April 28, 2016
Long-Time Cortland Coach Cynthia Wetmore Announces Retirement
Courtesty of Cortland Sports Information Department
CORTLAND, N.Y. - Cynthia Wetmore, SUNY Cortland's field hockey coach since 1998 and the Red Dragons' women's lacrosse coach from 1998-2007, has announced her retirement from the College. With an overall record of 271-74 (.786) in 18 seasons as Cortland's field hockey coach and a 146-37 mark (.798) in her 10 years at the women's lacrosse helm, Wetmore is Cortland's career wins leader in both sports.
The State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) will be honoring Wetmore with the Retiree Award and recognizing her at the Awards Banquet, May 16 at the Holiday Inn, Liverpool. The SUNYAC Retiree Award is presented annually to individuals who coached or were in administration for 15 years or more.
Wetmore led the Cortland field hockey program to 13 NCAA Division III tournament appearances, including a national title in 2001, semifinal showings in 1999 and 2003, and seven other national quarterfinals. The team also won 13 State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) crowns.
Wetmore was named Dita/NFHCA Division III Field Hockey National Coach of the Year in 2001. The Red Dragons finished that season 19-2, capped by a 1-0 victory over Messiah College in the national title game. Her 2006 and 2009 squads each opened the season 19-0 before losing in the national quarterfinals. She was chosen as North Atlantic Region Coach of the Year five times, SUNYAC Coach of the Year seven times, and New York State Women's Collegiate Athletic Association (NYSWCAA) Coach of the Year twice.
Wetmore's lacrosse squads played in nine NCAA tournaments, highlighted by a 19-1 record and advancement to the final four in 2006, and won nine SUNYAC titles. She was chosen as the SUNYAC Coach of the Year in both 2000 and 2006 and the IWLCA New York Region Coach of the Year in 2005.
"It has been an honor to work for SUNY Cortland," said Wetmore. "I am fortunate to have been part of an incredibly strong athletic program and a college that truly cares about its student-athletes' success. The 18 years I spent coaching Cortland field hockey and the 10 years I spent coaching Cortland lacrosse has afforded me the opportunity to work with some great athletes and coaches. It was a wonderful time in my life and I honor the relationships that I have built with my former players.
"I would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who has helped me during my time here especially the Athletics Department, college administration, and certainly the players and Cortland coaches. We have truly created a family that I hope to remain a part of in the future. It's a great day to be a Red Dragon!"
During her career, Wetmore coached 27 All-Americans and 84 all-region selections in field hockey, including the 2001 Honda Division III Field Hockey Player of the Year. In lacrosse, she coached 19 All-Americans and 38 all-region honorees.
Wetmore came to Cortland after a highly successful run as the head field hockey and lacrosse coach at Cicero-North Syracuse High School. She coached field hockey from 1990-96, leading the Northstars to the Section III, Class A title in 1996. Her lacrosse teams had a combined record of 152-14-1 from 1986-97 and claimed the first-ever New York State Class A Championships in 1995 and 1996. In 1997 the Northstars were New York state finalists. She was inducted into the US Lacrosse Upstate New York Chapter Hall of Fame in 2008.
Wetmore coached and played field hockey internationally in Australia, England, Brussels, France, the Netherlands and Scotland. She graduated from the University of Rhode Island in 1982 with a bachelor's degree in physical education and earned a master's degree in 1985 from Southern Illinois University, where she was assistant field hockey coach from 1983-85. While at Rhode Island she captained the lacrosse and field hockey teams, which competed in the Division I A.I.A.W. Lacrosse National Tournament and the Division I A.I.A.W. Field Hockey Regional Tournament, respectively.
Prior to attending URI, Wetmore attended Herkimer County Community College from 1978-80. She was the school's Athlete of the Year in 1979-80, a season in which she was a NJCAA hockey All-American while leading her team to a national championship. She still holds the college's hockey record for most career goals scored and is a 2013 inductee into the Herkimer Community College Hall of Fame.
Wetmore is a native of Beaver Falls, N.Y., and a graduate of Beaver River Central School. She currently resides in Ithaca. A search for Cortland's new field hockey head coach is currently being conducted.
CORTLAND, N.Y. - Cynthia Wetmore, SUNY Cortland's field hockey coach since 1998 and the Red Dragons' women's lacrosse coach from 1998-2007, has announced her retirement from the College. With an overall record of 271-74 (.786) in 18 seasons as Cortland's field hockey coach and a 146-37 mark (.798) in her 10 years at the women's lacrosse helm, Wetmore is Cortland's career wins leader in both sports.
The State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) will be honoring Wetmore with the Retiree Award and recognizing her at the Awards Banquet, May 16 at the Holiday Inn, Liverpool. The SUNYAC Retiree Award is presented annually to individuals who coached or were in administration for 15 years or more.
Wetmore led the Cortland field hockey program to 13 NCAA Division III tournament appearances, including a national title in 2001, semifinal showings in 1999 and 2003, and seven other national quarterfinals. The team also won 13 State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) crowns.
Wetmore was named Dita/NFHCA Division III Field Hockey National Coach of the Year in 2001. The Red Dragons finished that season 19-2, capped by a 1-0 victory over Messiah College in the national title game. Her 2006 and 2009 squads each opened the season 19-0 before losing in the national quarterfinals. She was chosen as North Atlantic Region Coach of the Year five times, SUNYAC Coach of the Year seven times, and New York State Women's Collegiate Athletic Association (NYSWCAA) Coach of the Year twice.
Wetmore's lacrosse squads played in nine NCAA tournaments, highlighted by a 19-1 record and advancement to the final four in 2006, and won nine SUNYAC titles. She was chosen as the SUNYAC Coach of the Year in both 2000 and 2006 and the IWLCA New York Region Coach of the Year in 2005.
"It has been an honor to work for SUNY Cortland," said Wetmore. "I am fortunate to have been part of an incredibly strong athletic program and a college that truly cares about its student-athletes' success. The 18 years I spent coaching Cortland field hockey and the 10 years I spent coaching Cortland lacrosse has afforded me the opportunity to work with some great athletes and coaches. It was a wonderful time in my life and I honor the relationships that I have built with my former players.
"I would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who has helped me during my time here especially the Athletics Department, college administration, and certainly the players and Cortland coaches. We have truly created a family that I hope to remain a part of in the future. It's a great day to be a Red Dragon!"
During her career, Wetmore coached 27 All-Americans and 84 all-region selections in field hockey, including the 2001 Honda Division III Field Hockey Player of the Year. In lacrosse, she coached 19 All-Americans and 38 all-region honorees.
Wetmore came to Cortland after a highly successful run as the head field hockey and lacrosse coach at Cicero-North Syracuse High School. She coached field hockey from 1990-96, leading the Northstars to the Section III, Class A title in 1996. Her lacrosse teams had a combined record of 152-14-1 from 1986-97 and claimed the first-ever New York State Class A Championships in 1995 and 1996. In 1997 the Northstars were New York state finalists. She was inducted into the US Lacrosse Upstate New York Chapter Hall of Fame in 2008.
Wetmore coached and played field hockey internationally in Australia, England, Brussels, France, the Netherlands and Scotland. She graduated from the University of Rhode Island in 1982 with a bachelor's degree in physical education and earned a master's degree in 1985 from Southern Illinois University, where she was assistant field hockey coach from 1983-85. While at Rhode Island she captained the lacrosse and field hockey teams, which competed in the Division I A.I.A.W. Lacrosse National Tournament and the Division I A.I.A.W. Field Hockey Regional Tournament, respectively.
Prior to attending URI, Wetmore attended Herkimer County Community College from 1978-80. She was the school's Athlete of the Year in 1979-80, a season in which she was a NJCAA hockey All-American while leading her team to a national championship. She still holds the college's hockey record for most career goals scored and is a 2013 inductee into the Herkimer Community College Hall of Fame.
Wetmore is a native of Beaver Falls, N.Y., and a graduate of Beaver River Central School. She currently resides in Ithaca. A search for Cortland's new field hockey head coach is currently being conducted.
