Hall of Fame

Joe Cuozzo HOF 2011 Headshot

Joseph Cuozzo

  • Class
    2011
  • Induction
    2011
  • Sport(s)
    Coach, Boys Lacrosse

Joseph Cuozzow is one of the winningest high school boys lacrosse coach in the country sporting a sparkling 747-100 varsity career record. Back in 1969, he started the boys lacrosse program at Ward Melville High School in Section XI and his vision quickly helped the school grow into one of the nation’s best programs.

Overall, Coach Cuozzo led his teams to eight NYSPHSAA State Championships, 16 Long Island titles, and 24 Suffolk County crowns in 41 seasons. He spent his first 38 years of coaching lacrosse at Ward Melville while also teaching physical education. He averaged 18 wins and just one loss each season during those years. In 2007, he moved on to coach boys lacrosse at Mount Sinai High School in Section XI where he had an immediate impact on that program over a short period of time winning a NYSPHSAA State title in 2008 and two more county championships. Additionally, Joe has coached 54 All-Americans and was the head coach of the US Men’s U-19 National Team when they won a World Championship in Adelaide, Australia in 1999. He has earned several Coach of the Year awards and has been inducted into the National Lacrosse Hall of Fame, the National High School Coaches Hall of Fame, the Long Island Metropolitan Hall of Fame, Cortland State “C” Club Hall of Fame, Suffolk County Hall of Fame, and the Ward Melville High School Hall of Fame.

Known to many as a true ambassador of the sport, Joe had an outstanding high school athletic career at Yonkers before moving on to letter in three sports (football, lacrosse, track) at Cortland and earn his Bachelors there in 1959.