Duke Hires New Lacrosse Coach for Men's Team
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Duke University has hired John Danowski from Hofstra to coach its embattled men's lacrosse team, the new coach said Friday.
Danowski, whose son Matt is a Duke senior and All-America attackman for the Blue Devils, told The Associated Press that he will replace Mike Pressler, who resigned soon after a woman told police she was raped by three men at a March team party where she was hired to perform as a stripper.
A grand jury has indicted three lacrosse players — Reade Seligmann, 20, of Essex Fells, N.J.; Collin Finnerty, 19, of Garden City, N.Y.; and David Evans, 23, of Bethesda, Md. — on charges of rape, kidnapping and sexual offense. Defense attorneys strongly have proclaimed the players' innocence.
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The school scheduled an afternoon news conference at the school's Cameron Indoor Stadium to make a formal announcement of Danowski's hiring.
In 21 seasons at Hofstra, Danowski compiled a record of 192-123, taking the Pride to the NCAA tournament in seven of the past 11 seasons. In his 24-year career, Danowski has a record of 219-139.
Last month, Duke named assistant coach Kevin Cassese, a two-time team captain and U.S. national team player, to serve as interim coach while the school conducted a search a permanent replacement. Cassese's appointment came the same day school president Richard Brodhead reinstated the lacrosse program, which he had suspended during the rape investigation.
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Brodhead canceled the highly ranked team's season April 5, following the disclosure of a vulgar e-mail sent by a lacrosse player. A university investigation later found a history of disciplinary problems involving team members, including underage drinking.
But a faculty committee recommended the team be allowed to resume play, with its members' conduct strictly monitored. Brodhead agreed to reinstate the program, but only after all remaining players agreed to a mission statement that emphasizes academics, tolerance and a code of conduct that, among other things, prohibits underage drinking.