Laurie D. Cox

Cox was born in 1883 in Londonderry, Nova Scotia, and graduated from Bellows Falls High School in Vermont in 1900. He attended Acadia University, earning an AB Degree in 1903, and then graduated Harvard University with an SB Degree in Landscape Architecture in 1908. While at Harvard, Laurie played goalie for the freshman team in 1905 and the varsity lacrosse team in 1906-08, winning varsity letters in '07 and '08. Harvard won the title of the Northern Division of the Old Lacrosse League in 1908 after beating Cornell in a game which went to seven overtime periods. Laurie played goal, point, second defense and second attack during his playing days and was known as a great stick handler. While playing lacrosse at Harvard his senior year Laurie was also manager of the team and even at that early date showed his great promotional possibilities by working on other schools to start lacrosse. He finally arranged a game with Navy in 1908, which Harvard won 4-1.

Laurie introduced the game to Syracuse University in 1916 and coached its informal teams in 1916-17, then in 1918 lacrosse was made a minor sport at Syracuse and a major sport in 1920. Laurie continued as head coach until 1931. He was also coach of the All-American teams in International Series in 1930-35-37. During his career as head coach at Syracuse his team compiled undefeated records in 1922 and 1924 and was USILA champion or co-champion in 1920, 1922, 1924 and 1925.

In 1948, Laurie introduced lacrosse to New England College, where he was president and coached their team in 1948-49-50. He left there and upon returning in 1954 coached again in '54-'56-'57. His overall record including Syracuse, New England, and International series read as follows: 189 wins, 65 loses, and 5 ties.

Besides Laurie's great coaching career some of his other contributiions to lacrosse have been: officiating many games in his early days, member of the first Rules Committee set up in 1922 and continued on same until 1929, Chairman of International Committee 1922-26-30. Selected All-American Team in 1922 and continued to do so designing and furnishing the certificates until the first official All-American Committee was set up in 1933, on which he served as chairman for many years.

He was one of the leading landscape architects in the country, and was professor of landscape engineering and head of the department at Syracuse University from 1915-1947. From 1947-1950 and again from 1952-1956, he was president of New England College. He was a Fellow of the American Institute of Parks and an executive and a life member of the board of directors of the National Conference on State Parks. Laurie Cox passed away in 1968.