Jim Adams (lacrosse)
Encyclopedia
James F. "Ace" Adams IV (born c. 1929) is an American former lacrosse
coach. He served as the head coach at the United States Military Academy
, University of Pennsylvania
, and University of Virginia
. He was inducted into the National Lacrosse Hall of Fame in 1975.
, where he was a four-year letterwinner on the varsity lacrosse team. He then went on to college at Johns Hopkins University
, where he played lacrosse as a midfielder, football as an end and quarterback
, and basketball as a forward. Adams played on the Blue Jays' national championship teams in 1947, 1948, and 1950. The United States Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association
named him an honorable mention All-American
midfielder in 1948. The following season, the USILA named him to the USILA first team, and in 1950, to the third team. Adams participated in the 1949 and 1950 North/South Collegiate All-Star Games
.
. After his stint at St. Paul's, Adams began working as an insurance salesman. He also continued playing lacrosse with the Mount Washington Lacrosse Club
in Baltimore
from 1951 to 1956. In 1957, he served as the club's head coach.
In 1958, he became the head coach of the Army lacrosse team
at the United States Military Academy
in West Point, New York
, after its previous head coach, F. Morris Touchstone
, died of a heart attack. Adams coached the lacrosse team from 1958 to 1969 and also worked as an assistant athletic director. In his first season, he led the Cadets to a perfect record and Army was selected as the 1958 national champions
. Against Duke
, Adams played 33 different players in a failed attempt to hold down the score. Army won, 21–2. In 1961, in the first nationally televised lacrosse game, Army upset Navy
, 10–8, to capture a share of the national championship alongside the Midshipmen. That season, Adams was awarded the F. Morris Touchstone Award
as the USILA Coach of the Year. In 1969, the Cadets again defeated Navy to clinch a share of the national co-championship in Adams' final game at Army. The result was a 14–4 rout at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium
in front of 16,056 spectators.
After his daughter graduated from high school in 1969, Adams wanted to work close to where she attended college. They considered the University of Pennsylvania
and Yale University
, eventually choosing Penn because it offered a free tuition and $14,000 salary for its lacrosse coach. Adams was the head coach at Penn
from 1970 to 1978, which was a significant change from Army. He said, "I went from a squad that had two first-team all-American attackmen to a team that consisted of mediocre players. They were all nice kids, but they just didn't have a lot of talent." Adams, however, managed to guide the Quakers to several top-ten rankings, including the No. 4 position in his final year.
While working at a lacrosse camp in New Jersey
, a University of Virginia
alumnus called Adams and asked why had not applied for the school's vacant head coach position. Adams responded that he had not know it was open, and after applying, was hired as Virginia's head coach. He remained in that position at Virginia
from 1978 to 1992. During his tenure there, he led the Cavaliers to 12 NCAA tournament appearances and four semifinals appearances, while they twice finished as runners-up. At the time of his retirement from coaching in 1992, he had the most wins of any active Division I lacrosse coach.
Adams was inducted into the National Lacrosse Hall of Fame in 1975.
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 served as the head coach at the United States Military Academy
United States Military Academy
The United States Military Academy at West Point is a four-year coeducational federal service academy located at West Point, New York. The academy sits on scenic high ground overlooking the Hudson River, north of New York City...
, University of Pennsylvania
University of Pennsylvania
The University of Pennsylvania is a private, Ivy League university located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. Penn is the fourth-oldest institution of higher education in the United States,Penn is the fourth-oldest using the founding dates claimed by each institution...
, and University of Virginia
University of Virginia
The University of Virginia is a public research university located in Charlottesville, Virginia, United States, founded by Thomas Jefferson...
. He was inducted into the National Lacrosse Hall of Fame in 1975.
Early life and college
Adams attended St. Paul's School in Brooklandville, MarylandBrooklandville, Maryland
Brooklandville is an unincorporated community in Baltimore County, Maryland, United States near where the Jones Falls Expressway meets the Baltimore Beltway. The general area is a part of Lutherville, and some addresses in the area are considered to be in Lutherville, though Brooklandville has a...
, where he was a four-year letterwinner on the varsity lacrosse team. He then went on to college at Johns Hopkins University
Johns Hopkins University
The Johns Hopkins University, commonly referred to as Johns Hopkins, JHU, or simply Hopkins, is a private research university based in Baltimore, Maryland, United States...
, where he played lacrosse as a midfielder, football as an end and quarterback
Quarterback
Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
, and basketball as a forward. Adams played on the Blue Jays' national championship teams in 1947, 1948, and 1950. The United States Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association
United States Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association
The United States Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association is an association of institutions with varsity college lacrosse programs in all three NCAA divisions, founded in 1885.-Awards:...
named him an honorable mention 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...
midfielder in 1948. The following season, the USILA named him to the USILA first team, and in 1950, to the third team. Adams participated in the 1949 and 1950 North/South Collegiate All-Star Games
North-South Senior All-Star Game
The North-South Senior All-Star Game is an annual postseason college lacrosse game featuring the best players from the graduating class. It is hosted by the United States Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association , one of the college sport's main governing bodies. The inaugural event occurred in 1940 at...
.
Coaching career
Adams began his coaching career at the St. Paul's School, where he served as the head lacrosse and football coach from 1951 to 1953. He also taught five classes each day, and from 1952, also served as the school's athletic directorAthletic director
An athletic director is an administrator at many American colleges and universities, as well as in larger high schools and middle schools, who oversees the work of coaches and related staff involved in intercollegiate or interscholastic athletic programs...
. After his stint at St. Paul's, Adams began working as an insurance salesman. He also continued playing lacrosse with the Mount Washington Lacrosse Club
Mount Washington Lacrosse Club
The Mount Washington Lacrosse Club is an amateur field lacrosse club based in Baltimore, Maryland. It is one of the most successful and well-known lacrosse clubs in history, which at one point dominated the sport at both the collegiate and club level. The team is sometimes referred to by the...
in Baltimore
Baltimore
Baltimore is the largest independent city in the United States and the largest city and cultural center of the US state of Maryland. The city is located in central Maryland along the tidal portion of the Patapsco River, an arm of the Chesapeake Bay. Baltimore is sometimes referred to as Baltimore...
from 1951 to 1956. In 1957, he served as the club's head coach.
In 1958, he became the head coach of the Army lacrosse team
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...
at the United States Military Academy
United States Military Academy
The United States Military Academy at West Point is a four-year coeducational federal service academy located at West Point, New York. The academy sits on scenic high ground overlooking the Hudson River, north of New York City...
in West Point, New York
West Point, New York
West Point is a federal military reservation established by President of the United States Thomas Jefferson in 1802. It is a census-designated place located in Town of Highlands in Orange County, New York, United States. The population was 7,138 at the 2000 census...
, after its previous head coach, F. Morris Touchstone
F. Morris Touchstone
Francis Morris Touchstone was an American lacrosse coach. He served for 29 years as the head coach for the United States Military Academy's men's lacrosse team and is their all-time winningest coach by number of wins. While at Army, he led the Cadets to three national championships and 42 of his...
, died of a heart attack. Adams coached the lacrosse team from 1958 to 1969 and also worked as an assistant athletic director. In his first season, he led the Cadets to a perfect record and Army was selected as the 1958 national champions
Wingate Memorial Trophy
The Wingate Memorial Trophy was the award given to the national champion in men's college lacrosse prior to the inception of an NCAA tournament format in 1971....
. Against Duke
Duke Blue Devils men's lacrosse
The Duke Blue Devils men's lacrosse team represents Duke University in National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I men's lacrosse...
, Adams played 33 different players in a failed attempt to hold down the score. Army won, 21–2. In 1961, in the first nationally televised lacrosse game, Army upset Navy
Navy Midshipmen men's lacrosse
The Navy Midshipmen men's lacrosse team represents the United States Naval Academy in National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I men's lacrosse. Navy currently competes as a member of the Patriot League and play their home games at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium in Annapolis, Maryland...
, 10–8, to capture a share of the national championship alongside the Midshipmen. That season, Adams was awarded the F. Morris Touchstone Award
F. Morris Touchstone Award
The F. Morris Touchstone Award is an award given by the United States Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association to the nation's most outstanding NCAA Division I Lacrosse Head Coach. The award was first presented in 1958....
as the USILA Coach of the Year. In 1969, the Cadets again defeated Navy to clinch a share of the national co-championship in Adams' final game at Army. The result was a 14–4 rout at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium
Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium
Navy – Marine Corps Memorial Stadium is an outdoor athletic stadium near the campus of the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland. It is the home field of the Navy Midshipmen football team, the men's lacrosse team, and the Chesapeake Bayhawks lacrosse team....
in front of 16,056 spectators.
After his daughter graduated from high school in 1969, Adams wanted to work close to where she attended college. They considered the University of Pennsylvania
University of Pennsylvania
The University of Pennsylvania is a private, Ivy League university located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. Penn is the fourth-oldest institution of higher education in the United States,Penn is the fourth-oldest using the founding dates claimed by each institution...
and Yale University
Yale University
Yale University is a private, Ivy League university located in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Founded in 1701 in the Colony of Connecticut, the university is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States...
, eventually choosing Penn because it offered a free tuition and $14,000 salary for its lacrosse coach. Adams was the head coach at Penn
Penn Quakers men's lacrosse
The Penn Quakers men's lacrosse team represents the University of Pennsylvania in National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I men's lacrosse...
from 1970 to 1978, which was a significant change from Army. He said, "I went from a squad that had two first-team all-American attackmen to a team that consisted of mediocre players. They were all nice kids, but they just didn't have a lot of talent." Adams, however, managed to guide the Quakers to several top-ten rankings, including the No. 4 position in his final year.
While working at a lacrosse camp in New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
, a University of Virginia
University of Virginia
The University of Virginia is a public research university located in Charlottesville, Virginia, United States, founded by Thomas Jefferson...
alumnus called Adams and asked why had not applied for the school's vacant head coach position. Adams responded that he had not know it was open, and after applying, was hired as Virginia's head coach. He remained in that position at Virginia
Virginia Cavaliers men's lacrosse
The Virginia Cavaliers men's lacrosse team represents the University of Virginia in National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I men's lacrosse...
from 1978 to 1992. During his tenure there, he led the Cavaliers to 12 NCAA tournament appearances and four semifinals appearances, while they twice finished as runners-up. At the time of his retirement from coaching in 1992, he had the most wins of any active Division I lacrosse coach.
Adams was inducted into the National Lacrosse Hall of Fame in 1975.