Alfred University Athletics

David Vail was a member of the AU men’s lacrosse program for four years from 2001-04 as an attackman. While wearing the Purple and Gold, he piled up the hardware, earning USILA All-America Honorable Mention as well as being named to the Empire 8 First Team twice, Second Team once and Honorable Mention once. He capped off his career in 2004, participating in the USILA North-South game. He is the men’s lacrosse program’s most recent player to participate in the game.

Vail helped AU to 23 wins both as a goal-scorer and distributer. He completed his career with 234 points, which ranks third all-time in AU history. Vail currently ranks seventh all-time in goals (104) and second all-time in assists (130). He also maintains two marks on the assists in a season list at AU, standing at sixth with 46 assists during 2004 and eighth with 33 assists during the 2002 season. He added 26 goals and 46 assists in 2004, ranking eighth in points in a season (72).

Vail’s parents, James and Susan Vail, recall David’s biggest thrills at AU as beating Hartwick during his senior year as well as being named an All-American.

Upon graduation from Alfred University with a Bachelor of Science degree in business administration, Vail spent seven months living in Manchester, England playing lacrosse and serving as a youth instructor. After returning to the United States, Vail became a specialist on the New York Stock Exchange while working with children in hospitals diagnosed with Ewing’s Sarcoma; a painful bone cancer most commonly associated with children. He spent the remainder of his days helping children cope with the pain of their disease as well as keeping them in good spirits until he, himself succumbed to Ewing’s Sarcoma.

David passed away on July 1, 2016 at the age of 34.