Over a playing career that spanned two decades at the high school, college and professional levels, Dan Cocchi looks back on his Tiger sophomore year as the most memorable of all his lacrosse experiences.

Along with Jermon Bushrod (football) Jeff Castle (golf), Dan O'Connell (sports information), Nance Reed (administration), Sean Schaefer (football) and Tina Shriver (Track & Field), Dan will be inducted into the Tigers' Hall of Fame Friday, October 15^th at the 57^th Annual Induction Banquet at the Valley Mansion in Hunt Valley. Tickets are still available by visiting www.bit.ly/tu-hof-21.

A heavily recruited high school All-American defenseman out of Hicksville, N.Y., Dan settled on Towson after just one visit from Tiger head coach Tony Seaman. "When Coach Seaman came to see me he and the other coaches just knocked it out of the park as far as where I wanted to go to college and where I could achieve what I wanted to in lacrosse," Dan says. "It was an easy decision."

A four-year starter, Dan never had any doubts but his freshman year tested his resolve. That year the Tigers posted a 3-10 record, their worst finish in 37 years dating back to 1964 when Towson limped through a 1-7 campaign. There was really nowhere to go but up from that low point in 2000. But no one could have predicted the height Towson achieved on the rebound.

In 2001 the Tigers, with mostly underclassmen on the roster, stunned the college lacrosse world with its 14-4 record to set the NCAA mark for the biggest one-year turnaround in college lacrosse history. After winning the conference tournament, Towson dispatched Duke and Maryland in the NCAA tournament before the storied season ended in a 12-11 semifinal loss to the Princeton Tigers who went on to beat Syracuse for the national title.

"My first year we were quite honestly horrible," Dan recalls. "The next year it was a change in the team chemistry, the pieces of the puzzle fit. We were sophomore heavy and had some talented incoming freshmen that definitely helped us out. All that blended with the upperclassmen and we clicked. It was a lot of fun."

Dan was the highest honored Tiger of that 2001 squad. The long pole defenseman was selected second team All-American, first team All-Conference. As he closed out his career with 283 ground balls to rank 2^nd on Towson's all-time list, the accolades continued to pile up for him. He was an honorable mention All-American in his junior and senior seasons. He was a First Team All-Conference selection three straight years. Dan was one of just five Towson players named to the Colonial Athletic Association's 25^th Anniversary Team. A captain as a senior he was named CAA Defensive Player of the Year in 2003 for leading the Tigers to a conference championship and the program's 7^th NCAA tournament appearance.

Dan played 11 years in the Major Lacrosse League with the Bridgeport Barrage, Long Island Lizards, Baltimore Bayhawks (MLL champions in 2005), the Los Angeles Riptide and the Denver Outlaws. He was selected to play in the 2006 MLL All-Star Game.

In 2005 Dan earned a Master's degree in educational technology from Butler University while assisting former Tiger assistant coach Stan Ross on the Bulldogs' lacrosse squad. While later living in Palm Coast, Florida he taught for six years at Wadsworth Elementary School. During that period he served two years as the head coach of the University of North Florida's club team. The Ospreys posted back-to-back 4-6 MCLA records with Dan at the helm. He was also the head boys' lacrosse coach at Matanzas High School for one year.

In 2011 Dan returned to Towson as defensive coordinator under Shawn Nadelen. In 2016 the Tigers led the nation with 7.26 goals allowed per game. Three of his players were named CAA Defensive Player of the Year. In 2018 he left to join the staff at Rutgers. In 2016 he became just the second former Towson player inducted into the Long Island Metro Lacrosse Foundation Hall of Fame, joining former Tiger great and Towson Hall of Famer Bobby Griebe.