Lehigh University

Bethlehem, PA 18015

Pennsylvania Northeast

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Jill Redfern

A National Lacrosse Hall of Famer, the reigning Patriot League Coach of the Year and candidate for IWLCA Regional Coach of the Year, Jill Redfern enters her 14th year as head coach of the Lehigh women’s lacrosse program in 2022. In her tenure, Redfern has led the Mountain Hawks to 10 Patriot League Tournaments in 12 seasons (the 13th was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020). The Mountain Hawks have qualified for the league tourney in each of the last seven seasons (2014, 2015, 2016, 2017 2018, 2019 and 2021), which includes a trip to the championship game in 2021. In her time, the Mountain Hawks own a 123-87 record, including seasons of 11, 14, 10, 13, 12 and 13 victories, as Redfern continues to take the Lehigh program to new heights.

Redfern was inducted into the National Lacrosse Hall of Fame in September of 2018. During her playing days, Redfern was a two time Division III All-American at Ursinus College and was named Most Outstanding Player of the 1986 NCAA Tournament as she helped lead the Bears to a national championship. Following her collegiate playing experience, Redfern was a member of the US National Lacrosse Team from 1987-1993, and capped off her international play as a member of the winning United States World Cup Team in 1993, in Edinburgh Scotland.

As a coach, Redfern has led Lehigh to sustained success. In 2020, the Mountain Hawks were going strong, recording a 6-2 record when the COVID-19 pandemic cancelled the rest of the season. Lehigh was averaging 14.50 goals per game, led by senior Sondra Dickey and freshman Gabby Schneider. Dickey was sixth nationally goals (32) and 12th in points (42), while Schneider was seventh in assists (21) and 14th in points (41). Dickey became Lehigh women’s lacrosse’s second student-athlete ever named to the Tewaaraton Award Watch List.

The success continued in 2021 as Lehigh advanced to the Patriot League Championship Game for the first time since 2010, finishing the season 9-4 (6-1 in the league). The Mountain Hawks ended the regular season winning seven of their last eight games (which extended to nine of 10 with a pair of postseason wins). Lehigh defeated a ranked Navy team in the regular season (12-7), then beat the Mids again in the Patriot League Quarterfinals (13-12 in overtime) to advance to the semifinals where the Mountain Hawks beat Army West Point for a second time (10-8, after a 14-7 regular-season victory). Individually, Dickey was named a third team IWLCA All-American, Lehigh’s first All-American since Lauren Dykstra in 2011. She was named to the Tewaaraton Award Watch List once again, and was named the Patriot League Midfielder of the Year (also Lehigh’s first since Dykstra in 2011). Dickey finished the season leading the nation in caused turnovers per game (3.15) and ended her career as the only player in program history in the top 10 in goals, assists, points, groundballs, caused turnovers and draw controls. Redfern received Patriot League Coach of the Year honors for the third time in her career. Six Mountain Hawks were named All-League, Lehigh’s most since the Patriot League expanded with the additions of Boston University and Loyola in 2014. Along with Dickey, Schneider received first team All-League and joined Dickey on the All-Region squad.

In 2019, Lehigh won its final four regular season games for its sixth straight Patriot League Tournament, a program record. Dickey was named IWLCA second team All-Region for a second straight year – only the Mountain Hawks’ second two-time honoree since the turn of the century.

The Mountain Hawks posted a 38-17 record from 2016-18, among the most wins in the nation over that three-year stretch. Lehigh tallied a 13-6 record in 2018, including a school-record seven Patriot League wins (compared to just two losses). For the second straight season, the Mountain Hawks earned the No. 3 seed in the league tournament, hosting a Patriot League Quarterfinal for a third straight year. Despite losing multiple key players to season-ending injuries, Lehigh won seven straight games spanning the end of the regular season and beginning of the postseason. The Mountain Hawks dominated Boston University in the Patriot League opener 15-8, handing the Terriers their largest-ever Patriot League defeat. Individually, Dickey emerged in leading the team in goals (54) and points (76). Dickey and Kayleen Kelly each broke the previous school record for draw controls in a season. Kelly broke Lehigh’s single-game (10), season (86) and career (169) records for draw controls (which Cecily Redfern and Dickey have since broken), while Dickey added 81, each shattering the previous school record of 47. Both Kelly and Kierstyn Voiro were named All-Patriot League and Academic All-League, impressing on and off the field.

The Mountain Hawks went 12-6 in 2017, including a 6-3 mark in Patriot League play to earn the No. 3 seed in the league tournament where they defeated Bucknell 15-5 in the quarterfinals. It marked the first time in school history Lehigh won a Patriot League tournament game in back-to-back seasons. Allison LaBeau highlighted the victory, setting a Patriot League Tournament single-game record with 11 points, which included a record-tying six assists. LaBeau finished the year with a school-record 46 assists along with 91 points - second in school history. The Mountain Hawks went on to play a hard-fought game against Navy in the league semifinals, dropping a slim one-goal final against a Mids’ team that went on to beat Penn, UMass and North Carolina in the NCAA Tournament to advance the Final Four.

Lehigh finished the 2016 season with a strong 13-5 record, including a 6-3 record in the Patriot League. The six league victories marked a school record while the Mountain Hawks hosted a league tournament game, and won a postseason contest, for the first time since 2010. Lehigh beat Colgate in the Patriot League quarterfinals to reach the semifinals for the first time since 2011. LaBeau was named the league’s Attacker of the Year while Julianne D’Orazio and Kendall Garden were also named first team All-League, and Lauren Beausoleil garnered second team laurels. The Mountain Hawks earned a big road victory at Boston University while taking Loyola into overtime during the regular season.

The Mountain Hawks advanced to their second straight Patriot League Tournament in 2015, finishing the season 9-8 highlighted by several quality victories. Included was a thrilling, last-second win at Bryant, a team that went on to win the NEC and advance to the NCAA Tournament. The Mountain Hawks also topped Big Ten foe Rutgers on the road in front of a nationally-televised audience on the Big Ten Network. As a team, the Mountain Hawks finished 2015 with the league’s third-best goals against average (8.06) while leading the Patriot League in caused turnovers per game (9.71). Sukonik’s 42 goals were firth in the league while LaBeau’s 48 points stood eighth. Garden led the league with 31 caused turnovers.

Lehigh enjoyed a resurgent season in 2014, finishing 4-4 in league play to advance to the Patriot League Tournament for the first time since 2011. Included was a dramatic 12-11 double overtime win at Boston University to hand the eventual league finalist Terriers their first-ever Patriot League defeat. LaBeau scored both goals of overtime as she was named the league’s Rookie of the Year. LaBeau was one of five Mountain Hawks to earn All-Patriot League honors as she, Alexandra Fitzpatrick and Willcox were all named to the first team while Garden and Sukonik earned second team laurels. After the season, LaBeau was invited to try out for the U.S. National Team.

Sukonik’s All-League honor was her third in as many years as she has posted 98 goals and 14 assists in that span, finishing her storied career with 140 goals and 18 assists. Three Mountain Hawks were named All-Patriot League in both 2012 and 2013: Sukonik (twice), Julie McBrien (twice), Leigh Ann Torcivia and Willcox. Fitzpatrick was named first team All-League as both a freshman (2011) and senior (2014) as one of the nation’s elite goalies both seasons. As a graduate student, Fitzpatrick went on to lead the Maryland Terrapins to the National Championship as their starting goalkeeper in 2015.

Torcivia and McBrien played in the IWLCA North-South Game in 2012 and 2013, respectively, following Dykstra, who was named the Game’s MVP in 2011. In the summer of 2013, Dykstra became the first Lehigh alum to play in the World Cup as she suited up for Israel. Dykstra finished the tournament with 20 goals (second on the team). She helped propel Israel to the World Cup Quarterfinals in the country’s first appearance.

In 2011, the Mountain Hawks advanced to their fifth straight Patriot League Tournament, joining Colgate as the only teams to qualify in each of the previous five seasons. Lehigh also posted an impressive win at Navy in front of a national television audience on CBS Sports Network, joining eventual National Champion Northwestern as the only two teams to defeat the Midshipmen in Annapolis. The Mountain Hawks hung tough on the road against nationally-ranked ALC squads Florida and Penn State, taking an early second-half lead against the Gators, a team which rose as high as No. 2 in the national rankings. Lehigh finished among the national leaders in a number of statistical categories, ranking ninth in scoring margin (4.65), 11th in scoring defense (8.94), 12th in draw controls (13.94) and 13th in scoring offense (13.59).

Redfern helped lead Dykstra, who garnered three postseason All-America honors, which included becoming Lehigh’s first IWLCA All-American since 1996. The multi-dimensional Dykstra finished 2011 as the nation’s leader in goals per game, winning Patriot League Midfield Player of the Year to complete the cycle of league major awards; Dykstra previously won Rookie of the Year, Offensive Player of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year. Redfern also coached Dykstra to a Lehigh and Patriot League record in career goals as Dykstra stands sixth in NCAA history with 257.

During her inaugural season as Lehigh head coach, Redfern led the Mountain Hawks to the fourth most victories in a single season in school annals, the most home wins in program history and the program’s third consecutive Patriot League Tournament berth as Lehigh tied the school mark for the most Patriot League victories in a single season (four). That would be one-upped as Lehigh went 5-1 in league play both in 2010 and ’11. Redfern’s success continued in 2010 as the Mountain Hawks jumped out to an 8-0 start before winning the Patriot League Regular Season Title and advancing all the way to the Championship Game.

Redfern was named the head women’s lacrosse coach at Lehigh on June 23, 2008. Prior to that, she served as the associate head coach of the program. During that time, she helped lead the Mountain Hawks to a pair of Patriot League Tournament appearances and helped mentor 13 All-Patriot League selections, three consecutive Rookie of the Year honorees and a pair of Patriot League Scholar-Athlete of the Year award winners.

In 2008, Redfern brought on assistant coach Kelley Putnam. The two went on to mentor a program record eight All-Patriot League selections, including freshman Kelly Draper who earned the program’s fourth consecutive Patriot League Rookie of the Year Award - a first for all programs among all sports in Patriot League history. Redfern was also instrumental in the development of Dykstra who was named Patriot League Offensive Player of the Year, first team All-Region and was selected to the final tryout for the United States Women’s Developmental Team.

Redfern’s coaching career includes a previous stint at Lafayette College where she garnered Patriot League Coach of the Year honors in 2000 after leading the Leopards to the league title. Redfern also served as an assistant in both the field hockey and lacrosse programs at Lafayette for 10 years before assuming the head coaching position. Including her time at Lafayette, Redfern’s career record as head coach is 125-87.

Redfern is a 1988 graduate of Ursinus College, and later earned her master’s degree in Educational Leadership from Lehigh in 1991. She was inducted into the Ursinus Hall of Fame in 1998 for her exceptional contributions to women’s athletics.

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Nicole Grote

Lehigh women's lacrosse head coach Jill Redfern has announced the addition of associate coach and director of recruiting Nicole Grote. Grote joins the Mountain Hawks following two seasons as an assistant coach for Penn State

"Nicole has a terrific reputation as a coach who will bring high energy, new strategies, and additional player development to our student-athletes," said head coach Jill Redfern. "She has established recruiting relationships that will provide consistency and talent to our program. Emma and I are excited to get to work with her and our incoming team as we pursue the top 25 together."

Grote was the offensive coordinator at Penn State, where she coached Kristin O'Neil, a Tewaaraton Watch List member, who scored 59 goals this past season. Under Grote's guidance in 2022, Penn state had six All-Conference members, three All-Region members and three USA Lacrosse All-Americans

"I am beyond thankful for my time at Penn State with Head Coach Missy Doherty," Grote said. "I am looking forward to working with an established program and can't wait to join the staff and this incredible Lehigh family."

Prior to Penn State, Grote spent two seasons at La Salle and American, respectively. The Explorers averaged 12.67 goals in 2020 and 11.64 goals in 2021.

Grote was the offensive coordinator at American from 2017-19, where the Eagles saw some of their highest offensive production.

Before her two stops at La Salle and American, Grote spent the 2016-17 season as an assistant coach for Iona.

Grote got her start in coaching at the youth and high school level experience, where she was a head coach and an assistant coach at Mesa Lacrosse and Triple H Lacrosse.

The Ellicott, Md. native had an accomplished career at New Hampshire, where she was a four-year starter, earning second team America East All-Conference honors her senior year. Grote was also the team captain her senior year.

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Emma Vinall

Emma Vinall entered her first season as Lehigh assistant coach in 2022-23. Vinall joined the Mountain Hawks following an accomplished career at American University where she served as a two-time team captain for the Eagles.

Vinall, a Fairfax, Va. native, played midfield during her five years at American where she led the program in all-time goals (221), points (259) and draw controls (292). She currently holds the single-season record for points (71), draw controls (117) and goals (58).

Throughout her time at American, Vinall was named first and second team All-Patriot League (second team in 2019 and first team in 2021 and 2022), was the first member in the history of the American women’s lacrosse team to be named an Inside Lacrosse Media All-American in 2020 and was selected for the IWLCA Senior All-Star Game in 2022.

Off the field, Vinall excelled in the classroom where she was a member of the Patriot League Honor Roll every year from 2017-2022. She earned her bachelor’s degree in business administration with concentrations in marketing and sustainability in 2021. She added a master’s degree in marketing at the Kogod School of Business.

On top of her standout playing career, Vinall has gained coaching experience dating back to 2018. She served as an assistant coach for the Cardinals Girls Lacrosse team in the summer of 2018. After coaching for the Cardinals Girls Lacrosse team, Vinall became head coach at the Pride Girls Lacrosse Club in 2020. During her time as head coach at the Pride Girls Lacrosse Club, Vinall coached the class of 2029 where she executed weekly practices and clinics and developed the lacrosse skills of her former players.

In the summer of 2021, Vinall switched gears and began coaching at the STARS Girls Lacrosse Club in Alexandria, Va. Serving as the head coach for the class of 2028, Vinall continued to execute weekly practices and clinics while preparing her players to compete competitively.

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Will Scudder

Former associate head coach Will Scudder '11 was named the Head Lacrosse Coach on June 19, 2023. Scudder will enter his 11th year on staff in 2023-24.

He spent five years as an associate head coach and seven years as the defensive coordinator. Scudder was named defensive coordinator prior to the 2016 season and associate head coach following the 2018 season. Scudder was a former team captain and All-Patriot League honoree as a Mountain Hawk.

Scudder has helped Lehigh jump back into the national spotlight, making three consecutive Patriot League Championship games in 2018, 2019 and 2021 (the 2020 season was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic). Lehigh is the only men’s lacrosse program in the Patriot League to each of the last 10 Patriot League Tournaments.

Entering 2022, the Mountain Hawks are ranked in the national polls for a fourth straight season. This comes after a 2021 campaign which saw Lehigh rise as high as No. 5 in the rankings. The Mountain Hawks began the season 9-0, with wins over No. 10 Loyola, No. 7 Army West Point and No. 19 Navy. Lehigh was the second-to-last team in the nation to lose a game in 2021. The Mountain Hawks finished 8-0 in the Patriot League (regular season) before beating Colgate in the semifinals. The championship game was cancelled due to a positive COVID-19 test in Loyola’s tier 1 testing pool, but Lehigh earned the No. 8 seed in the NCAA Tournament – the second time in three all-time NCAA berths that the Mountain Hawks were seeded.

Individually, faceoff specialist Mike Sisselberger was a first team All-American, finishing the season with an all-time NCAA record win percentage of 79.5 (225-of-283) with a program and Patriot League record 160 groundballs (in 12 games). Sisselberger was named the league’s Faceoff Specialist of the Year, becoming Lehigh’s second straight winner of that award (along with teammate Conor Gaffney). Goaltender James Spence and defenseman Anthony Tangredi were also named honorable mention All-Americans by various organizations. Teddy Leggett was named a Senior CLASS Award first team All-American while Gaffney was named an Academic All-American for a fourth time. Seven Mountain Hawks received All-League honors, the most honorees since 2013. Defensively, Lehigh finished second nationally in groundballs per game (41.92) and 18th in scoring defense (10.17).

Lehigh was off to a 5-1 start in 2020 (2-0 in Patriot League play) when the season was cut short. The Mountain Hawks’ defense was allowing just 9.67 goals per contest (14th). Lehigh was second in groundballs per game (42.33) and eighth in faceoff win percentage (63.8). The Mountain Hawks were ranked 19th in the final Maverick Media Poll. Tangredi was named an honorable mention Media All-American after finishing the shortened season second nationally in caused turnovers per contest (2.67). Gaffney was named a CoSIDA Academic All-American for a third straight year (being named to the second team).

Scudder helped lead a defense that finished sixth nationally in 2019, allowing just 9.47 goals per game. Lehigh’s man-down defense was also sixth in the nation (24.2). The Mountain Hawks allowed single-digit goals in nine games, helping the team post a 9-8 record, 5-3 in Patriot League play and earn a No. 2 seed in the league tournament. Scudder helped guide Lehigh to a 6-0 March, including three wins over nationally-ranked opponents in the span of 11 days - topping No. 16 Colgate (10-8), No. 17 Army West Point (11-8) and No. 15 Rutgers (13-10).

Scudder helped coach Gaffney, the Patriot League Faceoff Specialist of the Year, who was also named Scholar-Athlete of the Year (for a second straight season) and an Academic All-American (also for a second straight year). Gaffney broke a number of school and league records, including faceoff wins (249) and groundballs (152). His 69.7 faceoff percentage was good for fourth nationally. Gaffney was one of six Mountain Hawks named All-Patriot League for a second straight season, which included fellow first team honoree, defenseman Craig Chick. Chick continued to re-write the record books, literally, breaking the school record for caused turnovers for a third consecutive season with 42. Most notably, he ended his career with an NCAA career record 160 caused turnovers, becoming the all-time leader in the championship game vs. Army. After the season, Chick was named a second team All-American by both the USILA and Inside Lacrosse/Media, Lehigh’s highest USILA All-American in 93 years, since Hugh Robinson was named to the second team in 1926.

In 2018, the Mountain Hawks, were ranked as high as 12th nationally and defeated three nationally-ranked teams – beginning with road wins at No. 12 Army West Point and No. 18/19 Hofstra in the span of 10 days. The Mountain Hawks went on to finish the season 10-7, including 5-3 in Patriot League play. Earning the No. 4 seed in the league tournament, Lehigh dominated Colgate at home (11-6) then picked up a 10-9 overtime win against No. 11/13 Navy, just days after the Midshipmen won at Syracuse. Lucas Spence scored the game-winner less than one minute into overtime as Spence (58 points: 35 goals, 23 assists) and Andrew Pettit (66 points: 46 goals, 20 assists) combined for 124 points in 2018.

Pettit, Chick and Gaffney were named first team All-Patriot League while Spence, defenseman Eddie Bouhall and long-stick midfielder Teddy Leggett earned second-team laurels. Leggett ended the year with 61 groundballs, becoming just the third non-faceoff specialist to reach 50 GBs in Kevin Cassese’s 11-year tenure as Lehigh head coach, the others being Casey Eidenshink and Chick. Leggett also won the Lehigh Athletics’ J. Daniel Nolan Award presented to the department’s top first-year male student-athlete. Gaffney was named the Patriot League Scholar-Athlete of the Year while garnering third team Academic All-America recognition by CoSIDA. A former faceoff specialist himself, Scudder worked extensively with Gaffney, who led the Patriot League in faceoff percentage (59.4), while shattering the school record for faceoff wins (212) – which is also good for second in league history.

Scudder oversaw a defense that entered April eighth nationally in allowing just 8.30 goals per game. The Mountain Hawks went on to allow just six goals in the quarterfinals to Colgate and nine in the semifinals vs. Navy. Lehigh’s defense was led by Chick, who continued to re-write the record books, breaking his previous school record for caused turnovers with 41. He ended the year with 118 in his career, which is already a school and Patriot League record, and top 10 in NCAA history (with Chick’s senior year left to play). After the season, Chick was named a second team Inside Lacrosse All-American while garnering honorable mention All-America from the USILA.

In his first year on the Lehigh staff, Scudder helped coach a strong tandem at faceoff in 2014 that won 54 percent of its draws; Ryan Buttenbaum won 55 percent and Casey McAdam won 52 percent at the X. McAdam was named Patriot League Rookie of the Week after winning 17-of-23 faceoffs against Monmouth then 15-of-20 vs. Holy Cross.

As a team, Lehigh advanced to its third straight Patriot League Championship Game in 2014, finishing the season 13-5 and within just one win of tying the school record set two years prior. The defense allowed just 7.22 goals per game, good for second in the nation and just 0.01 behind the nation’s leader.

In 2015, a pair of Mountain Hawks split time at faceoff, both impressing down the stretch. Freshman Matt Ernst showed flashes of greatness, which included a four-game stretch (at Monmouth, Holy Cross, Colgate and vs. Princeton), which saw him win 58 percent of his draws (49-of-85). McAdam ended his season on a high note, winning 14-of-21 faceoffs in the Patriot League Quarterfinals at Bucknell.

The Mountain Hawks struggled to begin 2015, but bounced back in a big way. Lehigh defeated a pair of nationally-ranked opponents in a five-day span, earning wins over No. 14 Princeton and at Wilson’s alma mater and No. 18 Stony Brook. The Mountain Hawks defeated Lafayette in their regular season finale, their fifth win in six games, to reach their fifth straight Patriot League Tournament.

Lehigh advanced to its sixth straight league tournament in 2016, finishing 4-4 in Patriot League play. The Mountain Hawks' defense had plenty of highlight moments. Just a freshman, Chick led the nation in caused turnovers with 37 while senior Tripp Telesco finished tied for ninth with 90. Lehigh allowed just four goals to NJIT, six to Lafayette and seven in a dramatic win at No. 20 Boston University, which essentially clinched the Mountain Hawks' berth into the league tournament.

Scudder helped lead Lehigh to its seventh straight league tournament berth in 2017. As a team, the Mountain Hawks allowed just six goals in a home win over No. 16/18 Boston University. In the next home game, Lehigh allowed just 10 in a win over No. 13/14 Princeton, holding the nation’s No. 3 ranked offense to its second lowest total of the season which was five goals less than its season average entering the game. Individually, Chick continued his stellar play, setting a school record with 40 caused turnovers. He and classmate Bouhall combined for 100 groundballs and 60 caused turnovers on the season, both earning All-Patriot League honors. Chick was named to the first team and garnered Inside Lacrosse honorable mention All-America recognition.

Scudder played in 51 games over his career in the Brown and White, highlighted by his junior campaign when he won 56 percent of his faceoffs (140-of-251) to earn Second Team All-Patriot League honors. This came after a sophomore season which saw him win 56 percent (152-of-273) with 69 groundballs. Scudder played a key role in the rise of the Mountain Hawks’ program, advancing to the league tournament as a senior in 2011 and helping set the stage for the two straight Patriot League Championships that followed in 2012 and 2013.

Scudder ended his collegiate career by winning 331-of-612 faceoffs (54.1 percent) with 156 groundballs. He also added three goals and four assists. Scudder played in the prestigious North-South Senior All-Star Game following his senior campaign.

Upon graduation, Scudder worked with A.G. Administrators, Inc. in the sports insurance industry from Summer 2011 until Spring 2013, while also serving as an assistant lacrosse coach at Great Valley High School in Fall 2012 and Spring 2013. While at Great Valley, he helped lead the school to its first league title, coached six First Team All-Chesmont players, two members of the All-State team and one ALL American. He then moved onto Fever Lacrosse Inc. in Haverford, Pa. where he served and continues to serve as Director of Operations, in charge of managing tournaments, camps, clinics, and the 14 club teams within the Fever Program.

Coach Scudder resides in Historic Bethlehem with his wife Megan (a former Lehigh graduate '10 and women's lacrosse player), and son William Sullivan Scudder III.

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Matt Francis

Matt Francis begins his first season on the Lehigh sidelines in 2022-23. Francis comes to Lehigh following a six-year run at Providence College, the last three as the Friars’ associate head coach. Francis brings a wide breadth of experience and versatility to the Lehigh men’s lacrosse staff.

“We are thrilled to officially welcome Matt Francis, his wife Auden and daughter Mackenzie into the Lehigh Lacrosse family,” said Lehigh head coach Kevin Cassese. “Matt brings a wealth of knowledge and 12 years of coaching experience with him to Lehigh. He is a true professional in this business, a tireless recruiter and someone who cares deeply about his players and helps them to develop as lacrosse players, as teammates, as leaders and as men. He is so versatile as a coach with experience coaching defense, man down, faceoffs, goalies, riding, clearing and the substitution game. And, his positive attitude and infectious energy will make an immediate uplifting impact on our Lehigh Lacrosse culture.”

In six seasons at Providence, Francis worked with the defense, goalies and faceoff specialists. The Friars qualified for the Big East Tournament in three of the five seasons a postseason championship was held. With Francis on staff, Providence produced 16 All-Big East honorees, highlighted by Big East Defensive Player of the Year and two-time All-American goalie Tate Boyce. The Friars ranked 10th in the country in scoring defense in 2019.

“I’d like to thank Murray H. Goodman Dean of Athletics Joe Sterrett and Smith Family Head Lacrosse Coach Kevin Cassese for their belief in me and the tremendous opportunity to join the Lehigh Lacrosse family,” said Francis. “Lehigh University is an elite institution, and I couldn’t be more thrilled to join the men of Lehigh Lacrosse on their journey of chasing Patriot League and National Championships. I will be relentless in my effort to help our student-athletes achieve their dreams, both on and off the field, and I cannot wait to get started in Bethlehem.

“Furthermore, I’d like to thank Coach Chris Gabrielli for his mentorship during our six years together in Providence. I am a better coach and a better man because of our time together, and I am truly grateful.”

In 2017, Francis was part of a staff that was named Big East Coaching Staff of the Year. The Friars’ 10 wins that season tied a program record, while Providence achieved the program’s first-ever top 20 national ranking. Providence had two wins over nationally-ranked opponents, including a Big East Semifinal victory over No. 15 Villanova to advance to the title game for the first time in program history.

Prior to his stint at Providence, Francis spent four seasons at Binghamton, where he served as the Bearcats’ recruiting coordinator, defensive coordinator and faceoff coordinator. He helped mentor 12 All-Conference performers at Binghamton and six America East All-Academic honorees. In 2013, the man-down defense ranked first in the nation at 86.2 percent.

Francis began his coaching career as an assistant at his alma mater, Marist, helping the Red Foxes to back-to-back MAAC semifinal appearances. In 2011, Marist owned a conference-best goals against average of 8.99.

Francis is a 2010 graduate of Marist, where he enjoyed an impressive playing career as the Red Foxes’ faceoff specialist. As a junior in 2009, Francis ranked seventh in the nation in faceoff percentage (.576) and fifth in groundballs per game (6.46). In 2010, Francis won 158 faceoffs and helped guide Marist to its first MAAC Tournament appearance since 2006.

Off the field, Francis was a second team CoSIDA Academic All-American as a senior in 2010. Francis earned his bachelor’s degree in biomedical sciences from Marist in 2010 with minors in psychology and business administration. He added an MBA from Marist in 2012 with an advanced certificate in executive leadership.