Richard M. Moran
Encyclopedia
Richard M. "Richie" Moran is a Hall of Fame lacrosse
player and coach.
His playing career began as an All-County midfielder at Sewanhaka High School
in Floral Park, New York
from 1951–1955 and helped his team to four consecutive undefeated seasons before heading to the University of Maryland
where he was a key performer on the 1959 Terrapins National Championship team.
Moran's head coaching career began in 1961 at Manhasset High School
, where he compiled a 67-5 record over five seasons, winning the Long Island Championship from 1962 to 1964. In 1966, Moran became the first lacrosse coach at Elmont Memorial High School
and promptly posted a 29-3 record and won two league championships in two seasons. He was also the head coach of the Long Island Athletic Club from 1966–1968, leading the team to a 31-4 record and capturing the 1968 club championship, the first-ever United States Club Lacrosse Association (USCLA) club title won by a northern team. In 1969, he succeeded the legendary Ned Harkness as the head men's lacrosse coach at Cornell University
and went on to lead the Big Red for 29 seasons, winning three national championships (1971, 1976, 1977). His teams won 15 Ivy League championships, including ten straight from 1974 to 1983, and turned in three national runner-up performances, losing in the title game in 1978, 1987 and 1988. Moran also set an NCAA record as he guided his teams to 42 consecutive victories from 1976–78 and an Ivy League record 39 straight conference wins from 1973-1979.
During his tenure with the Big Red, Moran was named the USILA Coach of the Year
three times (1971, 1977, 1987) the USILA Man of the Year (1975), and served as the head coach of Team USA in the 1978 World Lacrosse Championship
. He currently serves as the President of the Irish Lacrosse Foundation and recently coached Team Ireland in the World Lacrosse Championships in 2006 in London, Ontario, where the team took a seventh-place finish. Moran served as Ireland's head coach at the World Championship in Perth, Australia in 2002, where the team went undefeated (5-0) en route to winning the Green Division title.
Moran has been inducted into the Manhasset, Long Island and Upstate New York Lacrosse Halls of Fame, as well as the Cornell University Athletic Hall of Fame and most recently, the Nassau County Sports Hall of Fame
in 2007. His 1976 and 1977 Cornell teams featuring players Mike French and Eamon McEneaney
are frequently cited as among the top college lacrosse teams in NCAA history. Moran is also considered a lacrosse innovator by introducing the game to a greater pool of talented lacrosse players, specifically by recruiting box lacrosse players from Canada as well as high school talent from upstate New York.
Lacrosse
Lacrosse is a team sport of Native American origin played using a small rubber ball and a long-handled stick called a crosse or lacrosse stick, mainly played in the United States and Canada. It is a contact sport which requires padding. The head of the lacrosse stick is strung with loose mesh...
player and coach.
His playing career began as an All-County midfielder at Sewanhaka High School
Sewanhaka High School
Sewanhaka High School is a six-year public high school located in Floral Park, New York, United States, as part of the Sewanhaka Central High School District. The school's sports teams are known as "The Indians" and the team colors are purple, gold, and white. The school's name translates to...
in Floral Park, New York
Floral Park, New York
Floral Park is an incorporated village in Nassau County, New York, United States, on Long Island. The population as of the US Census of 2010 is 15,863. The village is at the western border of Nassau County, and is located in both the Town of Hempstead and the Town of North Hempstead...
from 1951–1955 and helped his team to four consecutive undefeated seasons before heading to 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...
where he was a key performer on the 1959 Terrapins National Championship team.
Moran's head coaching career began in 1961 at Manhasset High School
Manhasset High School
Manhasset Secondary School is a four-year public high school and middle school located in Manhasset, at 200 Memorial Place, in Nassau County, New York on the North Shore of Long Island...
, where he compiled a 67-5 record over five seasons, winning the Long Island Championship from 1962 to 1964. In 1966, Moran became the first lacrosse coach at Elmont Memorial High School
Elmont Memorial High School
Elmont Memorial Junior-Senior High School is a co-educational, secondary public high school founded in 1956 for students in grades 7-12 in the hamlet of Elmont, Long Island, New York, in Nassau County....
and promptly posted a 29-3 record and won two league championships in two seasons. He was also the head coach of the Long Island Athletic Club from 1966–1968, leading the team to a 31-4 record and capturing the 1968 club championship, the first-ever United States Club Lacrosse Association (USCLA) club title won by a northern team. In 1969, he succeeded the legendary Ned Harkness as the head men's lacrosse coach at Cornell University
Cornell University
Cornell University is an Ivy League university located in Ithaca, New York, United States. It is a private land-grant university, receiving annual funding from the State of New York for certain educational missions...
and went on to lead the Big Red for 29 seasons, winning three national championships (1971, 1976, 1977). His teams won 15 Ivy League championships, including ten straight from 1974 to 1983, and turned in three national runner-up performances, losing in the title game in 1978, 1987 and 1988. Moran also set an NCAA record as he guided his teams to 42 consecutive victories from 1976–78 and an Ivy League record 39 straight conference wins from 1973-1979.
During his tenure with the Big Red, Moran was named the USILA Coach of the Year
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....
three times (1971, 1977, 1987) the USILA Man of the Year (1975), and served as the head coach of Team USA in the 1978 World Lacrosse Championship
World Lacrosse Championship
The World Lacrosse Championship is the world championship for international men's field lacrosse. From its inception in 1967 through the 2006 event, it was sanctioned by the International Lacrosse Federation...
. He currently serves as the President of the Irish Lacrosse Foundation and recently coached Team Ireland in the World Lacrosse Championships in 2006 in London, Ontario, where the team took a seventh-place finish. Moran served as Ireland's head coach at the World Championship in Perth, Australia in 2002, where the team went undefeated (5-0) en route to winning the Green Division title.
Moran has been inducted into the Manhasset, Long Island and Upstate New York Lacrosse Halls of Fame, as well as the Cornell University Athletic Hall of Fame and most recently, the Nassau County Sports Hall of Fame
Nassau County Sports Hall of Fame
The Nassau County Sports Hall of Fame honors elite athletes who have roots in Nassau County, New York. The Hall of Fame presentation takes places at the Nassau County Sports Commission "Salute to Champions" Awards Dinner annually every April.-Inductees:...
in 2007. His 1976 and 1977 Cornell teams featuring players Mike French and 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:...
are frequently cited as among the top college lacrosse teams in NCAA history. Moran is also considered a lacrosse innovator by introducing the game to a greater pool of talented lacrosse players, specifically by recruiting box lacrosse players from Canada as well as high school talent from upstate New York.
Head coaching record
| Season | Wins | Losses | Postseason | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1969 | 8 | 3 | na | ||
| 1970 | 11 | 0 | No tournament, ranked Fifth in the nation | ||
| 1971 | 13 | 1 | Won NCAA Division I Championship | ||
| 1972 | 10 | 3 | - | ||
| 1973 | 8 | 3 | - | ||
| 1974 | 12 | 2 | Lost in semifinal of NCAA Division I tournament | ||
| 1975 | 15 | 2 | Lost in semifinal of NCAA Division I tournament | ||
| 1976 | 16 | 0 | Won NCAA Division I Championship | ||
| 1977 | 13 | 0 | Won NCAA Division I Championship | ||
| 1978 | 13 | 1 | Lost in final of NCAA Division I tournament | ||
| 1979 | 10 | 3 | Lost in first round of NCAA Division I tournament | ||
| 1980 | 8 | 5 | Lost in first round of NCAA Division I tournament | ||
| 1981 | 8 | 4 | ----- | ||
| 1982 | 11 | 2 | Lost in Semifinals of NCAA Division I tournament | ||
| 1983 | 8 | 4 | Lost in first round of NCAA Division I tournament | ||
| 1984 | 6 | 6 | ------ | ||
| 1985 | 8 | 4 | ----- | ||
| 1986 | 7 | 6 | ----- | ||
| 1987 | 13 | 1 | Lost in Championship game of NCAA Division I tournament | ||
| 1988 | 9 | 6 | Lost in Championship game of NCAA Division I tournament | ||
| 1989 | 9 | 4 | Lost in first round of NCAA Division I tournament | ||
| 1990 | 7 | 6 | ----- | ||
| 1991 | 8 | 5 | ----- | ||
| 1992 | 7 | 5 | ----- | ||
| 1993 | 4 | 7 | ----- | ||
| 1994 | 1 | 10 | ----- | ||
| 1995 | 8 | 6 | Lost in first round of 2001 NCAA Division I Tournament | ||
| 1996 | 3 | 11 | ----- | ||
| 1997 | 3 | 11 | ----- | ||
| Overall Record: 29 Years 257-121 .680 | |||||
See also
- Members of the National Lacrosse Hall of Fame
- 1971 NCAA Division I Men's Lacrosse Championship1971 NCAA Division I Men's Lacrosse ChampionshipThe 1971 NCAA Division I Men's Lacrosse Tournament was the first Division I NCAA Men's Lacrosse Championship tournament. Prior to this the United States Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association had voted for the national champion and, subsequently, awarded the Wingate Memorial Trophy for the NCAA...
- 1976 NCAA Division I Men's Lacrosse Championship1976 NCAA Division I Men's Lacrosse ChampionshipThe 1976 NCAA Division I tournament championship game was played at Brown University in front of 7,504 fans. The undefeated Cornell Big Red, led by lacrosse Hall of Famers Richard M. Moran, Mike French and Eamon McEneaney, defeated Maryland with hall-of-famer Frank Urso, 16 to 13 in overtime...
- 1977 NCAA Division I Men's Lacrosse Championship1977 NCAA Division I Men's Lacrosse ChampionshipThe 1977 Division I NCAA Men's Lacrosse Championship game was played at University of Virginia in front of 10,080 fans. Cornell capped off a 13-0 season with its second-straight NCAA championship as they defeated Johns Hopkins, 16-8. Led again by Coach Richard M. Moran and Lt...