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LANCASTER, PA -- Dr. Robert D. Bunnell, Director of Athletics and Recreation at Franklin & Marshall College, has announced the appointment of national championship and former Georgetown head coach William J. Gorrow, Jr. as the 14th head coach of men's lacrosse at Franklin & Marshall College. Gorrow comes to F&M following a highly successful nine-year term as the head lacrosse coach at Anne Arundel Community College. "I am ecstatic and humbled by the opportunity to take over the program at Franklin & Marshall College," stated Gorrow. "F&M is one of a few schools in the country that combines phenomenal athletics with a tremendous history of academic success." A renowned name in collegiate lacrosse, Gorrow possesses a long record of success in collegiate lacrosse at the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) and National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) levels. The head coach at Anne Arundel Community College since 1993, he led his team to the NJCAA Quarterfinals or better for nine consecutive years. A 2001, 1997 and 1993 quarterfinalist, Gorrow's teams advanced to the semi-finals in 1999 and 1995, and the championship game in 2000, 1998, 1996 and 1994. In 1998, Anne Arundel would claim the NJCAA National Championship as Gorrow was named the national junior college Coach of the Year in 1999. In addition, he was named the Conference Coach of the Year from 1994-96 and from 1998-2000. From 1983 through 1989, Gorrow directed the Division I Georgetown University men's lacrosse team. In addition, he served as the Hoyas' Director of Athletic Support Services and Facilities, where he was the scheduling liaison for all athletic department staff in developing practice schedules for teams and coordinating support staff for home event management. Since 1995, Gorrow has served as the administrative director of Top 205 Lacrosse Camp, the largest recruiting and exposure camp in the United States. In addition, he has prior experience as an assistant coach at Washington College (1981-83), Ithaca (1980-81) and North Country Community College (1978-79). While at Washington, Gorrow handled all recruiting in the New York, New England and Pennsylvania regions for the nationally ranked Shoremen, a Centennial Conference opponent of the Diplomats. From 1989 through 1992, he served as an assistant coach at the United States Naval Academy under Bryan Matthews, now the Director of Intercollegiate Athletics at Centennial Conference member Washington College. While at Navy, Gorrow was responsible for working with attackmen and goalies, scouting opponents and analyzing game film. "I know that I am coming at a time when the F&M program is primed to take the next step in becoming nationally competitive in the NCAA Championship Tournament. My knowledge of the Centennial Conference and its coaches should help me tremendously as we look towards the next level." "The Centennial title hunt is always a dog-fight since the doors that lead to the national title have been Gettysburg and Washington the last couple of years. With the talent we return, and the incoming class, I think we are ready to go through those doors." Gorrow replaces Dave Webster, who resigned to take over the men's lacrosse program at Centennial Conference rival Dickinson College. "I understand that I have significantly large shoes to fill from Dave Webster," added Gorrow. "Coach Webster did a great job in finding and recruiting very talented lacrosse players who have committed themselves to doing the things needed to reach the next level of success in the classroom and on the field." During his three-year tenure at F&M, Webster compiled a 19-26 record as the men's lacrosse team improved from a 6-9 finish in 1999 to a 9-7 mark in 2001. In 2001, Webster would lead F&M to its first winning season since 1996 as the team finished 3-3 in the Centennial Conference to advance to the conference's "Final Four". In the CC playoffs, the Diplomats would hand #1 nationally ranked Gettysburg a tough match as the Bullets edged F&M 9-7. Gettysburg would go on to win the conference tournament, but fell to Middlebury 15-10 in the national championship game. Due to their achievements during the regular season, the Diplomats were selected to the Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) South Region Championship game marking the first time the team advanced to the post-season since a 15-9 loss in the 1995 NCAA Quarterfinals to Gettysburg College. Further, the team's selection marked the first time in the 45-year history of the sport at Franklin & Marshall College, that the men's lacrosse program earned a bid to the ECAC playoffs as the men fell 13-10 to Centennial Conference rival Western Maryland to conclude the season ranked 18th nationally. Webster takes over a program at Dickinson that finished the year 4-8, 1-5 in the Centennial Conference. On April 4, the Red Devils dropped a 13-8 decision to F&M to mark the 34th consecutive year that the Diplomats have defeated the Devils in men's lacrosse. The 34-year stretch marks the longest active streak by Franklin & Marshall men's lacrosse against any opponent and ties the athletic department mark for most consecutive defeats of one opponent. Gorrow and the Diplomats will look to extend the streak when they host the Red Devils on April 10 at 4:00 p.m. in Lancaster at Williamson-Sponaugle Field for a Centennial Conference game. A 1978 graduate of the State University of New York at Brockport with a Bachelor of Science degree in Physical Education and Sports Management, Gorrow is slated to complete a Masters in Sports Administration from Western Maryland College in December 2001.
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