From Truitt To Tillman - A Foundation Of Excellence

Maryland men’s lacrosse has established itself among the best collegiate programs since earning varsity status in 1924.  

In their 100 seasons, the Terps have earned numerous national championship honors, including four NCAA tournament championships, eight Wingate Memorial Trophy titles and one USILA championship. 

Furthermore, since the NCAA Tournament was established in 1971, Maryland has reached 29 Final Fours. Its 45 conference titles, three Tewaaraton winners (Matt Rambo, Jared Bernhardt, and Logan Wisnauskas) and two Tewaaraton Legends Award winners (Frank Urso and Doug Schreiber) add to the program's rich history of success. 

Maryland is the only major college lacrosse program that has never finished a season with a losing record. Winning is in its DNA, and the program has undoubtedly lived up to its mantra, “Be The Best,” coined by former head coach Clayton "Bud" Beardmore in the 1970s.

Maryland men’s lacrosse has sustained a strong culture and set of values over its 100 seasons, making winning not only the expectation but also the standard. These guiding principles have contributed dramatically to a program that has remained tight-knit and operated under similar ideals despite enduring significant events in the U.S., including the Great Depression, World War II, the Civil Rights Movement, a Global War on Terror and the COVID-19 pandemic. 

According to current head coach John Tillman, the passing down of the program’s identity makes Maryland men’s lacrosse unique.

“You go anywhere in the world, and people know what Maryland lacrosse is,” Tillman said. “It means a lot to a lot of people. Because of that, there's a standard that I think all of us feel like we need to uphold and make sure we do our part. … Be the best came about in the 70s. And 50 years later, we're still saying it. Having that and utilizing it makes it easy year after year. What is your culture about? Well, it's to help each guy maximize their value and be the best person, student and player they can be. It's pretty simple. We don't need to change it.” 

When Tillman took the helm at Maryland in 2011, he became the ninth head coach in the program’s history. Thirteen years later, he helped create one of the most successful eras in Maryland lacrosse's illustrious history. A man of his own high character principles, Tillman credited the formula of success instilled in College Park long before his arrival as a catalyst for his ability to achieve continued success. 

Ira Hochstadt is a defender who lettered for the Terps from 1969-71. He played his first two seasons under head coach John Howard before spending his final two under Beardmore, where he played in the 1971 NCAA Tournament championship. Hochstadt, a team captain named an All-American that season, is also the father of two children who later played lacrosse for the Terps: Scott Hochstadt (1996-99) and Craig Hochstadt (1999-2002). 

Hochstadt cites accountability, consistency and family as three principles he was introduced to when he arrived at College Park. However, he says Beardmore forever changed what it meant to be a Terp by creating the motto "Be The Best." There was already an indescribable pride associated with being part of the Maryland lacrosse family before Beardmore arrived, but he elevated it.  

“He came in and was a full-time coach,” Hochstadt said. “It was the first time the team lifted weights together, and he instilled that in us when I was there. Everything was about the team. … If you play your best and the guy next to you plays his best, you will have the best team. He wanted to instill that pride and desire to be the best.”

Hochstadt credits every coach who preceded and later followed Beardmore with upholding the same values and belief system. The formula for success was first developed under R.V. Truitt, Maryland lacrosse’s first-ever head coach. Truitt played lacrosse and competed in track as a student-athlete at Maryland, winning letters in both sports from 1911-14. He was even the lacrosse team's captain and student coach as a senior in 1914 before the team reached varsity status. 

In addition to earning his master’s at Maryland and later his doctorate from American University, Truitt served in the U.S. Army Air Service during World War I, receiving a commission as a second lieutenant and serving as a pilot in a pursuit squadron. Along with Curley Byrd, Burton Shipley and Geary Eppley, Truitt even helped found the M Club. 

Truitt, a man of high character and success, laid the foundation of pride and continued success associated with Maryland lacrosse. Every coach who followed honored the precedent set before them, creating a domino effect. Whether it was Jack Faber, Al Heagy, Howard, Beardmore, Dino Mattessich, Dick Edell, Dave Cottle or Tillman, all were men of high character and success.

All the coaches have a commonality of being unselfish, caring about the student-athletes and winning, according to Hochstadt. He also says they all valued education and understood how special it was to play at Maryland. 

“What amazes me is we've had eight coaches since the 1960s,” Hochstadt said. “It seems like every coach has taken that same lead. Tillman is the latest one. Dick Edell would first interview the family and then interview the kid. I noticed sometimes he didn’t bring a kid to Maryland because he didn't like the family and didn't feel like they would fit.” 

Many other alumni of Maryland lacrosse shared similar sentiments despite being a part of the program decades later. One of those people is Brian Phipps. He played goalie for the Terps from 2007-10 under Cottle, being named a team captain and USILA All-American Honorable Mention in 2010. 

Phipps says the passing down of the program’s identity from coach to coach has played an unquantifiable role in its ability to sustain success. 

“We're not the prettiest or the most prestigious school if you think about it, but we're one of the most successful,” Phipps said. “I think that's because guys come here to work hard, do their job and be part of the culture that's been established. I think that's what Coach Tillman has instilled and carried on from Coach Cottle, Coach Edell and Coach Beardmore, etc.”

Michael Ehrhardt was a defender for the Terps from 2011-14, playing his rookie season the same year as Tillman’s inaugural year at the helm. He was a two-time USILA All-American and team captain in 2014. 

Ehrhardt recounted what it was like when Tillman took over Maryland lacrosse. He says he did a great job getting his student-athletes on board early, using simple gestures such as keeping and bringing in coaches from the previous regime. 

Tillman retained assistant coach Ryan Moran, who had coached under Cottle the last two seasons. He also brought in Phipps as the director of operations. Both moves showcase respect and appreciation for others who came before him.  

“He came in, and it was a little bit of a culture shock for some of the guys who’ve been there for a while,” Ehrhardt said. “But at the end of the day, he didn't really change much. Maryland has so much history behind it. He wanted to honor and teach that.”

Marc Dubick arrived in College Park roughly a decade after Hochstadt and three decades before Phipps and Ehrhardt. Lettering from 1981-83 and playing one season under Beardmore and three under Mattessich, he was part of the 1983 team that made it to the Final Four. “Be The Best” and “Memorial Weekend” are phrases he uses to define Maryland lacrosse. Both outline the expectation of success associated with being a Terp.  

However, that expected success isn’t limited to the field. Dubick coached youth lacrosse when his kids were younger, and he’s seen many of the kids in his community go on to play at different universities. He says he’s heard about their experiences and noticed every school has a different persona to them. However, Maryland’s is far more distinct. 

“One thing about Maryland that is very clear is when you come there, you're expected to go to class and get a degree,” Dubick said. “You're also expected to commit to lacrosse, and it's a serious component of what you're doing there.”

He continued, praising Tillman’s embodiment of Maryland lacrosse’s long-standing values.  

“Lots of college sports over the years have used different descriptors,” Dubick said. “But I believe Maryland lacrosse and Coach Tillman, in particular, is very focused on making good decisions and standing up for the difference between right and wrong. … I think Coach Tillman saw the benefits of carrying that mantra. It speaks to being the best on the field but also being the best student-athletes.”

Dubick is the son of Harry Dubick and the father of Louis and Eliot Dubick. The four make up three generations of Maryland lacrosse players, as Eliot is currently a junior on the team. He referred to the program as a family, citing the collective longstanding values as the formula for creating that family. 

He even regards those he doesn't share blood with as pedigree. He’s maintained relationships with former teammates and developed others with players who came before and after him. One of the other major contributors to those continued relationships is its mentorship program.    

The family of Maryland lacrosse also resonates deeply with Phipps. His grandfather (Louis Phipps), father (Wilson Phipps), brother (Michael Phipps) and even his wife (Caitlyn “McFadden” Phipps) played lacrosse at Maryland. Additionally, Brian wasn’t the only family member to return to the staff of his alma mater. Michael also returned and is the team's current offensive coordinator.

“Whether they’re actually my blood brother that I played with or my best friends, I consider them legit family and brothers,” Phipps said. “That's the culture that we've established and carried on. Why wouldn't you want to be a part of that legacy with your father, son, brother, best friend or someone you haven't met yet who becomes your best friend?”

Brett Makar was a defender for the Terps who played under Tillman from 2019-23. He is one of the most accomplished players in program history. The first defender to wear the illustrious No. 1 jersey since 1993, Makar is the only player in history to win back-to-back Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year honors. 

Makar says he and the many others he played alongside took pride in living up to the standard and embodying the values set before them. This, combined with a coaching staff that follows the same principles, creates a program built for sustained success. 

Maryland men’s lacrosse has stood the test of time. Despite the world changing around it and the program itself going through a century of transitions, what it stands for has remained at the forefront. The program will continue to exemplify the principles of accountability, consistency, family and being the best as a token of appreciation to past teams and a core factor in its recipe for success. 

“The Ira Hochstadt’s, the Marc Dubick’s, those guys set the standard alongside their coaches and peers,” Makar said. “They set the standard and the temperature for the program. There's a responsibility for those who wear the uniform to carry that on. We don't want to have to look a guy like Marc Dubick in the eye, who poured his emotion and every ounce of energy into this program and did not meet that standard.”