Canisius College

Buffalo, NY 14208

New York Northeast

Private Small Developing team

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Coaches

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Russell Allen

Russell Allen was officially named the fourth head coach in Canisius women's lacrosse program history on July 23, 2021.

Allen took over the Canisius women’s lacrosse program after spending the three previous seasons (2019-21) as the head coach at Concordia University Chicago in River Forest, Ill. There, he led the Cougars to a 25-8 overall record with a 12-6 mark in Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference (NACC) play. The 2021 edition of Concordia University Chicago posted a school-record 14 victories, highlighted by an appearance in the NACC championship game, the first in program history. A total of 10 Concordia University Chicago players earned all-conference honors following the 2021 campaign, and Allen was recognized as the Concordia University Chicago Coach of the Year, as voted on by athletic department staff members and the school’s student-athletes.

In addition to his collegiate coaching duties, Allen also serves as the assistant head coach for the Puerto Rico Women’s Senior National Team, a position he has held since the summer of 2020. In that role, he develops offensive strategies for the team in preparation for the World Games, which will be held in Baltimore, Md., next summer.

Allen is no stranger to the city of Buffalo and the women’s lacrosse scene in Western New York, having served as the head coach for the Medaille women’s lacrosse program from 2014-18. In his time as the head coach of the Mavericks, the Orange, Conn., native guided the program to a pair of regular-season Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference (AMCC) championships in both 2017 and 2018, with the team setting program records for wins in each season (12 in 2017, 14 in 2018). Allen was awarded the Coach of the Year honors in both the AMCC and the North Eastern Athletic Conference in 2018, the latter of which Medaille has a dual affiliation in lacrosse. His four-year record as a head coach at Medaille was 44-22, and his winning percentage of .667 stands the highest of any coach in the program's history.

A two-sport student-athlete at Medaille, Allen was a member of the school’s men’s soccer team where he played in 57 games and contributed to a pair of conference championships, including the 2006 team that set the program's single-season record for wins with 20 victories. As a men’s lacrosse player, Allen played midfield and defender, ranking nationally in NCAA Division III in ground balls during the 2007 season. He is eighth on Medaille's career list with 148 ground balls and he is ranked 10th in the school’s record books with his 4.48 ground balls per game. He graduated from Medaille in 2008 with his undergraduate degree in liberal studies.

Allen, who started his coaching career in 2009 at the Buffalo Seminary School has also coached with the Empress Lacrosse Club, one of the top club programs in Western New York. While at Concordia University Chicago, Allen served as the head coach of True Lacrosse Illinois program, which is based out of Chicago.

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Jourdan Roemer

Jourdan Roemer '19 enters her first season as an assistant coach for the Canisius women's lacrosse program.

The Golden Griffins' all-time scoring leader with 259 career points (157g, 102a), Roemer was an integral part of Canisius' back-to-back Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Championship teams in 2016 and 2017.

"I'm excited to have Jourdan on my staff," Allen said. "During the interview process she made it clear that her passion for this program is second to none. I have no doubt that Jourdan will work relentlessly to help bring Canisius women's lacrosse another conference championship."

The 2018 MAAC Offensive Player of the Year, Roemer was a three-time All-MAAC honoree during her collegiate career. She garnered first-team distinction in 2017 and 2018 before rounding out her career with a second-team selection in 2019.

Roemer makes her return to Main Street after spending the 2021 season as an assistant coach with the D'Youville women's lacrosse program. Prior to her lone season with the Saints, Roemer spent the 2019-20 school year as a graduate assistant with the Ithaca College strength and conditioning department. Additionally, Roemer served as an assistant coach with the Bombers' women's lacrosse program.

"I feel so lucky to officially be named a part of the Golden Griffins' coaching staff," Roemer said. "Canisius College holds such a special place in my heart and I cannot wait to give back everything and more that this family has provided for me, both on and off the field. To say I am excited to get started is an understatement."

The Irondequoit, N.Y., native graduated from the College in 2019 with her undergraduate degree in health and wellness. Roemer earned her master's degree in exercise science from Ithaca College in 2020.

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Ashley O'Brien

Head women's lacrosse coach Russell Allen announced the hiring of former Buffalo State standout Ashley O'Brien as an assistant coach ahead of the 2023 season.

The former head coach of Buffalo State women's lacrosse program, O'Brien coached 2021 SUNYAC All-Defensive Second Team honoree Anastacia Wells and three-time SUNYAC All Midfield Second Team honoree Jackie Dufresne. As for the team, she led the Bengals to the postseason twice during the 2018 and 2019 seasons and racked up 15 wins while at the helm of the program.

O'Brien also worked as an assistant coach at Medaille University for two seasons along with coaching at the club level with Honeoye Falls-Lima Lacrosse Club and the Buffalo Wings Lacrosse Club. At Medaille, her 2013 team made it to the ECAC Mid-Atlantic Championship against Morrisville State before falling in the final.

A four-year letterwinner at Buffalo State, O'Brien led the Bengals to the playoffs from 2008-11. The goalie earned 2009 and 2011 All-SUNYAC First Team honors and was the 2008 Buffalo State Female Athlete of the Year. During the 2009 season, she led the Bengals to the SUNYAC Championship against SUNY Cortland after going 16-2 in the regular season.

"I am so excited to be joining this athletic department and coaching staff," O'Brien said. "This team has all of the pieces necessary to win a MAAC championship. We are hungry, focused and gritty and I cannot wait to contribute."

A native of Penfield, N.Y., O'Brien earned her bachelor's degree in biological psychology from Buffalo State in 2011 and her master's in biology in 2020, also from Buffalo State.

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Mark Miyashita

Canisius Hall-of-Fame inductee Mark Miyashita ‘03 was named head coach of the Golden Griffins men’s lacrosse program in August 2017.

A native of Richmond, British Columbia, Miyashita is the fourth coach in program history.

During his time on Main Street, Miyashita has guided Canisius to three appearances in the MAAC Men’s Lacrosse Championship, highlighted by the 2018 title in his first season at the helm. The Golden Griffins claimed their third MAAC championship after recording a pair of thrilling overtime victories against top seeds Quinnipiac and Detroit Mercy on their way to the title.

Individually, Canisius’ student-athletes have excelled under Miyashita’s tutelage, with 20 players earning a total of 25 All-MAAC accolades during his time on Main Street. He has also shown an ability to develop talent for the next level, with five National Lacrosse League draft picks to his credit, highlighted by a Canisius player being selected in the top 20 picks in each of the last three NLL Entry Drafts.

The 2021 season saw Miyashita lead Canisius to a 5-5 record, highlighted by the program’s fourth consecutive appearance in the semifinal round of the MAAC Men’s Lacrosse Championship. Playing a conference-only schedule, the Griffs picked up wins against eventual MAAC Champion Monmouth as well as defending champion and preseason favorite Marist during the pandemic-shortened campaign.

Junior Jacob Buck garnered All-MAAC First Team accolades while fellow juniors Isaiah Ricketts and Ryan Sharkey were both All-MAAC Second Team picks. Freshmen Keegan Kozack and Hunter Parucki were both named to the MAAC All-Rookie Team.

In 2019, Miyashita mentored a young Griffs squad to an 8-8 overall record that included victories over nationally-ranked Colgate and eventual NEC Champion Robert Morris.

Buck was named MAAC Rookie of the Year, highlighting an awards haul that saw the Griffs match their program record for a second straight season as nine Canisius student-athletes garnered all-conference or all-rookie distinction for their play during the regular season.

In his first season as head coach of his alma mater, Miyashita guided Canisius to its highest win total in 10 seasons, culminating in the program’s thrilling victory at the 2018 MAAC Championship.

Attackman Connor Kearnan put together one of the finest individual seasons in program history as he was named the MAAC Offensive Player of the Year, MAAC Championship Most Valuable Player, Inside Lacrosse Media Honorable Mention All-American and USILA Scholar All-American. Kearnan was also an All-MAAC First Team selection, one of a record nine Griffs to earn all-conference accolades for their efforts during the 2018 campaign.

In addition to his duties with the Griffs, Miyashita gained valuable coaching experience in the summer of 2018 when he served as an assistant coach for Team Canada at the FIL World Championship. Working with fellow Canisius Hall of Famer and Team Canada head coach Randy Mearns, Miyashita helped guide the Red and White to a second-place finish at the 46-team event held in Netayna, Israel.

Miyashita returned to Canisius after four seasons as an assistant coach at Sacred Heart University, helping the team advance twice to the Northeast Conference Tournament. Serving as the Pioneers’ offensive and recruiting coordinator, Miyashita built and orchestrated a Sacred Heart attack that ranked second in the NEC in scoring offense (11.33 goals/game) and featured four of the top-10 players in the league in points per game in 2017. He also played a key role in the program’s improvement in the classroom as the team’s cumulative GPA rose more than a quarter of a point during his time with the Pioneers.

A member of the Canisius Hall of Fame class of 2013, Miyashita appeared in 42 games during his four seasons with the Blue and Gold, finishing his career ranked among the program’s career leaders in points (145/7th), assists (74/8th) and goals (71/15th). A three-time captain, Miyashita led the Griffs in points in both 2000 and 2003, two seasons where he also earned All-MAAC First Team honors. The school’s all-time leader in career faceoff percentage (.593) and ground balls (329), he led the nation in ground balls per game in 2000 with 10.69, a number that still ranks second-best in NCAA history to this day. He ended his career with 7.83 ground balls per game, a number that currently ranks eighth all-time in NCAA men’s lacrosse history.

The first overall pick of the Vancouver Ravens in the 2003 National Lacrosse League Draft, Miyashita played five seasons for Vancouver, Colorado and Minnesota. He finished with 17 goals and 41 assists in 46 career games played while also contributing 421 faceoff wins and 324 loose balls. Miyashita was also the top overall pick of the Maple Ridge Burrards of the Western Lacrosse Association in 2003, helping guide the team to back-to-pack postseason appearances in 2004 and 2005.

Miyashita began his coaching career as the head coach at Castle View High School in Castle Rock, Colo., where he founded the lacrosse program when the school first opened in 2006. A two-time Douglas County Lacrosse League Coach of the Year selection, Miyashita led Castle Rock to its first league title in 2012. He coached multiple All-American and All-League players while also placing numerous players with various college programs at the Division I, II and III levels.

In addition to his work at the collegiate and high school levels, Miyashita has also been active at the club level, working with Xcelerate Lacrosse and the Denver Elite Lacrosse Club. He is also the founder and co-owner of Fundamental Lacrosse in Connecticut, an organization that provides box and field lacrosse instruction for players in the Nutmeg State.

Miyashita received his bachelor’s degree from the College in social studies education in 2003. He earned his master’s degree in information and technology from the University of Colorado at Denver in 2010.

Miyashita is married to the former Theresa Delano, Ph.D., a fellow 2003 graduate of Canisius College and a native of Cheektowaga. They are the proud parents of their daughter, Alexis.

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Derek Marks

Associate head coach Derek Marks joined the Canisius men's lacrosse program in September, 2017.

In his role with the Golden Griffins, Marks handles the team’s defensive players and schemes while overseeing the team’s recruiting efforts. He also assists in the day-to-day operations of the program.

In his first season with the program, Marks helped guide Canisius to its highest win total in 10 seasons. He also helped lead the squad to the 2018 MAAC Men’s Lacrosse Championship as the Griffs recorded a pair of thrilling overtime victories against top seeds Quinnipiac and Detroit Mercy on their way to their third league title in program history.

Individually, defenders Holden Garlent and Logan Monroe were named All-MAAC First Team, part of a record nine Griffs to earn all-conference distinction for the 2018 campaign.

The 2019 season saw Marks mentor a Griffs’ defense that ranked 17th nationally in scoring defense (10.17), helping the squad record victories against nationally-ranked Colgate and eventual Northeast Conference Tournament champion Robert Morris, before qualifying for the MAAC Men’s Lacrosse Championship for the fourth consecutive season.

Garlent was an All-MAAC First Team selection for the second consecutive season as he ranked second in the MAAC in caused turnovers and third in caused turnovers per game. He was one of three members of the Canisius defense to garner all-conference distinction as Monroe and senior goalie Brad Nordstrom were both All-MAAC Second Team selections.

Marks joined the Golden Griffins from Post University, where he served as head coach for the previous two seasons. The program’s all-time winningest coach, he guided the Eagles to a school-record six wins during his first season in 2016 and the program’s second All-New England Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association (NEILA) performer.

The stint was Marks’ second with the Eagles, having previously served as the top assistant for the team’s inaugural season in 2014. The Eagles won four games that year and boasted an All-NEILA selection.

Prior to his return to Post, Marks spent the 2015 as an assistant coach with Fairfield University, helping guide the Stags to a Colonial Athletic Association regular season title and a USILA national ranking. He played a key role in the development of the CAA’s Rookie of the Year and seven all-conference selections.

Marks began his career at Mitchell College, working as an assistant for one year before being promoted to head coach, a position he held for three seasons (2011-13). In 2011, he led the Mariners to a 9-4 record and an appearance in the Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) North Regional Playoffs. Mitchell repeated that feat in 2013.

A native of East Lyme, Conn., Marks graduated from Sacred Heart in 2008 with a bachelor’s degree in business administration and sports management.