Dick Edell, the National Lacrosse Hall of Fame coach affectionately known as “Big Man,” died early Wednesday morning after being hospitalized with aspiration pneumonia in Howard County, Md. He was 74.
Edell suffered from inclusion body myositis, a degenerative muscle disease that confined him to a wheelchair in the later years of his life. He retired from coaching in 2001 at age 57. Edell is most known for his 18-year stint at Maryland (1984-2001), where he led the Terps to three ACC championships and 13 NCAA tournament appearances — including seven final fours and three national runner-up finishes (1995, 1997 and 1998).
Before Maryland, Edell coached for seven seasons at Army, leading the Black Knights to the NCAA tournament three times, and for four seasons at the University of Baltimore, a Division II program that he also guided to four NCAA bids. He also coached UB’s soccer team, which he led to the 1975 NCAA championship.
All told, Edell amassed 282 career wins, ranking fifth among all college coaches at the time of his retirement.