Siena lacrosse coach Liam Gleason mourned, nearly $800K raised for SWR legend
The tragic death of Siena University lacrosse coach Liam Gleason, a former standout at Shoreham-Wading River High School, has led to an outpouring of support that has raised nearly $800,000 for his grieving family.
Mr. Gleason, 41, suffered a traumatic brain injury from a fall at his home near the Capitol-region school on Nov. 30 and died three days later at Albany Medical Center, according to a GoFundMe campaign.
The fundraiser for his wife, Jaclyn, and their three young kids — Kennedy, Penn, and Tate — has amassed $772,000 out of its $800,000 goal as of Tuesday.
Family, coaches, players and friends lined the hospital’s walls to pay their last respects during a solemn “Honor Walk” before the Wading River native passed away and his organs were donated, according to the GoFundMe page.
The news of the beloved coach’s death has rocked the Shoreham-Wading River school community, especially those involved in the district’s lacrosse program.
Mr. Gleason, a 2003 SWR graduate and stellar lacrosse defenseman, helped the Wildcats win their first state championship in 2002.
“Liam was an exceptional athlete, a champion, and more importantly, a remarkable person,” said Mike Taylor, SWR boys head lacrosse coach.
A community gathering and fundraiser, organized by the SWR Wildcat Athletic Club, is planned for Tuesday, Dec. 16, from 7 to 10 p.m. at the Baiting Hollow Golf Club, with all proceeds going to Mr. Gleason’s family.
In a social media tribute, his former SWR coach Tom Rotanz described Mr. Gleason as the “definition of a ‘players coach’ — never a screamer, never a critic.”
“Standing 6-foot-5 and over 240 pounds, he was a gentle giant, a man whose kindness filled every room he entered. You always walked away feeling better after spending time with him,” Mr. Rotanz wrote. “In my 38 years of coaching, only a handful of players ever made me think, ‘The world would be a better place if more people were like him.’ Liam was one of them.”
Mr. Taylor said in recent years, Mr. Gleason played a role in assisting several top Wildcat athletes, including Jack Erb, Sean Miller, William Miller, Ryan Wilson and George Greene, who plans to attend Siena University next fall.
Mr. Taylor said the SWR lacrosse alum continued to support the high school program, often helping players find opportunities at the next level. Mr. Gleason’s caring quality and desire to stay connected to the Shoreham-Wading River lacrosse community is what Mr. Taylor believes will “always be one of the defining pieces of his legacy.”
“Liam was proud of his roots, and he never forgot where he came from. What made him special was he didn’t just move forward in life, he reached back,” Mr. Taylor said. “He was one of our own, a coach who represented what it means to give back, and he will be remembered not just for the championships and accolades, but for the person he was, for how deeply he believed in others.”
While earning his bachelor’s degree in sociology at the University at Albany, Mr. Gleason played lacrosse under coach Scott Marr from 2004 to 2007. In his last year, the team won the America East Conference championship and advanced to the NCAA quarterfinals.
He went on to become the associate head coach at Albany under Mr. Marr, where he helped guide the Great Danes to six straight NCCA Tournaments and a national semifinal appearance, before taking over as Siena’s head coach in 2018.
He led Siena to the MAAC title in May, qualifying the Saints for the NCAA Tournament for the first time in 11 seasons.
The team was scheduled to celebrate the achievement with a championship ring ceremony Friday, Dec. 5. Instead, a memorial mass was held Saturday at the Siena UHY Center.
To honor Mr. Gleason’s love for lacrosse, interested donors are asked to consider making memorial contribution to the Siena Men’s Lacrosse Coaching Discretionary Fund, 515 Loudon Road, Loudonville, NY 12211.
