Dave Cottle
Encyclopedia
Dave Cottle is an American lacrosse
coach. He is currently a consultant to the Chesapeake Bayhawks of Major League Lacrosse
and Marquette University
, which announced it was addding men's and women's varsity lacrosse on December 16, 2010. He was previously the head coach for the Maryland Terrapins men's lacrosse
team at the University of Maryland
from 2002 to 2010. Cottle also coached the Loyola College
men's lacrosse team from 1983 to 2001.
in his hometown of Baltimore, Maryland. He later enrolled at Salisbury State University
in Salisbury, Maryland
, where he played lacrosse from 1975 to 1978. During his playing career, he set numerous school and NCAA records. In his freshman season, 1975, Cottle led the nation in scoring, and became the second player in history to surpass 100 points in a season. As of 2008, he remains Salisbury's all-time leader in goals (179), assists (123) and points (302). He was named an All-American
three years.
, where he compiled a 26–9 record. In 1983, he took over as head coach at Loyola
. In 1988, he led the Greyhounds to the NCAA tournament
, and repeated the feat each subsequent season of his career at Loyola for a total of 14 appearances. Each of those years, the Greyhounds finished the season ranked in the top ten. In 1989, Cottle guided his team to become the only one in school history to finish the regular season undefeated. In 1990, Loyola advanced through the NCAA tournament
to the final, before losing to Syracuse. The Greyhounds finished the 1994 season with a 11–2 record, one of their best in history, and recorded their first ever win
over cross-town rival Johns Hopkins
, 17–15. In 1999, Loyola under Cottle became the first team with a top seeding to not advance to the NCAA semifinals (Final Four).
(ACC) championship for the first time since 1998. In 2005, Cottle led the Terps to a second consecutive ACC title. Maryland again made Final Four appearances in 2006 and 2007. In 2008, Maryland had an attacking corps composed entirely of freshman, but advanced to the NCAA quarterfinals before being eliminated by Virginia
in an overtime
game.
In 2010, Maryland earned the number-three seed in the NCAA tournament, and were strong favorites to reach the semifinals after number-two seed Syracuse
was upset by Army
in the first round. The Terrapins, however, were upset by Notre Dame
in the second round. The following day, Cottle announced his resignation. Maryland athletic director Deborah Yow
had earlier told Cottle that he was expected to reach the semifinals for a contract extension to be considered.
The Terrapins finished each of his nine seasons with a winning percentage
of no less than 0.625. The team also has advanced to the NCAA tournament
eight out of nine years. Cottle received criticism, however, due to his inability to lead his team to the NCAA finals. The Terrapins have not secured a national title since 1975, despite being the largest school in the state of Maryland, a traditional bastion of lacrosse talent. In 2001, some Maryland supporters had been critical of the athletic department's selection of Cottle over interim head coach Dave Slafkosky or former Syracuse star Gary Gait
, who was an assistant for the Maryland women's team
at the time.
hired Cottle as a consultant.
Field lacrosse
Field lacrosse, sometimes referred to as the "fastest sport on two feet," is a full contact outdoor men's sport played with ten players on each team. The sport originated among Native Americans, and the modern rules of field lacrosse were initially codified by Canadian William George Beers in 1867....
coach. He is currently a consultant to the Chesapeake Bayhawks of Major League Lacrosse
Major League Lacrosse
Major League Lacrosse, or MLL, is a professional men's field lacrosse league that is made up of five teams in the United States and one team in Canada.- History :...
and Marquette University
Marquette University
Marquette University is a private, coeducational, Jesuit, Roman Catholic university located in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Founded by the Society of Jesus in 1881, the school is one of 28 member institutions of the Association of Jesuit Colleges and Universities...
, which announced it was addding men's and women's varsity lacrosse on December 16, 2010. He was previously the head coach for the Maryland Terrapins men's lacrosse
Maryland Terrapins lacrosse
The Maryland Terrapins men's lacrosse team represents the University of Maryland in National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I lacrosse as a member of the Atlantic Coast Conference...
team at the University of Maryland
University of Maryland, College Park
The University of Maryland, College Park is a top-ranked public research university located in the city of College Park in Prince George's County, Maryland, just outside Washington, D.C...
from 2002 to 2010. Cottle also coached the Loyola College
Loyola Greyhounds men's lacrosse
The Loyola University Greyhounds are the NCAA Division I men's collegiate lacrosse team that represents Loyola University Maryland in Baltimore, Maryland...
men's lacrosse team from 1983 to 2001.
College career
Cottle attended Northern High SchoolNorthern High School (Baltimore)
Northern High School was a high school in the Baltimore City Public Schools system.In 1997 the administration issued a wave of mass suspensions to members of the student body to try to curb discipline issues....
in his hometown of Baltimore, Maryland. He later enrolled at Salisbury State University
Salisbury University
Salisbury University is a public university in Salisbury, Maryland.According to U.S. News and World Report's 2009 America's Best Colleges index, "In guidebooks and surveys by U.S...
in Salisbury, Maryland
Salisbury, Maryland
-Demographics:Salisbury is the principal city of the Salisbury-Ocean Pines CSA, a Combined Statistical Area that includes the Salisbury metropolitan area and the Ocean Pines micropolitan area , which had a combined population of 176,657 at the 2010 census.As of the census of 2000, there were...
, where he played lacrosse from 1975 to 1978. During his playing career, he set numerous school and NCAA records. In his freshman season, 1975, Cottle led the nation in scoring, and became the second player in history to surpass 100 points in a season. As of 2008, he remains Salisbury's all-time leader in goals (179), assists (123) and points (302). He was named an All-American
USILA All-American Team
The USILA All-American Team is an honor given annually to the best American men's college lacrosse players at their respective positions by the United States Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association. The term All-American is derived from the same practice in American college football, in which the...
three years.
Loyola College
Cottle began his coaching career as a graduate assistant at Salisbury and then spent three years as the head coach at the Severn SchoolSevern School
Severn School was founded in 1914 by Rolland M. Teel in Severna Park, Maryland, as a preparatory school for the United States Naval Academy. Today, Severn is a day school enrolling boys and girls in grades 6 through 12...
, where he compiled a 26–9 record. In 1983, he took over as head coach at Loyola
Loyola Greyhounds men's lacrosse
The Loyola University Greyhounds are the NCAA Division I men's collegiate lacrosse team that represents Loyola University Maryland in Baltimore, Maryland...
. In 1988, he led the Greyhounds to the NCAA tournament
1988 NCAA Division I Men's Lacrosse Championship
The 1988 tournament championship game was played at Syracuse University in front of 20,148 fans. The Syracuse Orangemen defeated the Cornell Big Red, 13-8 for the first of their three straight NCAA titles....
, and repeated the feat each subsequent season of his career at Loyola for a total of 14 appearances. Each of those years, the Greyhounds finished the season ranked in the top ten. In 1989, Cottle guided his team to become the only one in school history to finish the regular season undefeated. In 1990, Loyola advanced through the NCAA tournament
1990 NCAA Division I Men's Lacrosse Championship
The 1990 tournament championship game was played at Rutgers University in front of 19,070 fans. The Syracuse Orangemen defeated the Loyola Greyhounds, 21–9. Syracuse's participation in the tournament was later vacated by the NCAA Committee on infractions. Syracuse was found to have violated rules...
to the final, before losing to Syracuse. The Greyhounds finished the 1994 season with a 11–2 record, one of their best in history, and recorded their first ever win
Johns Hopkins – Loyola rivalry
The Johns Hopkins–Loyola rivalry, formerly known as the Charles Street Massacre, is an intercollegiate lacrosse rivalry between the Johns Hopkins Blue Jays, who represent Johns Hopkins University, and the Loyola Greyhounds, who represent Loyola University Maryland...
over cross-town rival Johns Hopkins
Johns Hopkins Blue Jays lacrosse
The Johns Hopkins Blue Jays men's lacrosse team represents Johns Hopkins University in National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I college lacrosse. The team was founded in 1883 and is the school's most prominent sports team...
, 17–15. In 1999, Loyola under Cottle became the first team with a top seeding to not advance to the NCAA semifinals (Final Four).
Maryland
Cottle was hired as the head coach for the University of Maryland men's lacrosse team in September 2001. In his first season, 2002, the Terps finished 9–4 and did not qualify for the NCAA tournament. Beginning in 2003, Maryland made an appearance each subsequent season of Cottle's tenure. In 2003, the Terrapins appeared in the national tournament semifinals for the first time since 1998 and finished ranked number-three in the nation. The following season, Maryland won the Atlantic Coast ConferenceAtlantic Coast Conference
The Atlantic Coast Conference is a collegiate athletic league in the United States. Founded in 1953 in Greensboro, North Carolina, the ACC sanctions competition in twenty-five sports in Division I of the National Collegiate Athletic Association for its twelve member universities...
(ACC) championship for the first time since 1998. In 2005, Cottle led the Terps to a second consecutive ACC title. Maryland again made Final Four appearances in 2006 and 2007. In 2008, Maryland had an attacking corps composed entirely of freshman, but advanced to the NCAA quarterfinals before being eliminated by Virginia
Virginia Cavaliers
The Virginia Cavaliers, also known as Wahoos or Hoos, are the athletic teams officially representing the University of Virginia in college sports. The Cavaliers compete in 25 NCAA Division I varsity sports and are members of the Atlantic Coast Conference...
in an overtime
Overtime (sports)
Overtime or extra time is an additional period of play specified under the rules of a sport to bring a game to a decision and avoid declaring the match a tie or draw. In most sports, this extra period is only played if the game is required to have a clear winner, as in single-elimination...
game.
In 2010, Maryland earned the number-three seed in the NCAA tournament, and were strong favorites to reach the semifinals after number-two seed Syracuse
Syracuse Orange men's lacrosse
The Syracuse Orange men's lacrosse team represents Syracuse University in NCAA Division I men's college lacrosse. The Orange have won 10 NCAA championship titles, and currently competes as a member of the Atlantic Coast Conference men's lacrosse conference...
was upset by Army
Army Black Knights men's lacrosse
The Army Black Knights men's lacrosse team represents the United States Military Academy in National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I men's lacrosse competition. During the team's 92-year history, it has won eight national championships and made fifteen postseason NCAA tournament...
in the first round. The Terrapins, however, were upset by Notre Dame
Notre Dame Fighting Irish men's lacrosse
The Notre Dame Fighting Irish men's lacrosse team represents the University of Notre Dame in National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I men's college lacrosse...
in the second round. The following day, Cottle announced his resignation. Maryland athletic director Deborah Yow
Deborah Yow
Deborah A. Yow is an American college sports administrator and former college basketball coach. She is currently the director of athletics at North Carolina State University, and formerly held the same position at the University of Maryland and Saint Louis University...
had earlier told Cottle that he was expected to reach the semifinals for a contract extension to be considered.
The Terrapins finished each of his nine seasons with a winning percentage
Winning percentage
In sports, a winning percentage is the fraction of games or matches a team or individual has won. It is defined as wins divided by wins plus losses . Ties count as a ½ loss and a ½ win...
of no less than 0.625. The team also has advanced to the NCAA tournament
NCAA Men's Lacrosse Championship
The annual NCAA Men's Lacrosse Championship tournament determines the top men's field lacrosse team in the NCAA Division I, Division II, and Division III....
eight out of nine years. Cottle received criticism, however, due to his inability to lead his team to the NCAA finals. The Terrapins have not secured a national title since 1975, despite being the largest school in the state of Maryland, a traditional bastion of lacrosse talent. In 2001, some Maryland supporters had been critical of the athletic department's selection of Cottle over interim head coach Dave Slafkosky or former Syracuse star Gary Gait
Gary Gait
Gary Charles Gait is widely regarded as the best lacrosse player of all time, just above his twin brother Paul. He has starred at the NCAA level at Syracuse University, at the professional level in the National Lacrosse League and Major League Lacrosse, and at the international level for the...
, who was an assistant for the Maryland women's team
Maryland Terrapins women's lacrosse
The Maryland Terrapins women's lacrosse team represents the University of Maryland in National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I women's college lacrosse. The Maryland has won a total of ten NCAA championships, the most of any women's lacrosse program...
at the time.
Chesapeake Bayhawks
In July 2010, the Chesapeake Bayhawks of Major League LacrosseMajor League Lacrosse
Major League Lacrosse, or MLL, is a professional men's field lacrosse league that is made up of five teams in the United States and one team in Canada.- History :...
hired Cottle as a consultant.