ITHACA, N.Y. – The Ithaca College and SUNY Cortland athletic departments are pleased to announce the unveiling of the Larry Czarnecki Cortaca Jug MVP award, which will be presented to one player next Saturday, November 14 at the conclusion of the 67th Cortaca Jug Game presented by Visions Federal Credit Union at Yankee Stadium.

Larry Czarnecki '76 was an impactful presence on both campuses as he was a First Team All-American defensive lineman for the Bombers and ECAC Division III Player of the Year in 1975. Czarnecki remains No. 2 all-time in career tackles at Ithaca with 341 and ranks first all-time with 18 assisted tackles in a single game.

Following his playing career, Czarnecki served as an assistant coach at Cortland and was later named the head coach from1983-85. While at Cortland, he served as an assistant coach from 1978-85 and was interim head coach in 1981 for the track & field teams.

He then returned to his alma mater and was an offensive line coach during the 1988 and 1991 national championship seasons.

Czarnecki went back to Cortland for the remainder of his coaching career from 1999-2014 where he once again worked with the football and track & field teams.

He passed away on November 23, 2019, in Cortland, just days after the 61st Cortaca Jug Game at MetLife Stadium.