The 2010 season marks Dan Witmer's 28th year at the helm of the Oswego State men's lacrosse program. He owns the distinction of being the longest-tenured coach at one school over any collegiate coach in New York. During his career, the Lakers have appeared in six ECAC tournaments, winning the championship once and finishing second twice, won three Empire Lacrosse League titles, and have been ranked among the nation's top 20 teams in both 1994 and 1996. Witmer has also sent eight players to the prestigious annual United States Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association (USILA) North/South Game and worked with five USILA All-Americans and one USILA Scholar All-American.
Witmer, the 2009 SUNYAC Coach of the Year and a two-time Empire Lacrosse League Coach of the Year, ranks 13th among NCAA Division III active men's lacrosse coaches and 22nd all-time among NCAA Division men's lacrosse coaches with 177 career victories. With eight victories this season, he will move into the ranks of the top 20 coaches all-time. Witmer became an inductee into U.S. Lacrosse's 100-Win Century Club in 1996.
An experienced and active guest speaker and clinician, Witmer has worked at various lacrosse camps each summer. He has served on both the USILA Division III All-American and Coaches' Poll committees, as well as on the NCAA Championship Advisory Committee and as a NCAA playoff game site representative for both NCAA Divisions II and III. In 2002, Witmer was asked to serve as co-coach for the USILA's annual North/South Game, leading his team to a dramatic 16-15 victory at Johns Hopkins University. Witmer serves on the Oswego Lacrosse Club Executive Board, while also assisting with the USILA North/South Game and the Summit Lacrosse Tournament in Lake Placid.
Witmer is a two-time graduate of SUNY Oswego, earning his bachelor of arts degree in Secondary Education in 1982 and his master of science degree in Education five years later. He enjoys the competitive rivalry of NCAA coaching, but stays busy teaching 11th grade English at Hannibal High School and selected college courses at Cayuga Community College.
Originally hailing from Lynbrook on Long Island, the Laker head coach resides in Minetto with his wife, Sue, and their sons, Brian and Eric.
