Syracuse University

GARY GAIT was recently named the new men’s lacrosse coach at Syracuse University. Widely considered to be the greatest player in lacrosse history, Gait becomes just the fifth head coach for the 107th year of Syracuse men’s lacrosse, replacing Hall of Fame head coach John Desko, who announced his retirement. Gait took the job after a 14-year stint as the head coach of the Orange’s women’s lacrosse program. A three-time NCAA champion, Gait led Syracuse’s most dominant stretch in program history, losing just one game in three seasons from 1988-90. He is a two-time recipient of the Lt. Raymond J. Enners Award, presented annually to the nation’s most outstanding player, and was the NCAA championship most outstanding player. At the professional level as a player, Gait has won three NLL titles (1991, 1994, 1995), three MLL titles, (2001, 2002, 2005), three Mann Cups (1991, 1997, 1999), the Heritage Cup (2004) and the ILF World Championship (2006). Gait took over as Syracuse’s head women’s lacrosse coach in 2007 and turned the team into a national powerhouse, reaching three national title games, including in the 2021 season. Gait previously won seven national titles as an assistant coach with the Maryland women’s lacrosse program from 1995-2001. He also had two professional coaching stints in lacrosse.

DAVE PIETRAMALA has been named an assistant coach for Syracuse men’s lacrosse and will serve as its defensive coordinator. Pietramala, one of the best defensemen to ever play the sport, brings more than 30 years of coaching experience to the Syracuse staff. Most recently, he spent 20 seasons as the head coach at Johns Hopkins, where he guided the Blue Jays to two NCAA championships, seven final fours and became the program’s all-time winningest coach. He spent last season working for Legendary Sports Group. Prior to serving as head coach at Johns Hopkins, Pietramala spent three seasons as the head coach at Cornell. With the Big Red, he oversaw a quick turnaround, leading them to a 23-17 record and the first NCAA Tournament appearance in five years. Pietramala also had assistant-coaching stints at Gilman, Johns Hopkins, Penn, and Loyola. As a player, the defender led Johns Hopkins to the 1987 NCAA championship and the 1989 title game, where they fell to Syracuse. He was the recipient of the Schmeisser Award as the nation’s outstanding defenseman in 1988 and 1989 and earned the Lt. Raymond J. Enners Award as the nation’s most outstanding player in 1989, as well. Pietramala also played in the club ranks with Mt. Washington and professionally in the Major Indoor Lacrosse League. He was inducted into the National Lacrosse Hall of Fame in 2004.