1977 NCAA Division I Men's Lacrosse Championship

The 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.

Tournament overview

Led for the second straight year by Coach Richard M. Moran and USILA most outstanding player winner Eamon McEneaney, Cornell completed a second undefeated season becoming the first team to win back-to-back championships. Cornell capped off a 13–0 season with a 16–8 victory over Johns Hopkins in the finals. McEneaney scored three goals and assisted on five others, while Hall of Famer Dan Mackesey was a stalwart in goal with 14 saves. Cornell opened with an 9 to 0 lead in the first 20 minutes and led by as many as 13 to 1 early in the second half of the finals.

The victory was the 29th straight for Cornell and represented their third title in seven NCAA championships. Cornell would not lose again until the following year's championship game again versus Johns Hopkins. Both of Hopkins' losses during the season were to Cornell, and McEneaney had 25 total points during the tournament eclipsing the prior record of 20 set by Mike French in 1976.

Coach Moran earned his second Morris Touchstone Award as the Division I Coach of the Year, while Eamon McEneaney won the Lt. Raymond Enners Award as the most outstanding player in the nation and Chris Kane wins the Schmeisser Cup as the nation's outstanding defenseman. Dan Mackesey repeated as the winner of the Ens. C.M. Kelly, Jr. Award as the nation's most outstanding goaltender, making it the fifth time in a 10-year span that a Big Red player had received the award.

Eamon McEneaney was voted the outstanding player in the 1977 NCAA tournament and also represented the United States in the 1978 World Lacrosse Championships. He was inducted into the Cornell Sports Hall of Fame in 1982. McEneaney was inducted into the National Lacrosse Hall of Fame in 1992. McEneaney teamed with Hall of Fame players Mike French, Dan Mackesey, Bill Marino, Bob Hendrickson, and Chris Kane, and coach Richie Moran to lead the Cornell Big Red to the NCAA Men's Lacrosse Championship in 1976 and 1977. His top season was 1975 when he scored 31 goals and handed out 65 assists for 96 total points in 17 games, and was named the USILA player of the year. That year, he was also awarded the Turnbull Award given to the top collegiate attackman. His career was played in an era when freshmen were not eligible to play varsity sports. He was also an outstanding football player, playing wide receiver. He was named to the All-Ivy second team in 1976, when he led Cornell in receiving and was second in team scoring. In 1995, he was named to the NCAA's Silver Anniversary Lacrosse Team, recognizing his place among the best players of the first quarter century of NCAA lacrosse. McEneaney was a 9-11 victim and his jersey number (#10) was retired by Cornell University on April 27, 2002 in memoriam.United Press International. ''Cornell romps, 16-8''. The Syracuse Herald Journal. May 29, 1977. pg. 73

Tournament results

Tournament boxscores

Tournament Finals

Tournament Semi-Finals

Tournament First Round

Tournament outstanding players

* Eamon McEneaney, Cornell, tournament Most Outstanding Player

Tournament notes

* Cornell the national champion scores 55 total goals, a new tournament record

References

External links

1977 NCAA Men's Lacrosse National Championship at YouTube

{{NCAA Division I Men's Lacrosse Championships

NCAA Division I Men's Lacrosse Championship
NCAA Division I Men's Lacrosse Championship
NCAA Division I Men's Lacrosse Championship
NCAA Division I Men's Lacrosse Championship
NCAA Division I Men's Lacrosse Championship