St. Lawrence University Athletics

The coach who put St. Lawrence lacrosse on the map and had a hand in some of the most successful football teams in program history, Don Leet was the United States Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association Man of the Year for 1997 and the 1979 NCAA Coach of the Year.

Over 28 seasons, Don compiled a 253-162 (.609%) career record in lacrosse and took his teams to eight NCAA tournaments, three in Division II-III and five in Division III. Six of those appearances came consecutively following the initial bid in the 1978 season. His 1979 team was the last team to beat Hobart before it went on a run of 12 straight NCAA championships as the Saints upset the Statesmen 12-11 in Geneva, New York before dropping a tight game at Division II Adelphi in the semifinals.

He became the third Division III coach in history to be the head coach of the North-South Game and also served as an assistant coach in that prestigious all-star game. He received the Sportsman’s Award from the USILA Referees Association in 1992 and was named to the Upstate New York Hall of Fame in 1993, as well as, winning state Coach of the Year honors during his career. He served on the NCAA lacrosse rules committee for eight years.

Don was an innovative and successful coach and teacher and was a popular instructor in the Department of Sport and Leisure Studies.

A tri-sport athlete in football, wrestling and lacrosse at Adelphi, Don joined the Saints’ staff in 1968-69 and was defensive line coach in football in addition to coaching lacrosse. He produced 35 All-Americas during his lacrosse tenure and also coached three All-America linemen in football. He was defensive line coach for the first three Saints’ teams to make the NCAA playoffs including the 10-1 1982 team, just the second in Saints history to record an unbeaten regular season.