Sept. 22, 2003

By Frank Langfitt
Sun Staff
Originally published September 22, 2003

For Dick Edell, one of the most successful coaches in the history of men's college lacrosse, the statistics only tell part of the story. In nearly two decades at the University of Maryland, he led teams to three Atlantic Coast Conference titles, 13 NCAA tournament appearances and three championship finals.

To appreciate the impact he had on the lives of his players and fans, though, you would have had to have been at Byrd Stadium in College Park yesterday, where nearly 500 people showed up to help a man who has meant a lot to them.

Edell, known on campus as "Big Man," for his 6-foot-5, 247-pound frame, retired two years ago after doctors' diagnosed his inclusion body myositis, a debilitating muscular disease that makes it hard for him to stand for very long or walk without crutches. Yesterday, friends and family members walked three miles on his behalf to raise money and awareness for myositis, which afflicts about 50,000 Americans.

Read the complete story here Three Miles For Coach Who Went The Distance For His Players