DURHAM, N.C. - Ned Harkness, longtime head coach of the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) men's lacrosse program, was selected as one of four coaches making up the 2024 class of inductees to the Intercollegiate Men's Lacrosse Coaches Association (IMLAC) Hall of Fame.

Harkness, who was selected to the RPI Athletics Hall of Fame in 1982 and inducted to the USA Lacrosse Hall of Fame in 2001, first began his lacrosse career at Rensselaer, where he founded the men's program and served as head coach from 1945-56.

"Congratulations to the late Ned Harkness and his family on his overwhelmingly deserved induction into the IMLCA Hall of Fame," said RPI Men's Lacrosse Head Coach Scott Hackett-Dalgliesh. "Coach Harkness' presence is still felt in our program all these years later. His championship legacy and those of his team's live strong in our program's culture. His impact on not his players & RPI lacrosse, but the game of lacrosse have stood the test of time."

During his time at RPI, he compiled a 136-21-1 record including a USILA co-national championship in 1952. Coach Harkness also led the 1948 Engineers squad to the Olympics as the United States representatives in men's lacrosse.

Harkness would later take the reigns of the Cornell men's lacrosse team, where he posted a 35-1 record across three seasons, including Ivy League titles in 1966 and 1968.

"Coach Harkness clearly loved coaching for all the reasons our best coaches do, the ability to use sport as a vehicle to teach life skills. He cared for his players as people and enjoyed watching them grow from individuals to teammates," said RPI Director of Athletics, Dr. Kristie Bowers. "He took pride in helping young people become elite individuals as student-athletes, and in life as members of a community. I am thrilled for Ned and the Harkness family that his passion for developing student-athletes has been recognized with this incredible honor from the IMLCA."

Harkness' coaching talents extended beyond the lacrosse, as he coached both the men's hockey program while at RPI and Cornell. Harkness won a combined 350 collegiate game between the two institutions, and led the Big Red to an NCAA Championship 1967. He remains one of only a handful of coaches to ever win a national championship in two different sports in NCAA history.