LI man to coach at Duke

Duke University will announce plans to reinstate its embattled men's lacrosse program and name former Duke and Comsewogue High School star Kevin Cassese interim head coach early next week, according to three people familiar with the situation.

Cassese, 25, served as an assistant coach at Duke this spring and was an assistant at Stony Brook University last year.

The men's lacrosse season was suspended after eight games this spring and its future uncertain following accusations that several players raped a woman hired to dance at a March 13 team party. Garden City resident and Chaminade High School graduate Collin Finnerty, along with Reade Seligmann and David Evans, have since been charged with rape, and veteran head coach Mike Pressler resigned. The story, which had elements of class disparity, race, political ambition and "lacrosse culture," garnered national headlines, and vocal protests in the Durham, N.C., area.

No formal announcement of the program's reinstatement was forthcoming from Duke on Friday. If, as expected, the news conference is early next week, it will come more than a month after a university committee recommended to President Richard Brodhead on May 1 that men's lacrosse continue at the school.

Cassese was a two-time team captain and three-time All-America at Duke and was the nation's top midfielder in 2002. One of the world's top players, he was a member of the gold-medal U.S. National Team at the 2002 World Championships and he will play for the United States again at this summer's tournament. He currently plays for the Rochester Rattlers of Major League Lacrosse.

Chuck Sherwood, of Freeport, a former Duke lacrosse player whose son, Devon, was a freshman goalie on this spring's Duke roster and the lone player not investigated for the alleged rape, said he was thrilled to hear that Cassese may emerge as the new coach, even on an interim basis.

"I'm elated to hear that news," Sherwood said. "This has been on our minds."

Duke will likely begin a national search for a full-time head coach while Cassese, as interim, begins the offseason processes of scheduling and recruiting. For the last few weeks, according to several sources, Duke men's lacrosse has been a one-man operation with Cassese the only person returning phone calls from recruits and maintaining a pulse for the program.

One father of a Duke lacrosse player, who said he has known Kevin Cassese since Cassese was a child and feels respect and admiration for him, said Duke should keep Cassese as the team's permanent head coach. "He's a little young, but he's a superb person and a fantastic coach," said the parent, who spoke on condition that his name not be used.

Duke was a national finalist in 2005 and considered a contender for this year's national championship, won by Virginia last weekend. Duke was ranked No. 6 in the nation when its season ended. All recruits for next season's incoming class were given a release from their original national letters of intent and some have since committed to other schools, including Manhasset's Tom Dodge (Pennsylvania) and Huntington's Scott Kocis (Georgetown).

Chuck Sherwood criticized the university for taking so long to make a decision on reinstating the program. "If they'd made the decision sooner, the young recruits could have had the opportunity to remain with Duke."

Joseph Mallia contributed to this report.

KEVIN CASSESE

PERSONAL

Hometown: Port Jefferson Station

High School: Comsewogue

Born: April 5, 1981

Father, Tom

Cassese, is Suffolk's winningest high school football coach at Comsewogue.

COACHING EXPERIENCE

Assistant coach, Duke, 2006

Assistant coach, Stony Brook University, 2005

PLAYING EXPERIENCE

Rochester Rattlers of Major League Lacrosse (2003-present)

U.S. National Team member 2002, 2006

U.S. Under-19 National Team member 1999

At Duke (1999-2003): Three-time All-America, three-time All-ACC, two-time team captain, 2001 ACC Player of the Year, 2002 National Midfielder of the Year.

At Comsewogue HS (1995-1998): Three-time All-State, 1998 Class B State Champion