Dave Pietramala was sitting in the lacrosse office at Johns Hopkins University yesterday, rereading a letter that he had just written to his former players, when he was asked if his decision to accept the position as head coach of Cornell University's men's lacrosse team was a difficult one.
"Boy, that's an understatement," said Pietramala, who left an indelible mark on Johns Hopkins lacrosse over the past decade as both a player and assistant coach. "I have a lot of mixed emotions.
"On one hand, I'm leaving something that I've given my heart and soul to as a player and coach and I'm leaving a lot of great people and some great kids," he said. "But, on the other hand, I'm excited to be in charge of my own program and proud to be part of another great academic institution."
Pietramala, who plans on heading to the Ithaca, N.Y., campus tomorrow, replaces legendary coach Richie Moran, who resigned last month after 29 years at the helm. "Petro," as he is known to his friends, is giving up his assistant coaching position at Hopkins to inherit an Ivy League team that has finished 3-11 the past two years.
His departure didn't come as a shock to Tom Calder but it did leave the Johns Hopkins athletic director feeling a sense of loss.
"We're losing someone who is a very hard worker, an excellent recruiter and someone who is very loyal to Johns Hopkins and our lacrosse program," Calder said. "But, I talked to Dave when he was first hired here and one of his goals was to become a head coach at the Division I level. At Cornell, he will have a chance to build a program that is his and we wish him the best."
As a player, Pietramala set the standard for close defensemen. A Hicksville, N.Y., native, he earned first-team All-America honors three times and received the Schmeisser Award as the top defenseman in Division I as a junior and senior. He was named MVP at the 1990 world championships before starring with the Mount Washington Lacrosse Club and with two teams in the Major Indoor Lacrosse League.
Pietramala joined the Blue Jays' coaching staff for the 1991 season. He left Homewood Field for coaching stints at Loyola College and the University of Pennsylvania before returning to Hopkins and helping the Blue Jays to the NCAA semifinals in 1995 and 1996 and last year's quarterfinal round.
Now, Pietramala will try to return Cornell's program to its 1970's form, when the Big Red captured three national titles.
"Dave's previous coaching and playing experience, both at the college and international levels, made him the right choice to lead our program," said Charles H. Moore, Cornell's director of athletics and physical education. "Replacing one of the legends of college lacrosse wasn't an easy task, but Dave Pietramala is an outstanding choice to lead our men's lacrosse program back to being a dominant team at the national level."
Pub Date: 8/23/97
