MORRISVILLE, N.Y. – SUNY Morrisville head football coach, Curt Fitzpatrick, announced today his resignation from the program, effective immediately.
Fitzpatrick will assume the head coaching role at SUNY Cortland this spring.
A national search for the next Mustang head football coach will be conducted following the Fall 2020 season. Current Morrisville defensive coordinator Ed Raby Jr. will assume the head coaching role through November.
"On behalf of the SUNY Morrisville community, I would like to thank Curt Fitzpatrick for his dedication to our football program and our Athletics Department during the past seven years," SUNY Morrisville President, Dr. David Rogers said.
"His efforts on and off the field have provided our student-athletes with opportunities for academic and athletics success that are immeasurable. Curt's leadership has brought accountability to our program that has championed success, but also has provided our community with outstanding young individuals whose life lessons through football extend beyond the field of competition.
"We certainly appreciate all that he has done for our institution, and look forward to what the future holds for Mustang football."
Fitzpatrick joined the SUNY Morrisville staff in the spring of 2013, guiding the Mustangs to a conference championship title and three postseason ECAC Bowl Championship appearances through seven seasons at the helm.
The Mustangs saw an immediate turnaround under Fitzpatrick, as he led Morrisville to a 9-2 regular season record in 2014 to set the program record for wins in a season since Morrisville became a member of the NCAA Division III. Morrisville also put together a 6-1 conference record that season, clinching a share of the New Jersey Athletic Conference regular season championship title and a berth to the ECAC North Central Bowl, where they captured the college's first postseason championship title.
In November of that year, Fitzpatrick was voted the Co-Coach of the Year by his peers in the NJAC and named the East Region Coach of the Year by D3football.com.
During his time on the Mustang sidelines, Fitzpatrick's high-powered offense averaged an impressive 31.5 points per game and 438 yards per game, making it one of the most potent offenses in the Empire 8 year after year. Under his guidance, three different Mustang quarterbacks have been voted as the conference Offensive Player of the Year (Lemar Johnson in 2013 and 2014,
Bill Flatow in 2019).
Since 2013, 49 Mustang student-athletes have earned Empire 8 or NJAC All-Conference recognition, and 61 student-athletes have been named to the Athletic Director Honor Roll for their outstanding academic performance.
Prior to coming to Morrisville, Fitzpatrick spent four years on the sideline at nearby Utica College, guiding the Pioneers offensive unit to the top of the conference leaderboard in several different categories.
"Words cannot express how much the Morrisville community has meant to my family and I for the past seven years.," Fitzpatrick said. "Dr. David Rogers, Dr. Barry Spriggs, and former Director of Athletics Greg Carroll are just a few of the many people who have helped to grow SUNY Morrisville football — this is not a one-man job.
"Most thanks of all, though, go to our players and assistant coaches who have sacrificed so much for me and Morrisville football through the years. They are what will continue to make this a special place for student-athletes."
