Kyle Georgalas, a former first team All-Ivy League, honorable mention All-America selection and later five-year assistant coach at Cornell, joined Army's lacrosse staff as an assistant coach in mid-August 2011.
"We are extremely excited to have Kyle on board and more than happy to welcome him into the Army lacrosse family," head coach Joe Alberici said upon Georgalas' hiring. "He has already proven to be extremely intelligent, has a tremendous work ethic and brings a great competitive spirit that I think our guys will really be able to relate to and also benefit from."
Georgalas spent five years as an assistant coach at his alma mater Cornell. During his nine years with the Big Red as both a player and assistant coach, Cornell posted a 102-37 record, won outright or shared eight Ivy League titles and made three Final Four appearances. During his five years on the sidelines, he helped Cornell post at least 11 wins each season, including a 15-1 showing in 2007.
"I was fortunate as a player and coach to be around excellent minds of the game during my tenure in Ithaca," Georgalas said upon his hiring. "My appreciation goes to all those involved with the Cornell lacrosse program in helping shape the coach I am today. I would like to thank Coach Alberici and the Army Athletic Association for this opportunity. I look forward to representing the U.S. Military Academy and am excited to become a part of the Army lacrosse family."
Georgalas tackled a bevy of responsibilities during his time as an assistant coach, broadening his skills in all areas. On the field, Georgalas was in charge of face-offs and substitutions, while assisting in all facets of the defensive unit. He also served as the staff's recruiting coordinator.
In 2009, Georgalas helped lead Cornell to a 13-4 record and its first trip to the national championship game since the 1988 season. The Big Red also posted a mark of 5-1 in the Ivy League, winning a share of its seventh-straight Ivy League title, the longest stretch since Cornell won 10-straight championships between 1974 and 1983. The Big Red added another title in Georgalas' final season in 2010. He coached a face-off unit that ranked 10th in the country with a .552 winning percentage in 2009. The unit was carried by John Glynn '09, who finished the year ranked eighth in the country with a .574 winning percentage.
In 2008, Georgalas helped the Big Red to an 11-4 record and its sixth straight Ivy League title with a mark of 5-1 in the conference. Georgalas helped Cornell become one of the most dominating face-off teams in the country that year, finishing the season ranked third in the nation with a .631 win percentage. Under his tutelage, Cornell utilized two players in the "x" and they finished the year ranked first and second in the Ivy League, respectively. Glynn's mark of .633 was good enough for third in the nation.
In just his second season, Georgalas helped Cornell to one of the greatest campaigns in recent years as the Big Red capped an undefeated regular season (13-0) with the program's first trip to the national semifinals since 1988. The team finished the year with a 15-1 record, one victory shy of the school record and finished its Ivy League schedule with a perfect 6-0 mark. That season, the team won over 50 percent of its face-offs for the first time since 2004.
In his first season on the sidelines in 2006, Georgalas helped the Big Red as it went 5-1 in the conference, winning a share of its fourth-straight Ivy League title. The Big Red also won 11 games in the regular season for the first time since the 1987 team went into the NCAA tournament with an undefeated record of 11-0.
As a player, Georgalas headed up the Big Red defense in 2005 and served as a team captain during his final two seasons. During his senior campaign, Cornell held its opponents to fewer than eight goals per game, largely due to the fact the Georgalas held opposing attackers in check throughout the year. The team's most respected leader, Georgalas collected 37 ground balls as a senior, leading the Big Red's close defense unit in that department. He was selected to compete for the North team in the 64th annual North-South Classic, and was drafted by the New Jersey Pride in the fifth round of the 2005 Major League Lacrosse collegiate draft.
During his senior season, Georgalas helped Cornell to an 11-3 overall record, completing its first perfect 6-0 Ivy League season and its first outright Ivy title since 1987. The 2005 squad then advanced to the NCAA quarterfinals for the second-straight season where they fell to national runner-up Duke, 11-8.
Georgalas' father, Ted, has been a volunteer assistant coach on Army's sidelines over the last three seasons.
