Navy men’s lacrosse is turning to one of the most legendary names in the sport to serve as offensive coordinator for at least one season.
According to two sources with direct knowledge of the situation, Navy coach Joe Amplo has lured Dave Cottle out of retirement to oversee the offense during the 2024 campaign, pending approval by the Naval Academy Athletic Association’s human resources department.
Cottle, 67, is one of the most recognizable figures in college lacrosse history, winning 280 games across 28 seasons as a coach at Loyola Maryland and University of Maryland. This would mark his first stint as an assistant since he served in a graduate capacity at Salisbury, his alma mater.
Amplo had to scramble to fill the offensive coordinator position after Michael Phipps left Navy earlier this week after just one season to accept the same position at Maryland.
Preseason begins Jan. 8, leaving little time to conduct a national search to identify a replacement for Phipps. According to the same two sources, Amplo was reluctant to poach an assistant from another program this close to the start of the season.
Navy begins its season Feb. 3 at home against Mount St. Mary’s.
Cottle would likely be a stopgap, the sources said, as he has committed to handling offensive coordinator duties for this season only. However, it is conceivable both sides could agree to extend the arrangement depending on how things go in 2024.
A Baltimore native, Cottle posted a record of 181-70 (.721) over 19 seasons (1983-2001) at Loyola, guiding the Baltimore school’s transition to Division I status and leading the Greyhounds to 18 straight winning seasons and 14 consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances.
Cottle left Loyola to succeed the late Dick Edell as coach at Maryland, where he amassed a 99-45 record from 2002 to 2010. He led the Terps to eight straight NCAA Tournament berths.
Then-Maryland Athletic Director Debbie Yow, who had already announced she was leaving for NC State, ousted Cottle after the Terps lost in the quarterfinal round in 2010.
Cottle became a consultant with the Chesapeake Bayhawks of Major League Lacrosse in the summer of 2010. He was hired as coach and president of the Bayhawks the following season and led the team to MLL championships in 2012 and 2013.
Cottle served solely as general manager of the Bayhawks from 2014 to 2017 then returned as coach in 2018 and 2019. He resigned both posts shortly after Brendan Kelly ceded ownership of the Chesapeake franchise to Major League Lacrosse in January 2020.
Cottle served as president of Legendary Sports Group, an events production company owned by Kelly. During Cottle’s tenure, Legendary Sports Group managed and promoted the Maryland Interscholastic Athletic Association football and lacrosse postseason tournaments.
Cottle has been retired and living in Boca Raton, Florida, for most of the past year. He resided in Edgewater throughout his tenure at Maryland and in Annapolis while working for the Bayhawks.
Cottle, a graduate of Northern High in Baltimore, was a three-time All-American attackman at Salisbury. He served as a graduate assistant for one season before being hired as coach at Severn School, which he led to a 26-9 record in three seasons.
Cottle was inducted into the Intercollegiate Men’s Lacrosse Coaches Association Hall of Fame in 2017. He is also a member of the Chesapeake Chapter of the USA Lacrosse Hall of Fame.
This story might be updated.
