John Desko
| Sport(s) | Lacrosse |
|---|---|
| Current position | |
| Title | Head coach |
| Team | Syracuse |
| Conference | Atlantic Coast Conference |
| Biographical details | |
| Born | August 10th |
| Alma mater | Syracuse University |
| Playing career | |
| ? | Syracuse |
| Coaching career (HC unless noted) | |
| 1980-1998 | Syracuse (asst.) |
| 1999–present | Syracuse |
| Head coaching record | |
| Overall |
211-66 .762 winning percentage |
| Tournaments | 17 Title Games as Head Coach |
| Accomplishments and honors | |
| Championships | |
| 5 | |
| Awards | |
|
National Lacrosse Hall of Fame Greater Syracuse Hall of Fame Coach of the Year | |
John Desko is the head coach of the men's lacrosse team at Syracuse University taking over the reins in 1999 from Hall of Fame coach Roy Simmons, Jr.
Desko has an overall record of 147-43 and a post-season record of 27-5 (an .844 Winning Percentage, the best of any head coach in the history of the NCAA Division I Lacrosse Tournament). He has won five NCAA Championships as head coach and six more as an assistant coach. In eleven years as head coach, he has coached the Syracuse lacrosse team to seven NCAA finals appearances and nine Final Fours. Desko also coached Team USA to a runner-up finish at the 2006 World Lacrosse Championship.
John earned All-America honors as he helped Syracuse to a 10-5 record in 1979 and the school's first NCAA playoff berth. Desko's two younger brothers, Dave and Jeff, were also All-American lacrosse players at Syracuse. John was named USILA Division I Coach of the Year for 2008 after guiding the Orange to a title over Johns Hopkins.
The Desko family grew up in Camillus playing high school lacrosse at West Genesee, the 15-time state champions.
Desko resides in Syracuse with his wife, Cindy, and their four children; Timothy, Nicole, Casey and Ryan. Timothy attended Syracuse and played on the lacrosse team.
Most recently, Desko led the Orange to their 10th National Championship with a thrilling 10-9 overtime comeback victory over Cornell on May 25, 2009.
Desko won back to back ACC Championships during the years of 2015 and 2016 and forged new hope for a 2016 Syracuse Lacrosse team that had been struggling in the middle of the season losing games they should have won.
Although going through much criticism of being a bad coach he quickly silenced the crowd showing why he is the head coach and arguably the best by turning around his team and gaining much needed wins nearing tournament weekend.