WEST HARTFORD, Conn. – The University of Hartford Department of Athletics has learned that former men's lacrosse coach Jack McGetrick passed away earlier Saturday morning after nearly a two-year battle with cancer.

“Jack meant a lot to his players,” commented Hartford head coach Peter Lawrence. “He was a great father, husband, friend, mentor and coach. He will be greatly missed. Jack's legacy will always live on in the Hartford lacrosse program.”

Last year, Lawrence renamed the Hartford “Blood and Guts” award to the “Jack McGetrick” award. The plaque reads “given on annual basis to the player who exemplifies perseverance, dedication, sacrifice and unyielding performance. This individual never asks for anything, but gives everything of themselves.” In addition, the Hawks' men's lacrosse team will be wearing the initials “JM” on their helmets at Sunday's Catamount Classic in honor of McGetrick.

In McGetrick's 11 seasons with the Hawks, he was the winningest lacrosse coach in the program's Division I history, posting 87 victories including eight seasons with a .500 or better record. As a part-time college coach and full-time high school teacher in Somers, Conn., McGetrick was named the 1997 NCAA Coach of the Year after taking the Hawks to a national ranking. He piloted Hartford to another appearance in the national polls again in 2000, and led the Hawks to two America East regular season titles in the 2000 and 2003 seasons.

Following an 11-year stint with the Hawks, McGetrick was hired as the head coach at Bellarmine in 2004. McGetrick's life and battle against cancer inspired many throughout the lacrosse community, and mounting medical costs mobilized his peers to an impromptu coordinated effort of clinics last year with proceeds passed on to McGetrick.