrosse team and was also a two-time captain in football.
Urick was inducted into the National Lacrosse Hall of Fame in 1998 and has been enshrined in numerous other halls as well. Several of his former players also have been inducted into the National Lacrosse Hall of Fame, including Class of 2024 inductee Brodie Merrill, who will be enshrined Jan. 11 in Baltimore.
