World Lacrosse joins the global lacrosse community in remembering Mark Burnam, a longtime player and influential coach of the Haudenosaunee Nationals, who passed away this week after a battle with cancer at age 64.
Burnam was a five-time captain of the Haudenosaunee as a player at World Lacrosse championships, and won a silver medal at the first World Lacrosse Men’s Box Championship in 2003.
Burnam also was an assistant and head coach of the national team for 12 years, and served as the head coach of bronze medal winning teams at the 2018 Men’s Championship and the 2022 Men’s U21 Championship.
Burnham was recently inducted in 2025 to the Upstate Lacrosse Foundation Hall of Fame. As a player, he helped Henniger High School win a state championship in 1980 and helped Syracuse University to the 1983 NCAA title and a runner-up finish in 1984. Burnam played in the NLL for more than a decade, winning championships with the Buffalo Bandits in 1992 and 1993, and also played for the NJ Saints, Rochester Knighthawks and Syracuse Smash.
In 2025, the Haudenosaunee created the Mark Burnam Award for a member of their men’s U20 team who best exhibits the spirit of the Haudenosaunee Nationals through hard work and dedication.
“Known for his red hair, big smile, quick wit and legendary sense of humor, the only thing bigger than Red’s personality is his heart, fully on display each time he touches a lacrosse field.”
