Two-time All-American and 1981 Naval Academy graduate Syd Abernethy is among the three new members who will have their names enshrined into the Chesapeake Chapter of the US Lacrosse Hall of Fame on Thursday, Jan. 26. In addition to Abernethy, this year’s hall of fame inductees include Jason Zachary Wade and Jacque Weitzel Stahl.
A native of Annapolis, Abernethy earned his way onto the varsity team as a seventh grader at the Key School where he would earn three letters. He transferred to Annapolis High School his sophomore year and would graduate as a two-time First-Team All-County selection by The Capital, a First-Team All-Metro pick by The Baltimore Sun and earned All-American honors from USA Lacrosse.
Recruited by Navy head coach Dick Szlasa, Abernethy went on to become a four-year letterman and three-year starter for the Midshipmen from 1978-81. He started every game his final three seasons and teamed up with National Lacrosse Hall of Famer Mike Buzzell (1977-80) and three-time All-American Rich Wehman (1980-83) to form one of the most electric attack units in the country. As a sophomore, Abernethy was the team’s third-leading scorer with 37 points on 21 goals and 16 assists. A year later, he was Navy’s second-leading scorer with 42 points on 23 goals and 19 assists and was named a USILA Honorable Mention All-American. He earned USILA First-Team All-America recognition his senior year when he paced the Mids with 56 points on 39 goals and 17 assists. More than 40 years later, his 56-point season is tied as the 12th-most points scored by a Navy player in a season, while his 39 goals ties for seventh. He concluded his career with 141 points which stands 12th on the Mids’ all-time scoring list, while his 87 goals are the 10th most and his 54 assists are the 17th most in program history.
Abernethy helped guide Navy to a 34-16 (.680) record during his four years, while leading the Mids to four NCAA Tournament appearances, including a trip to the semifinals in 1978, ’79 and ’81. Additionally, Abernethy finished his career with a 5-1 record against Army (3-1 Star Games / 2-0 NCAA Quarterfinals).