From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Mike Pressler is an American lacrosse coach. He is currently the head coach of the Bryant University Bulldogs[1] as well as the 2010 United States national lacrosse team.[2] He served as the head coach of the Duke Blue Devils for 16 seasons until he was fired during the 2006 Duke University lacrosse case.
Career
Before Duke
Pressler attended Wilton High School. Pressler served first as the head coach at VMI for one year before leaving to serve as an assistant coach at Army under the tutalage of his former coach, Jack Emmer. After West Point, Pressler was the head coach at Ohio Wesleyan, leading to his overall record of 229-102 in 22 seasons as a head coach. Pressler attended Washington & Lee University and was a four year starter on both the football and lacrosse teams.[1]
In October 2007, Mike Pressler was inducted into the Ohio Wesleyan University Hall of Fame. During his 5 year tenure at OWU from 1986 through 1990, Pressler amassed a 69-16 record, four NCAC conference championships, five visits to the final four NCAA National Championships, three NCAA Division III championship game appearances, 29 All-America selections, and five NCAA players of the year. His contributions to the OWU lacrosse program made him the winningest coach (.812) in the University's 50-year lacrosse history and represents 20% of OWU's 25 year participation in the NCAA playoffs.
Duke
Pressler became coach of the Duke Blue Devils in 1991. Over 16 seasons he compiled a 153-82 record at Duke, winning the Atlantic Coast Conference championship three times, and leading his team to 10 NCAA tournament appearances as well as the Division I men's national championship game in 2005. Pressler was voted ACC Coach of the Year three times and also was honored as the USILA National Coach of the Year in 2005.[1][3]
He was fired in 2006 in the wake of allegations of rape against three athletes in the program that proved to be baseless. According to KC Johnson, Pressler's firing was portrayed as a resignation by Duke, which gave rise to the egregious implication that Pressler had resigned because of the students' presumed guilt. He also has coauthored the book with Don Yaeger, It's Not About the Truth: The Untold Story of the Duke Lacrosse Rape Case and the Lives It Shattered (ISBN 1416551468). In early June 2007, Pressler and Duke agreed upon a financial settlement for an undisclosed amount.[4] Pressler announced in October 2007 that he is suing Duke, alleging the university broke the terms of the confidential settlement when university senior vice president John Burness made disparaging comments about him, saying the difference between Pressler and the current lacrosse coach was, "night and day." The suit asks a state court to void the settlement and hold a trial on Pressler's claim of wrongful termination.[5]
On Tuesday September 1, 2009, the three-judge Court of Appeals panel ruled that Pressler's obligation to arbitrate his claims was voided by his settlement agreement with Duke, agreeing with a trial court judge's decision. This action means that Coach Pressler's Seventh Amendment right to a jury trial and his right to conduct full discovery were both preserved. [1]
Notes
External links
| Persondata |
| NAME |
Pressler, Mike |
| ALTERNATIVE NAMES |
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| SHORT DESCRIPTION |
Lacrosse coach |
| DATE OF BIRTH |
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| PLACE OF BIRTH |
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| DATE OF DEATH |
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| PLACE OF DEATH |
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