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“Without the sport, I don’t know where I’d be in my life.”
Thankfully for Matt Danowski, that’s not something he has to wonder.
Because of lacrosse, the 2003 Farmingdale High School graduate now knows exactly where he’s headed — to the National Lacrosse Hall of Fame.
His father, longtime Duke University head coach John Danowski, and a 2023 Hall of Fame inductee himself, surprised Matt with the news earlier this week.
“I’m still trying to wrap my head around it,” Matt told GLI. “I had no idea this was even the time of year they made the announcements. I’m just so surprised.”
He shouldn’t be.
After graduating from Duke in 2008 as one of the nation’s premier collegiate players, Danowski went on to play 11 years professionally in Major League Lacrosse and the Premier Lacrosse League, earning seven All-Star selections and winning an MLL championship in 2010.
He also represented the U.S. Men’s National Team twice, helping capture the 2018 World Championship.
Today, he’s an associate head coach at Duke lacrosse.
“It all started on Long Island,” he said. “All the amazing coaches I had along the way — I thank them all. Lacrosse changed the course of my life.”
He added with a laugh: “During my Daler days, I always thought I wanted to be the Giants’ starting QB in the fall. Then, during basketball season, I dreamed of being the Knicks’ point guard. When it was lacrosse time, I thought winning a championship would be the pinnacle. But now this? Wow.”
Danowski isn’t the only Long Islander earning Hall of Fame honors this week.
Legendary coach Tom Flatley will be inducted posthumously in the “truly great coach” category.
At Sewanhaka High School, Flatley went 114–18 over seven seasons, including a 1981 Long Island championship. He also coached the Long Island Lacrosse Club to three national titles between 1976 and 1982 and later served as general manager of the New York Saints of the National Lacrosse League.
The Garden City native helped lead the U.S. Men’s National Team to a world championship in 1982 and went on to serve as general manager for six more national teams from 1988 to 2008 — each of which captured a gold medal.
The National Lacrosse Hall of Fame induction ceremony is scheduled for January 10, 2026, at the M&T Bank Exchange in Baltimore.
Chrome’s Matt Danowski shoots the ball during a Premier Lacrosse League game on Sunday, July 7, 2019 in Washington. (Gail Burton/AP Images for Premier Lacrosse League)
