June 21, 2005
BALTIMORE, Md. - Recently retired Army head coach Jack Emmer was elected to the National Lacrosse Hall of Fame by the U.S. Lacrosse Board of Directors. The legendary lacrosse mentor, who stepped down this spring after 36 years on the sideline, becomes the 12th member of the Hall of Fame associated with Army lacrosse. The class will officially be inducted during a ceremony on Nov. 12 at The Grand Lodge in Hunt Valley, Md.
Joining Emmer in the Class of 2005: Mildred Barnes (Boston Lacrosse Association), Norm Engleke (Cornell), Gary Gait (Syracuse), Paul Gait (Syracuse), Susie Ganzenmuller (Wells College), Tom Haus (North Carolina), Dottie Hayden (Baltimore Lacrosse Club), Amanda (Moore) O'Leary (Temple) and Gillian Rattray (I.M. March).
Emmer's selection to the Hall of Fame marks the third consecutive year that a former member of the Army lacrosse family has been inducted. Last fall, Dick Edell became the third former Army head coach enshrined in the hallowed halls, while two years ago Tom Sheckells (USMA '65) was honored posthumously by the U.S. Lacrosse Board of Directors.
One of the most respected and decorated head coaches in college lacrosse history, Emmer retired after the 2005 campaign with an NCAA record 326 career victories and is one of only two coaches ever to lead three different schools to the Division I national semifinals. His 16 postseason appearances are tied for second most in NCAA history behind only Roy Simmons Jr., who made 19 trips with Syracuse. Emmer steered Army to the NCAA Tournament a school-record eight times, including the past three seasons consecutively.
Emmer's Army squads won or shared 10 Patriot League championships over the past 15 years, including five straight titles outright from 1991-95 that featured an undefeated mark of 25-0 in conference play. The Black Knights carved out a 70-12 (.854) record against Patriot League competition during Emmer's administration.
Nine of his squads at West Point reached double figures in victories, including the 1993 club that won a school-record 12 games and advanced to the NCAA Quarterfinals. He is one of only two coaches to reach 300 career wins and the only mentor to coach in 500 career games at the Division I level.
In the summer of 2002, Emmer led Team USA to the gold medal as its head coach at the International Lacrosse Federation World Championships in Perth, Australia. With a team comprised solely of college players, the Americans went undefeated, 6-0, which included two wins over heavily favored Canada.
Emmer is a three-time NCAA "Coach of the Year" and two-time Patriot League "Coach of the Year." He has coached seven Hall of Famers and 92 All-Americans over the past 36 years. Twenty-six Army players have copped 35 All-America certificates under his tutelage.
The Mineola, N.Y., native succeeded National Lacrosse Hall of Famer Dick Edell in 1984 and guided the Black Knights to the semifinals that spring. Emmer engineered 15 winning seasons and placed Army lacrosse in the final rankings 15 times. He has coached five Patriot League "Offensive Players of the Year" and three "Defensive Players of the Year." In addition, eight Black Knights have garnered "Rookie of the Year" honors as well. In fact, an Army player has captured at least one of the league's three major postseason awards in eight of the past nine campaigns.
Emmer began his coaching career at SUNY Cortland in 1970, building the Red Dragons into a national power in three short seasons. His Cortland State teams won 32 of 38 contests, securing two Division I playoff berths. In 1972, Cortland State finished 14-2 and advanced to the national semifinals where a loss to Virginia ended the small school's magical run.
In 1973, Emmer moved to Washington & Lee University in Lexington, Va., where he spent the next 11 seasons walking the Generals' sideline. During that span, Emmer produced a 108-47 (.697) mark and reached the postseason seven times. Washington & Lee made three semifinal appearances under Emmer and finished nationally ranked on 10 occasions.
The master innovator has served as head coach in the North-South Senior All-Star Classic twice, guiding the South in 1976 and the North in 1992. In 1974, he won gold as an assistant coach for Team USA at the ILF World Championships in Australia.
Emmer now holds membership in six athletic halls of fame and served two tours of duty on the NCAA Men's Lacrosse Rules Committee during his coaching career. He served as chairman of that committee from 1973-95. He is also a past president of the United States Lacrosse Coaches Association. Emmer is a member of the Long Island, Hudson Valley and Virginia chapters of the lacrosse Hall of Fame, as well as being a Hall of Fame member at Rutgers University and Washington & Lee.
The 1967 graduate of Rutgers University was an All-America selection on the lacrosse field and an All-East pick on the gridiron his senior year as co-captain of the Scarlet Knights. Emmer still holds the school record for receiving yardage in a game (237 vs. Holy Cross) and his 13 catches in that contest are tied for the most receptions in a single game. He was selected by the New York Jets in the 1967 American Football League Draft.
Emmer joins former Army head coaches F. Morris Touchstone (1960), James "Ace" Adams (1975) and Dick Edell (2004) in the Hall of Fame.
The National Lacrosse Hall of Fame has inducted individuals annually since 1957. It is located in Baltimore, Md., inside historic Homewood Field on the campus of Johns Hopkins University. The mission of the Lacrosse Hall of Fame is to honor men and women, past and present, who by their deeds as players, coaches, officials and/or contributors, personify the great contribution of the sport of lacrosse to our way of life.
Jack Emmer Coaching Career
School (Years) Record Pct. Postseason honors
SUNY Cortland (1970-72) 32-6 .842 NCAA semifinal appearance (1972)
Washington & Lee (1973-83) 108-47 .697 7 NCAA appearances and three semifinals
Army (1984-2005) 186-131 .587 8 NCAA appearances and one semifinals (1984)
Totals 326-184 .639 16 NCAA appearances and 5 semifinals
Army in the Hall of Fame
F. Morris Touchstone (1960), Harry Wilson (1963), Thomas Truxtun (1970),
James "Ace" Adams (1975), James Hartinger (1975), Bob Miser (1980),
Norm Webb (1983), Pete Cramblet (1986), Tom Cafaro (1988),
Tom Sheckells (2003), Dick Edell (2004), Jack Emmer (2005).