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| New York Lizards | |
|---|---|
| Name | New York Lizards |
| Founded | 2001 |
| Folded | 2020 |
| League | Major League Lacrosse |
| City | Hempstead, New York |
| Stadium | Shuart Stadium, Mitchel Athletic Complex |
| Colors | Navy, Lime, White |
| Championships | 2015, 2016 |
| Coach | B.J. O'Hara |
New York Lizards were a professional Major League Lacrosse franchise based in Hempstead, New York that competed from 2001 through the 2020 season. The team traced lineage to inaugural season franchises and featured players from collegiate programs such as Syracuse University, Cornell University, University of Maryland, College Park, Princeton University, and University of Virginia. Over two decades the club interacted with leagues, venues, and personalities including Major League Lacrosse All-Star Game, MLL Collegiate Draft, Professional Lacrosse League, United States Lacrosse organizations, and regional institutions.
The franchise began as an original MLL charter member alongside teams such as Boston Cannons, Long Island Lizards (original regional identity), Bridgeport Barrage, Baltimore Bayhawks, and Rochester Rattlers. Early seasons saw coaching influence from figures associated with Johns Hopkins University, Loyola University Maryland, University of Massachusetts Amherst, and rivalries with clubs like Chicago Machine, Denver Outlaws, and New York Titans on the professional landscape. Throughout expansions and contractions involving entities such as Premier Lacrosse League and league realignments driven by owners connected to The Walt Disney Company and media partners including ESPN and CBS Sports Network, the team adjusted rosters via the MLL Collegiate Draft, MLL Supplemental Draft, and trades with franchises such as Ohio Machine and Charlotte Hounds. The franchise captured league championships in 2015 and 2016 under coaching staffs that included personnel from Notre Dame Fighting Irish and assistants who had worked at Duke University and University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
Branding evolved from the original Long Island regional identity to a metropolitan association with New York City institutions and suburban Nassau County anchors like Hofstra University and Mitchel Athletic Complex. Uniforms incorporated colors akin to civic palettes used by entities like New York City FC while adopting logos that echoed iconography present in sports branding by franchises such as New York Yankees, New York Mets, New York Islanders, and New York Knicks. The club engaged graphic designers who previously worked with organizations like Nike, Adidas, and agencies tied to Major League Baseball merchandising. Marketing campaigns partnered with media outlets including Newsday, The New York Times, New York Post, and regional radio networks connected to WFAN to promote marquee matchups against rivals such as Boston Cannons and Chesapeake Bayhawks.
Seasons featured varying results against teams such as Denver Outlaws, Charleston Battery (in exhibition contexts), Atlanta Blaze, and San Francisco Dragons. Playoff berths often intersected with games at neutral sites including venues affiliated with Yankee Stadium events and collegiate stadiums like Cuse's Carrier Dome. Key campaign moments involved draft classes that delivered talent from Duke Blue Devils lacrosse, Maryland Terrapins men's lacrosse, Johns Hopkins Blue Jays men's lacrosse, and Brown University which influenced standings versus rivals like Ohio Machine and Chicago Machine. Championship seasons in 2015 and 2016 culminated in matchups against prominent MLL adversaries and featured award winners from the MLL Championship Weekend rosters and All-MLL selections.
The roster historically included professional athletes who previously starred at programs such as Syracuse Orange men's lacrosse, Princeton Tigers men's lacrosse, Cornell Big Red men's lacrosse, Virginia Cavaliers men's lacrosse, Johns Hopkins Blue Jays, and Penn State Nittany Lions. Notable coaches and general managers had ties to institutions like Notre Dame Fighting Irish lacrosse, Duke Blue Devils, University of Maryland, Loyola Greyhounds, and Hofstra Pride. Personnel moves featured interactions with players who later joined or came from organizations such as Premier Lacrosse League, Team USA, National Lacrosse League, and developmental pathways including US Lacrosse national teams. Individual awardees included All-Pro selections, MLL MVP contenders, and coaches recognized at events hosted by US Lacrosse Hall of Fame affiliates.
Home games were held at stadiums and facilities connected to regional higher-education and municipal partners such as Hofstra University's Shuart Stadium, Mitchel Athletic Complex, and occasional exhibitions at sites linked to Citi Field and university venues like Syracuse University's Carrier Dome (neutral). Training programs used fields and weight rooms coordinated with athletic departments at Hofstra Pride, St. John's University (New York), and community sports centers affiliated with Nassau County. Facility upgrades mirrored investments seen at college programs including University of Maryland and Loyola University Maryland with support services provided by athletic trainers who had previously worked with teams in Major League Baseball and National Football League organizations.
Community outreach partnered with regional youth lacrosse initiatives such as those coordinated by US Lacrosse chapters, local school districts like Hempstead (LIRR) area programs, and nonprofit organizations including Lacrosse the Nations and youth clubs feeding into prep schools like Gonzaga College High School and Albany Academy. Camps and clinics involved coaching staff affiliated with collegiate programs including Princeton University, Syracuse University, and Cornell University and engaged partnerships with municipal parks and recreation departments in Nassau County and Suffolk County. Youth development pipelines connected to scholastic leagues, recruiting showcases, and scouting combines echoed broader talent pathways seen in events hosted by US Lacrosse National Championships.
The franchise's legacy includes two MLL championships, notable alumni who advanced to national teams and coaching positions at Duke University, Notre Dame, Princeton, and Syracuse, and statistical leaders who rank among season and career leaders in MLL history alongside contemporaries from Boston Cannons and Chesapeake Bayhawks. Records and milestones intersect with league-wide developments involving the Premier Lacrosse League and media transitions to broadcasters like ESPN2 and CBS Sports Network, leaving a footprint in Long Island and greater New York sports culture through alumni who later coached at institutions such as Colgate University and University of Denver.
Category:Major League Lacrosse teams Category:Sports in Hempstead, New York