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Eric Koch
Eric Koch will begin his third season as the Head Coach of the Denison University men's lacrosse program in 2024.
Denison finished its 2023 season, its second season under Coach Koch, with a 17-4 overall record, which was good for the fifth most wins in a single season in program history, and advanced to the NCAA Third Round (Sweet Sixteen) for the second season in a row. As a team, the Big Red dished out a program-record 209 assists and finished with the second highest faceoff percentage (.708 percent) in program history. During the regular season, the Big Red went 7-1 against North Coast Athletic Conference opponents and finished in a three-team tie for first place to win their 21st NCAC regular-season championship in program history. For the third year in a row, Denison hosted Kenyon College for the NCAC Tournament Championship, and for the third year in a row, the Big Red were victorious. However, in this matchup, the second-seeded Owls took a 10-3 halftime lead and gave the top-seeded Big Red all they could handle until a game-ending 6-1 run for Denison finishing with the game-winning goal by Tournament MVP Quinn O'Donnell with just 10 seconds remaining. After winning its seventh straight NCAC Tournament title, Denison competed in the national tournament for the 27th time in program history and for the seventh season in a row, scoring six goals in the fourth quarter to pull away from Illinois Wesleyan University and earn a 15-10 victory over the Titans during the second round of the NCAA Tournament inside Deeds Field-Piper Stadium. Junior attackman Luke Fisher was named the NCAC Offensive Player of the Year for the second time in his career (2021, 2023) while freshman faceoff specialist Grant Larson was both the NCAC Specialist of the Year and the Newcomer of the Year. In addition to Fisher and Larson, senior goalkeeper Archer Darrach, junior defenseman Brooks Crowley and junior long stick midfielder Owen O'Neill were each been named as United States Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association (USILA) Division III Honorable Mention All-Americans.
In Koch's first season coaching the team in 2022, Denison earned its 20th NCAC regular-season championship in program history with a perfect 9-0 conference record. The Big Red then outscored Kenyon 8-0 in the second half to capture the NCAC Tournament Championship by a final score of 12-5. It was Denison's seventh overall and sixth straight NCAC Tournament title. After finishing with two wins and a combined 21 saves with only 14 goals allowed in two games, junior goalkeeper Archer Darrach was named the NCAC Tournament Most Valuable Player. Senior Camden Bowdy was named the NCAC Men's Lacrosse Player of the Year and was a USILA Third-Team All-American while fellow-senior Davis Cronin was the NCAC Specialist of the Year and was an Honorable Mention All-American along with sophomore defender Brooks Crowley. Lastly, for the 26th time in program history and for the sixth time in a row, Denison men's lacrosse competed in the NCAA Division III Championship Tournament, earning a 14-13 win over Grove City in the second round thanks to the game-winning goal by sophomore Nate Kay.
Koch is the eighth coach in Denison’s history of the men’s lacrosse program. He came to Denison after seven seasons at Washington and Lee University, where he began as an assistant coach in 2014 before being elevated to Assistant Head Coach in 2018. During his time coaching at W&L, the Generals went 94-43 (.686) and won three Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) regular-season titles, two conference tournament titles, and made three trips to the NCAA Tournament.
“We are excited to welcome Eric Koch to the Denison family in his role as Head Men’s Lacrosse Coach," said Denison's Associate Vice President and Director of Athletics, Nan Carney-DeBord. "His leadership at W&L has provided him outstanding skills for him to take on this leadership opportunity at Denison. He has a clear understanding of skill development physically, mentally, and in terms of strength and conditioning. He has a strong heritage of competitive success, both as a player and as a coach. He will embrace our incredible alumni and families, which are some of Denison’s greatest assets. Ultimately, Eric has a clear understanding of the role of Athletics within a highly academically competitive institution and will advance our core value of competitive excellence. Our men will thrive under his leadership, mentorship, and skill development prowess. We also would like to welcome Eric’s family to Granville.”
“First I would like to thank Nan Carney-DeBord and the search committee for their faith in me and the incredible opportunity to lead the men’s lacrosse program," said Koch. "This is a dream come true and I am honored to work at such a distinguished university that values success both on the field and in the classroom. Denison men’s lacrosse has a rich and storied history, and I am proud to now be part of it. Moreover, I am humbled to follow and build upon the successes of one of our sport’s greatest coaches in Mike Caravana. I look forward to building relationships with players, alumni, friends of the program, colleagues, the administration and the greater Denison community as my family and I make our new home in Granville. I also want to thank everyone at Washington and Lee who helped me grow and evolve throughout my seven years back in Lexington. I cannot thank Coach McCabe and Jan Hathorn enough for the opportunity and for sharing their wisdom and guidance over the years.”
In 2018, Koch was named Assistant Head Coach at W&L and served as the team’s defensive coordinator. His defenses were some of the best in the country during his time leading the defensive unit. In his first year in this new role, Koch’s defense led the ODAC in goals-against average (GAA) with 8.20, which also ranked in the top 50 of Division III. In 2019, Koch’s defense climbed toward the top of the national rankings with the Generals taking the top spot for their man-down defense (.869) and the third spot in defensive scoring, allowing only 6.48 goals per game. In 2020, W&L ranked second in the conference in goals-against average with 6.80 and led the conference in save percentage with 64.9.
Over his time at W&L, Koch coached 16 defensive players to All-ODAC honors, and nine players earned All-American status. He was named to the IMLCA South Region Coaching Staff of the Year in 2018 and 2019.
Before returning to his alma mater, Koch coached at Stevens Institute of Technology, where he spent five seasons as part of the Duck's staff. Over his five seasons, Stevens went 63-25, made three trips to the NCAA Division III Tournament, and won one Empire 8 Conference title in 2012. During this time, Koch earned his Master of Science in Management degree at Stevens.
Koch graduated from Washington and Lee where he earned a Bachelor of Arts in Economics degree in 2005. He was a four-year letter winner for the Generals, captaining the team in his senior year. As a defenseman, he was a three-year starter and helped lead the Generals to two ODAC titles and a trip to the 2002 NCAA Semifinals. He was named to the All-ODAC Second Team in 2004 and All-ODAC First Team in 2005. Koch was named Honorable Mention All-America following his senior season.
In addition to his head lacrosse coaching duties, Koch will serve as an assistant professor in Denison's Department of Physical Education.
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