:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/23160195/169488690.0.jpg)
After two trips to the NCAA Tournament and an adventure to Championship Weekend last season, Cornell has relieved Ben DeLuca of his duties as Cornell's head men's lacrosse coach:
Earlier today, Meakem Smith Director of Athletics and Physical Education Andrew Noel informed Ben DeLuca that he has been dismissed from his position as head coach of the Cornell Men’s Lacrosse Program. While Cornell University recognizes the contributions DeLuca has made to our nationally ranked lacrosse program as a player and assistant coach, it is the university’s belief that new leadership is required to best serve our students and to continue our lacrosse program’s decades-long tradition of excellence.
Also effective today, Matt Kerwick, who served as assistant coach for the 2013 season and is a former head coach for several successful programs, will take over as the interim head coach for our men’s lacrosse team while Cornell conducts a national search for a new head coach.
Noel issued this statement:
"This was a difficult decision, but our students are our first priority and there is no doubt now that new leadership is required.
"Matt is a proven leader and has held head coach positions at Hobart and Jacksonville University. I have great confidence in Matt’s ability to lead the team in this time of transition. We are also confident in our ability to attract an exceptional head coach to lead the team forward in the tradition of Cornell Lacrosse."
Matt Kerwick now takes the reins of the Red program, stepping to the fore after driving Cornell's offense last season. Kerwick, an offensive savant, recently served as the associate head coach at Georgetown in 2012 and ran the programs at Jacksonville and Hobart prior to his stint on The Hilltop. Given the date on the calendar, Kerwick is likely to lead the Red through the 2014 season as a national coaching search at this stage in the year isn't likely to bear much fruit for Cornell.
The Big Red were sidelined this fall from inter-squad competition after allegations of hazing surfaced. The press release from Cornell does not indicate whether the hazing situation was the impetus for DeLuca's firing.