Frank Urso
Encyclopedia
Frank Urso is a former American lacrosse
player and current high school lacrosse coach, best known for his collegiate career at the University of Maryland
from 1973 to 1976. During this time, Urso led the Terrapins to the 1973 and 1975 NCAA Men's Lacrosse Championship
s, and to a perfect 10–0 record in 1973.
honors all four years while in college, one of only four players in NCAA history to achieve that feat. In the 1973 national title game, Urso scored the winning goal 1:18 into overtime for a 10-9 Maryland win. In the 1975 NCAA championship game against Navy, Urso scored five goals. Maryland reached the NCAA final again in 1976, where Urso's assist with one second left in regulation tied the game before Cornell took control in overtime to win 16 to 13. In all, the Terps during Urso's college career reached the NCAA title game four straight years, winning two titles and losing two, one of which was in overtime.
Urso was named the USILA player of the year
in 1975 as well as winning the McLaughlin Award
as the nation's top midfielder in 1974 and 1976. He entered the National Lacrosse Hall of Fame in 1981 and is considered one of the best college midfielders of all time. Urso was named to the NCAA's Silver Anniversary all-time lacrosse team in 1995 along with several other top collegiate players including Mike French, Eamon McEneaney
, Tim Nelson
, Gary Gait
, Paul Gait
, Brad Kotz
, Dave Pietramala
, Dan Mackesey
, and Larry Quinn
.
in New York, where he also played running back on a football squad that won 17 straight games over two years. He won the 1972 Suffolk County Ray Enners Award as the Suffolk County Coaches Lacrosse Player of the Year. He holds the distinction of being the first player to win both the college Lt. Raymond Enners Award
and the high school Lt. Ray Enners Award
. His football talent enticed Ohio State, Penn State and Pittsburgh to try to recruit him for that sport. He also played in the inaugural MILL season of 1987 for the Washington Wave
leading the team to the initial championship game, and acting as an assistant coach.
, a school district in suburban Philadelphia. In his first season, Urso led the Jaguars to a 14 and 9 record and a spot in the Pennsylvania high school playoffs. In 2010, Garnett Valley reached the state quarterfinals, finishing with a record of 17 and 6 achieving their best record and highest state ranking since 2007.
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....
player and current high school lacrosse coach, best known for his collegiate career 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 1973 to 1976. During this time, Urso led the Terrapins to the 1973 and 1975 NCAA Men's Lacrosse Championship
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....
s, and to a perfect 10–0 record in 1973.
College career
Urso ranks fourth all-time in Maryland men's lacrosse scoring with 208 career points and first all-time in NCAA Division I tournament scoring with 32 goals. Urso earned first-team All-AmericanUSILA 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...
honors all four years while in college, one of only four players in NCAA history to achieve that feat. In the 1973 national title game, Urso scored the winning goal 1:18 into overtime for a 10-9 Maryland win. In the 1975 NCAA championship game against Navy, Urso scored five goals. Maryland reached the NCAA final again in 1976, where Urso's assist with one second left in regulation tied the game before Cornell took control in overtime to win 16 to 13. In all, the Terps during Urso's college career reached the NCAA title game four straight years, winning two titles and losing two, one of which was in overtime.
Urso was named the USILA player of the year
Lt. Raymond Enners Award
The Lt. Raymond Enners Award is an award given annually to the NCAA's most outstanding player in men's college lacrosse. The award is presented by the USILA and is named after Raymond Enners, who attended the United States Military Academy, class of 1967, and served in the U.S. Army during the...
in 1975 as well as winning the McLaughlin Award
McLaughlin Award
The Lt. Donald McLaughlin Jr. Award — also known as the "Don McLaughlin Award" — has been given annually since 1973 by the United States Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association to the NCAA's most outstanding college lacrosse midfielder. The award is presented to the best midfielder in Division I,...
as the nation's top midfielder in 1974 and 1976. He entered the National Lacrosse Hall of Fame in 1981 and is considered one of the best college midfielders of all time. Urso was named to the NCAA's Silver Anniversary all-time lacrosse team in 1995 along with several other top collegiate players including Mike French, Eamon McEneaney
Eamon McEneaney
Eamon McEneaney was an All-American lacrosse player at Cornell University from 1975 to 1977 who was killed during the September 11 attacks.-Cornell Big Red:...
, Tim Nelson
Tim Nelson (lacrosse)
Tim Nelson was a three-time first-team All-American NCAA lacrosse player at Syracuse University from 1983 to 1985. He teamed with Brad Kotz to lead the Orange to the NCAA Men's Lacrosse Championship in 1983, as well as two additional appearances in the finals in 1984 and 1985...
, 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...
, Paul Gait
Paul Gait
Paul Gait is widely regarded as one of the best lacrosse players of all time and is the current Vice President of the Rochester Knighthawks of the National Lacrosse League...
, Brad Kotz
Brad Kotz
Bradley 'Brad' A. Kotz was a four-time All-American NCAA lacrosse player at Syracuse University from 1982 to 1985. The Orange won an NCAA Men's Lacrosse Championship in 1983 and made two additional appearances in the NCAA finals in 1984 and 1985, with Kotz as their leading player...
, Dave Pietramala
Dave Pietramala
Dave Pietramala is the current Head Coach for the Johns Hopkins University Men's Lacrosse team. He was widely regarded as one of the greatest defensemen in lacrosse history, and is a member of the U.S. Lacrosse Hall of Fame. He is the only person to win an NCAA national championship as both a...
, Dan Mackesey
Daniel R. Mackesey
Daniel R. Mackesey was born July 14, 1954 in Ithaca, New York and attended Cornell University where he was a member of the Quill and Dagger society and graduated cum laude in 1977....
, and Larry Quinn
Larry Quinn
Lawrence J. Quinn was an All-American lacrosse goaltender at the Johns Hopkins University from 1982 to 1985, leading the Johns Hopkins Blue Jays to the NCAA Men's Lacrosse Championship in 1984 and 1985, and two additional finals appearances in 1982 and 1983. He was high school All-American in...
.
High School and MILL
Urso was an All-American lacrosse player at Brentwood High SchoolBrentwood High School (Brentwood, New York)
Brentwood High School is a secondary school in Brentwood, New York. It is one of the largest high schools in New York State, on the southern shore of Suffolk County, Long Island. Richard Loeschner is the current principal.-1951-1980:...
in New York, where he also played running back on a football squad that won 17 straight games over two years. He won the 1972 Suffolk County Ray Enners Award as the Suffolk County Coaches Lacrosse Player of the Year. He holds the distinction of being the first player to win both the college Lt. Raymond Enners Award
Lt. Raymond Enners Award
The Lt. Raymond Enners Award is an award given annually to the NCAA's most outstanding player in men's college lacrosse. The award is presented by the USILA and is named after Raymond Enners, who attended the United States Military Academy, class of 1967, and served in the U.S. Army during the...
and the high school Lt. Ray Enners Award
Lt. Ray Enners Award
The Lt. Ray Enners Award is an annual award given to the outstanding high school lacrosse player in Suffolk County, New York. It is presented by the Suffolk County Boys Lacrosse Coaches Association to the player who best exemplifies courage, teamwork, skill and leadership...
. His football talent enticed Ohio State, Penn State and Pittsburgh to try to recruit him for that sport. He also played in the inaugural MILL season of 1987 for the Washington Wave
Washington Wave
The Washington Wave was an American lacrosse team. They were a member of the Eagle Pro Box Lacrosse League and the Major Indoor Lacrosse League from 1987 to 1989. They were based in Washington, D.C. and played in the Capital Centre in Landover, Maryland. The team's first coach, Bud Beardmore, was...
leading the team to the initial championship game, and acting as an assistant coach.
Coaching
In addition to his experience coaching at the MILL level, Urso has head coaching experience at the Maryland club lacrosse level. In 2008, Urso was named head coach for the men's lacrosse team at Garnet Valley High SchoolGarnet Valley School District
Garnet Valley School District is located in the southeast corner of Pennsylvania in Delaware County. Garnet Valley enrolls more than 5,000 students in grades Kindergarten through 12 in five schools....
, a school district in suburban Philadelphia. In his first season, Urso led the Jaguars to a 14 and 9 record and a spot in the Pennsylvania high school playoffs. In 2010, Garnett Valley reached the state quarterfinals, finishing with a record of 17 and 6 achieving their best record and highest state ranking since 2007.
University of Maryland
| Season | GP | G | A | Pts | PPG | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1973 | 10 | 28 | 20 | 48 | 5.00 | |
| 1974 | 10 | 40 | 22 | 62 | 6.20 | |
| 1975 | 10 | 39 | 19 | 58 | 5.30 | |
| 1976 | 11 | 23 | 18 | 41 | 3.91 | |
| Totals | 41 | 130 | 79 | 209 | 5.07 |
See also
- University of Maryland athletics
- National Lacrosse Hall of Fame
- 1973 NCAA Division I Men's Lacrosse Championship1973 NCAA Division I Men's Lacrosse ChampionshipThe 1973 NCAA Division I tournament championship game was played at Franklin Field in Philadelphia in front of 5,965 fans. The undefeated Maryland Terrapins, led by coach Bud Beardmore and Hall of Fame midfielder Frank Urso defeated Johns Hopkins 10 to 9 in two overtimes, with Urso scoring the...
- Maryland Terrapins lacrosseMaryland Terrapins lacrosseThe 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...