Kevin Cassese named men's lacrosse head coach
7/5/2007 12:00:00 AM | Men's Lacrosse
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Cassese continued, “There are terrific kids within this program who received great direction under Chris Wakely for the past six years and I plan to continue the tradition that Coach Wakely started and also build a tradition of excellence with the intention of bringing the program to new heights.”
“Kevin Cassese has all the qualities to be an exceptional college head coach,” Lehigh Goodman Dean of Athletics Joe Sterrett explained. “He inspired everyone during his interview and his references were even more impressive, both in terms of the individuals who encouraged us to consider him, and in terms of the specific things they had to say about him. I believe our athletes will find his enthusiasm and passion for lacrosse, his organization, his preparation, his attention to detail, his personal values and his self-confidence to be truly distinctive qualities."
One of the most decorated student athletes in Duke history, Cassese served as an assistant at his alma mater since 2005, helping lead the Blue Devils to an appearance in the 2007 National Championship game. He also served as Duke’s interim head coach for part of the summer of 2006. Prior to Duke, Cassese spent one season at Stony Brook as an assistant where he directed the nation’s top extra man offense and helped the Seawolves to a 10-6 record in 2004.
A two time captain and three time All-ACC selection while at Duke, Cassese helped lead the Blue Devils to three NCAA Tournament appearances and a pair of ACC Championships during his collegiate career. Cassese earned All-America honors on three separate occasions including First-Team accolades in 2002 and 2003. Cassese, who scored 80 goals and handed out 38 assists during his time at Duke, was a two time finalist for the Tewaaraton Trophy and garnered ACC Player of the Year honors in 2001. In 2002, Cassese was the recipient of the Lt. Donald MacLaughlin, Jr. Award as the nation’s top midfielder.
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Mike Pressler, the current head coach at
Pressler continues, “Kevin is responsible for holding the Duke lacrosse program together between the time that I left and Coach Danowski came in. There are very few people that can communicate, lead and coach the way that he can. When I recruited Kevin out of high school, I knew he would be a star as a student athlete and once he played his final collegiate game, I knew he would be a star as a coach.”
An accomplished player on the national level as well, Cassese helped the United States to the gold medal at the 2002 International Lacrosse Federation world championships and he was also a member of the United States team that placed second at the 2006 ILF world championships in London, Ontario. Cassese was the number two overall selection in the Major League Lacrosse draft by the Rochester Rattlers in 2003, where among his professional accomplishments are a pair of MLL Rookie of the Week honors and a spot on the 2005 All-Star team.
“There is no doubt in any of our minds here at Duke that Kevin is going to be a tremendous success,” John Danowski the current head coach at Duke commented. “His history as both a player and as a coach points to him being more than ready to take over and lead a program at this time.”
Danowski added, “Words cannot describe the type of experience that Kevin has gotten in his short time as a coach for a person of his age. Through difficult circumstances during the spring of 2006 and also in his time as interim head coach, Kevin gained about ten years of experience and is without a doubt fully prepared for this opportunity.”
Wakely offered his thoughts on his successor. I am excited for the entire Lehigh Lacrosse family as I am profoundly confident that
the right time, to lead the excellent young men of the men's lacrosse program.”
He continues, “Through his tireless, consistent efforts to maximize his personal, professional, and athletic potential, Kevin Casesse has succeeded in every venture he has ever started. I am eager to see Kevin engage the young men of our lacrosse program and work alongside them as they pursue what many programs at Lehigh have already achieved; Patriot League
Championships and national recognition. This is an exciting time to wear the Brown and White."
A native of Port Jefferson Station,
Cassese and his wife, the former Katie Granson who attended nearby
Cassese takes over a program that has qualified for the Patriot League Tournament in two of the past three seasons and returns a large number of letterwinners for the 2008 season.
