Completed Event: Men's Lacrosse versus #1 Princeton on May 23, 2026 , Loss , 7, to, 14
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Final
Men's Lacrosse
7
vs #1 Princeton
14
Photo by: Duke Athletics
Danowski, Duke Agree to Contract Extension
9/3/2026 3:00:00 PM | Men's Lacrosse
DURHAM, N.C. – Duke University Vice President and King-Compton Families Director of Athletics Nina King announced that men's lacrosse head coach John Danowski and the school have agreed to a contract extension through 2029.
"Duke University has unequivocally changed my life," said Danowski. "To be part of this community and to be surrounded each day by exceptional people and student-athletes is incredibly rewarding. We are grateful to Nina King and everyone who has contributed to the success of our program. We are proud of all that has been accomplished on and off the field over the past 20 years, and over the next three seasons, we will continue to pursue excellence athletically, academically, and socially while representing this special institution in the best possible way."
"Coach Danowski has built one of the most accomplished and respected programs in the sport," said King. "His sustained success is defined not only by championships and wins, but by the exceptional young men he and his staff develop and the way they represent Duke on the field, in the classroom and in the community. We are thrilled that John will continue to lead Duke Men's Lacrosse and look forward to all that is ahead for the program."
Introduced as Duke's eighth men's lacrosse head coach in July 2006, Danowski has directed the program to unprecedented success over his 20 seasons at the helm. A winner of 276 games at Duke, Danowski has led the Blue Devils to 13 NCAA Championship Weekend appearances, five NCAA title games and NCAA championships in 2010, 2013 and 2014. He is one of two active head coaches with multiple NCAA titles.
In guiding the Blue Devils to the pinnacle of the sport, Danowski also launched himself into the NCAA record book as the winningest Division I coach in history. With a 13-6 win over Jacksonville on March 13, 2017, he surpassed longtime Virginia head coach Dom Starsia for the NCAA wins record with his 376th career victory. Danowski currently holds a 495-230 record, leading active head men's lacrosse coaches across all three divisions. He is on pace to become the second coach in men's lacrosse history to reach 500 wins.
Widely considered one of the game's premier teachers, Danowski has mentored individual players to immense success on and off the field during his time in Durham. Under his watch, Duke has placed 120 players on USILA All-America teams, earned 76 All-ACC honors, and captured 13 USILA major awards. Matt Danowski, Ned Crotty, and Brennan O'Neill earned Tewaaraton Awards in 2007, 2010 and 2023, respectively.
Danowski has been named ACC Coach of the Year four times (2007, 2011, 2012, 2023) and has twice won the F. Morris Touchstone National Coach of the Year Award (2010, 2013) during his time in Durham.
Danowski's Blue Devils have been equally successful off the field, regularly leading the league in All-ACC Academic Team selections and ACC Honor Roll members. A Duke player has won three of the past four ACC Men's Lacrosse Scholar-Athlete of the Year awards, while Blue Devils also have earned ACC postgraduate scholarships. Most recently, Aidan Maguire became the eighth Blue Devil to garner CSC Academic All-America honors. In Danowski's 20 seasons, Duke has placed 46 student-athletes on the USILA Scholar All-America squad.
This past season, Danowski led Duke back to Championship Weekend for the 13th time. The unseeded Blue Devils defeated No. 4 seed Richmond on the road before cruising past Georgetown for a berth in the semifinals, where Duke fell to eventual NCAA champion Princeton. Entering his 21st season in Durham, Danowski welcomes back his entire starting attack and first midfield units, 85 percent of the team's scoring and the core of a starting defensive unit that finished seventh nationally in scoring defense.
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