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Syracuse men’s lacrosse head coach John Desko announced his retirement Monday after 46 years with the program as a player, assistant and head coach.

The announcement came after reports surfaced on Sunday that Syracuse women’s lacrosse head coach Gary Gait was expected to become the men’s program’s next head coach. Syracuse Athletics confirmed Gait’s role as SU’s men’s head coach and Desko’s retirement in press releases on Monday.

“The last 46 years at Syracuse have been an incredible experience and I’m so grateful for my time here as a player, assistant and head coach,” Desko said in a release. “After talking with my family, I have decided to retire.” 

Desko has been involved with the program through all 11 of its national championships, earning five as a head coach. He arrived on campus in 1975 as a player, and after graduating in 1979, he joined then-head coach Roy Simmons Jr. as an assistant coach. Desko spent 19 seasons as an assistant before being promoted to head coach in 1999.

His 265 victories as a head coach rank 15th all-time. In total, as a player, assistant and head coach, Desko has collected 529 wins with the Orange. 

Gait was named as Desko’s successor, becoming the fifth head coach in program history. Caitlin Defliese was named the interim head coach of the women’s program. Defliese has spent the past five seasons as SU’s assistant coach after spending five years as an associate head coach at Stony Brook. 

“This is an exciting opportunity to be able to coach the team I made so many memories playing for, and my family and I are excited for this transition,” Gait said in a release. “The goal of every team I’ve ever coached was to win a championship and that goal will continue as the head coach of the Syracuse men’s lacrosse team.”

Gait led Syracuse men’s lacrosse to three national championships from 1988-90. In his professional career, Gait won three National Lacrosse League titles, three Major League Lacrosse titles, three Mann Cups, the Heritage Cup and the International Lacrosse Federation World Championship.

After playing professionally, Gait joined the Maryland women’s lacrosse program as an assistant coach, earning seven national championship titles from 1995-2001. In 2007, Gait returned to his alma mater to become Syracuse’s head coach. 

In his first season with the Orange, Gait’s team played in the Final Four for the first time in program history. Since then, Syracuse has made three appearances in the national championship game, most recently this season. 

A national search is underway for Gait’s replacement, according to SU Athletics. 

Published on June 7, 2021 at 10:10 pm

Contact Skyler: skrivera@syr.edu | @skylerriveraa