A story about Loyola defenseman Jamie Hanford in one of the nascent lacrosse publications that sprang up in the late 1990s was headlined "Loyola's Hanford: Agile, Mobile and Hostile."
It rhymed, and it was true. In fact, Hanford often showed all three of those characteristics in a 30-second span.
He showed agility by taking and winning faceoffs with a long pole, something most teams do only in desperation. He showed mobility when he lost the faceoff, which he didn't do often, getting back into his close defensive position quickly. At 6-foot-2 and 220 lbs., he was plenty hostile toward the opposing team's top offensive players, and there were lots of great ones from teams like Syracuse and Johns Hopkins.
Hanford, said Loyola Athletics Hall of Fame coach Dave Cottle in 1998, "has done more for this team and this program than any player we've ever had. When you have something special, you ask more out of him."
Hanford's play was a key factor in Loyola's run to the NCAA semifinals in 1998, only the second trip to the final four in team history. The Greyhounds also found themselves ranked No. 1 in the country and seeded No. 1 in the NCAA tournament that year. During a five-game stretch that season, all Loyola wins, he won 78 percent of his draws.
A three-time USILA All-American, including a first-teamer as a senior, he finished his Loyola career as the program's all-time leader in faceoff percentage and also in ground balls, a record that wasn't surpassed for nearly 20 years.
After college, Hanford played professional lacrosse for 14 years indoors and seven years outdoors, winning NLL indoor championships with two teams and an MLL outdoor championship with the Baltimore Bayhawks.
One of the finest lacrosse players in Connecticut high school history, Hanford continues to give back to the game in his home state. The Darien native helps direct the Eclipse Lacrosse Club and also founded Force 5 Lacrosse, which manufactures team uniforms and apparel.
