Don Leet

The coach who put St. Lawrence lacrosse on the map and had a hand in some of the most successful football teams in Saint history, Don Leet was the United States Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association Man of the Year for 1997 and the 1979 NCAA Coach of the Year in 1979.

Don compiled 251 career victories in lacrosse and took his teams to eight NCAA tournaments, three in Division II-III and five in Division III. Six of those appearances came consecutively after the first in the 1978 season. His 1979 team was the last team to beat Hobart before it went on a run of 12 straight NCAA championships as the Saints upset the Statesmen 12-11 in Geneva before dropping a tight game at Division II Adelphi in the semifinals.

He became the third Division III coach in history to be the head coach of the North-South Game and served as an assistant coach in the North South Game and head coach of the 1997 Division III North South game. He received the Sportsman's Award from the USILA Referees Association in 1992 and was named the Upstate New York Hall of Fame in 1993 in addition to winning state Coach of the Year honors during his career. He served on the NCAA lacrosse rules committee for eight years.

An innovative coach and teacher, he was a popular teacher in the Department of Sport and Leisure Studies as well as a successful coach. The best tribute to his coaching by a colleague is the statement "he coached people, not sports."

A football, wrestling and lacrosse athlete at Adelphi, Don joined the St. Lawrence staff in 1968-69 and was defensive line coach in football and head lacrosse coach. He produced 35 All Americas in lacrosse during his career and also coached three All America linemen in football. He was defensive line coach for all three St. Lawrence football playoff teams including the 10-1 1982 team, just the second team in Saint history to record an unbeaten regular season.