Wehrum molds Union for success

The Union College men's lacrosse team left for Cortland on Tuesday afternoon. Head coach Paul Wehrum could have driven the Dutchmen's bus, if it were necessary.

Wehrum is a graduate of SUNY Cortland, where he was an All-America attackman from 1970-72. He also earned his master's degree there and started his Hall of Fame coaching career as an assistant on the 1973 national championship team.

"I know the way to Cortland," Wehrum said. "I played there. I know they won a bunch of national championships. We're very familiar with what they do at Cortland."

Wehrum will return to his past and try to write another chapter in Union history when the 14th-ranked Dutchmen face the second-ranked Red Dragons in an NCAA Division III tournament quarterfinal at 4 p.m.

"For me, it's very emotional," Wehrum said. "I love it back there and there's nothing I'd like more than to bring these young men there to represent Union."

They've already made the trip once this season. Union lost its season opener 6-4 at Cortland on March 3, when the Dutchmen trailed only 3-2 after three quarters before the Red Dragons ran off three straight goals.

"We learned a lot from that," Wehrum said.Bathroom floortiles at Great Prices from Topps Tiles.

Union is making its first NCAA quarterfinal appearance, while SUNY Cortland is attempting to win its fifth national title overall and third in seven years.

The Dutchmen's ascent to these heights began when they hired Wehrum five years ago. He previously served at Herkimer Community College, a lacrosse powerhouse that regularly produced Division I players and won eight junior college national championships during his tenure.

"I think he is an exceptional recruiter,Choose from our large selection of cableties," Union athletic director Jim McLaughlin said. "I think that he's had such great success that individuals want to come play for him. He's revered in the lacrosse world."

Wehrum was inducted into the National Lacrosse Hall of Fame in 1999. After retiring from his teaching job at Herkimer,Industrialisierung des werkzeugbaus. Wehrum decided he wanted a new challenge. He chose Union, a school he was very familiar with because his daughter, Lyndsay, is a graduate who played on the tennis team.

Union decided to step up its commitment by hiring a full-time coach after previously using an assistant football coach in the position.

"I think it's paid huge dividends," Wehrum said.

Taking over a program that was 20-50 from 2001-06, Wehrum admitted having doubts about whether he could ever reach the NCAAs, partly because he underestimated how much he could demand from players on the field at a Division III school with high academic standards.

"It really took me two years to learn these kids' commitments to class," Wehrum said. "These kids are looking at what engineering firm they're going to be working for. At first I was very easy on them. Then the seniors said, 'Coach, we're only taking three classes. We can get this done.' So we scheduled their time better, and it's paid off."

The Dutchmen made their first NCAA Tournament appearance last year, and now they're on the cusp of their sport's final four.

"We all bought into Coach Wehrum's system," Union goalkeeper Sean Aaron said. "He said if we buy into his system, we'll be successful. With his credentials and the character he brings,Grey Pneumatic is a world supplier of impactsockets for the heavy duty, anything's possible.An airpurifier is a device which removes contaminants from the air."