Joseph A. Cuozzo

Cuozzo was introduced to lacrosse at Cortland State, where he played two years as a midfielder, graduating in 1959. Upon graduation, Cuozzo played for the Suffolk Lacrosse Club from 1956-64, and officiated high school lacrosse from 1960-66 in Suffolk County.

In 1969, Cuozzo became the head coach of the fledgling lacrosse program at Ward Melville High School. Over the next 37 years, from 1969-2006, Cuozzo amassed a 699-73 record at Ward Melville, for a .905 winning percentage. In 2007, he became head coach at Mount Sinai High School, coaching four years before retiring following the 2010 season. He finished his career with 747 wins and a winning percentage of .882.

Cuozzo was the first member of the United States Lacrosse Coaches Association's 400 Club for winning 400 or more games. As a head coach, his teams won eight state championships, 16 Long Island Championships, and 33 Suffolk County championships. Cuozzo was selected as the Suffolk County Coach of the Year ten times. 

In 1999, he served as head coach of the U.S. Men’s U-19 National Team and led the squad to a world championship in Adelaide, Australia.

Cuozzo has been the recipient of many coaching awards, including the New York State Coaches Association Honor Award in 1984, the Suffolk County Man of the Year Award and the National High School Athletic Coaches Association Special Sports Coach of the Year Award in 1989, and the National Interscholastic Lacrosse Association Man of the Year in 1990.

He has also been inducted into the National High School Coaches Hall of Fame, the Long Island Metropolitan Hall of Fame, Cortland State Hall of Fame, Suffolk County Hall of Fame, and the Ward Melville High School Hall of Fame.