FieldTurf Tarkett, manufacturers of the patented FieldTurf synthetic sports turf, announced the winners of its inaugural NCAA Lacrosse Coach of the Year awards for 2006, and New York Institute of Technology's (NYIT) Head Coach Jack Kaley, a resident of Westbury, earned the top honor for Division II men's lacrosse. Award winners were named in all three divisions for mens and womens lacrosse.

Jack Kaley

After graduating 10 of their 14 starters from their 2005 Division II national championship team, the NYIT Bears embarked upon a rebuilding process in 2006 that saw them add 17 new faces, including 15 freshmen to the roster. Laying the foundation for another run to the top of Division II lacrosse, Kaley led the Bears to an 8-3 record last season. Entering his 15th season as head coach, Kaley has established the Bears as one of the best and most respected programs in the nation.

The 2006 FieldTurf NCAA Lacrosse Coach of the Year Awards were selected based on a coach's dedication and hard work both on and off the field. The winning coaches all exemplified outstanding leadership skills and enjoyed well-deserved success. Special attention was given to those coaches who were able to significantly improve their team's effort, performance and overall record from 2005 to 2006, along with coaches that were able to maintain winning records with young and inexperienced teams.

In addition to NYIT, more than 100 institutions in North America play and/or practice lacrosse on FieldTurf fields, including Syracuse University, the U.S. Naval Academy, Yale University, U.S. Military Academy, Brown University, Rutgers Preparatory School, Fairleigh Dickenson University, University of Virginia and Carnegie Mellon University.

Over the past few years, the quality and performance of FieldTurf's patented system has resulted in over 1,900 installations in more than 40 countries, and has made it the first choice for top stadiums around the world. FieldTurf has revolutionized the artificial turf industry with its patented products and installation technologies. FieldTurf also offers a full range of artificial grass solutions. For more information on FieldTurf, visit www.fieldturf.com.