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Brian Fisher
The first and only head coach in Monmouth University's men's lacrosse history, Brian Fisher has coached the Blue & White for 10 seasons, including the 2023 season as the Hawks played their first year as a member of the Colonial Athletic Association.
Under Fisher's guidance in 2023, rookie Ty Caffarelli burst onto the scene with a team-high 31 goals and 35 points as the program navigated the rigors of a CAA schedule. Caffarelli led all CAA rookies in scoring and set the Monmouth program record for goals and points among freshman. In addition to Caffarelli, Matt Soutar continued his strong play at the X by winning 56.7 percent of his faceoffs and setting the team record for ground balls in a season with 114.
In 2022, Fisher coached eight All-MAAC selections, including a pair of First Team defensive-minded players, short-stick midfielder Garrett Klurman and defensive standout Michael Quigg. Monmouth's All-MAAC second team selections were long stick midfielder Jack Gertie, face-off specialist Matt Soutar and goalie Noah Lode. The trio of freshmen acknowledged were midfielders Luke Cole and Terrence Lacewell and Nick Teets on attack.
Fisher led Monmouth to its second MAAC Championship and ensuing NCAA Tournament appearance in 2021 after the Hawks captured a share of the MAAC Regular Season Championship. After defeating Manhattan and St. Bonaventure in the MAAC Tournament, Matt Soutar was named Most Outstanding Player, while Cade Stratton, Chris Hervada and Noah Lode were voted to the All-Tournament Team. The Hawks set records 2021 by winning eight of their first 10 games, the best 10-game start in program history.
Five Hawks were honored by the MAAC for their performance in 2021. The selections were highlighted by Chris Hervada's recognition as the MAAC Co-Defensive Player of the Year. Rudy Beck and Hervada were voted to the All-MAAC First Team, while Matt Soutar and Dillon Smart secured Second Team honors and Connor Macrae earned the MAAC All-Rookie Team nod.
As a team, Monmouth ended the 2021 season ranked second in the NCAA in scoring defense (8.73) and third in faceoff winning percentage (0.675). Goalie Noah Lode finished second in goals-against average and Matt Soutar was fourth in faceoff winning percentage (0.685).
Monmouth's shortened 2020 campaign saw 17 student-athletes named to the 2020 MAAC Men's Lacrosse All-Academic Team.
Fisher coached four All-MAAC honorees in 2019, including First Team selections Rudy Beck and Chris Hervada. As a team in 2019, Monmouth led the MAAC and ranked fourth in the NCAA in goals against average (9.19).
In 2018, Fisher led Monmouth to the MAAC Tournament for the fourth consecutive season and orchestrated the program's first international trip, where the team traveled to Berlin, Germany and Prague, Czech Republic for a week in June.
The program had four players earn All-MAAC First Team honors (Bryce Wasserman, Dylan Schulte, Garrett Pfeifer and Noah Lode). Wasserman closed his standout career with program records in goals (99), assists (50) and points (149) and also became the first Monmouth player to be chosen in the annual Major League Lacrosse Draft when he was selected by the Denver Outlaws in the seventh round. Wasserman again made history when he became the first Hawk to play in an MLL game, when he suited up for the Ohio Machine on July 21, 2018.
In 2017, behind a senior-heavy lineup, Fisher directed Monmouth to the pinnacle of the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference as the program secured its first conference championship and NCAA Tournament berth.
The Hawks achieved a number of program firsts in 2017, including defeating a ranked opponent with a road win at RV/16 Villanova to open the season. Monmouth went undefeated at home (6-0) and was perfect in MAAC play (6-0) en route to capturing the MAAC Regular Season Championship. In addition, the Hawks received votes in both national polls and rose to No. 19 in the Maverik Men’s Lacrosse Division I Media Poll after winning the MAAC Tournament title.
Fisher was voted as the MAAC Coach of the Year, while senior goalkeeper Nick Hreshko was chosen as the Defensive Player of the Year in addition to his First Team All-MAAC selection. Hreshko was one of five first-team picks, marking the first time in team history the Hawks have had five first-team selections, along with classmates Tyler Keen and Andrew Grajewski and juniors Garrett Pfeifer and Bryce Wasserman.
In addition to the five First Team All-MAAC honorees, Justin Schwenk was chosen as the MAAC Rookie of the Year and was a Second Team All-MAAC honoree with junior midfielder Dylan Schulte and senior long stick midfielder Neil Ruppert. Monmouth also had 17 players named to the MAAC Men’s Lacrosse All-Academic Team.
The Hawks were among the nation’s elite in a number of statistical categories, including second in scoring defense (7.39 goals allowed per game), third in clearing percentage at 90.6 percent and fifth in winning percentage (.778). Monmouth entered the NCAA Tournament with the nation’s longest winning streak with 11 consecutive wins from March 18 – May 7.
Prior to its breakout 2017 campaign, Monmouth reached the MAAC semifinals for the second consecutive season and captured seven victories in the 2016 campaign, including a perfect 6-0 record on the road. Monmouth won its first overtime game in program history, a 14-13 triumph at Siena, a victory which sent the team to the postseason on the final day of the regular season.
Individually, five Hawks earned All-MAAC accolades in 2016, highlighted by First-Team selection Andrew Grajewski. Cooper Glass secured All-MAAC second team accolades, while Eamon Campbell, Griffin Figel and Gordon Phillips were All-Rookie picks.In the classroom, Monmouth excelled as well, placing 18 student-athletes on the MAAC All-Academic Team.
In the program's second season, Fisher guided the Hawks to six wins, a league postseason berth and a nationally-ranked defense, while four members of the squad earned all-conference recognition. Paced by senior goalkeeper Garrett Conaway, who was named the MAAC Defensive Player of the Year and First Team All-MAAC, Monmouth finished fourth in the NCAA in scoring defense (7.64 goals/game), ranked eighth in man-down defense (.717) and 18th in saves per game (11.86). In addition, Conaway, who earned a spot on the USILA/LaxWorld 2015 All-Star Team, was the nation's leader in save percentage (.614) and ranked third in goals-against-average (7.49).
The 2015 campaign included the program's first-ever victory as the Hawks defeated Rutgers University of the Big Ten 10-9 on the road on February 28, while Monmouth went 3-3 in league play. Monmouth, which played in five game decided by one goal, competed in eight contests during the year that were decided by three goals or less.
In his first season with the Hawks, then freshmen Chris Daly and Dan Bloodgood earned MAAC All-Rookie Team selections.
Joining Conaway with postseason honors, were senior defenseman Ryan Horsch, who was named to the All-MAAC Second Team and freshmen Bryce Wasserman and Dylan Schulte, who secured All-Rookie Team status.
On July 10, 2012, Fisher was officially introduced as the first head men's lacrosse coach at Monmouth. Fisher, who came to West Long Branch with 11 seasons of assistant coaching experience on his resume, including the previous six at Notre Dame, also served as an assistant coach for five years at his alma mater, Rutgers. Fisher guided the Hawks into their first season of Division I lacrosse in 2014.
In six seasons with the Fighting Irish, Notre Dame and Fisher compiled a 74-21 record (.779) and earned an NCAA Championship berth all six seasons. Notre Dame, which advanced to the NCAA Final Four in 2012 before falling to eventual national champion Loyola, advanced to the title game of the NCAA tournament for the first time in program history in 2010. The Irish also reached the quarterfinal round in 2008 and 2011. Notre Dame received one of the eight national seeds and a first-round home game during the `08, '09, `11 and '12 tournaments.
Fisher also helped guide the Irish to three Great Western Lacrosse League (GWLL) regular-season titles and two GWLL tournament championships before the Fighting Irish moved to the BIG EAST in 2010, winning the 2012 BIG EAST regular season crown. Notre Dame head coach Kevin Corrigan along with Fisher and fellow assistant coach Gerry Byrne received the GWLL coaching staff of the year award in 2007 and 2009.
Notre Dame produced 29 All-America and 39 all-conference selections along with 17 Major League Lacrosse (MLL) draft picks over five seasons with Fisher on the coaching staff.
Fisher stated at the time of his hiring, "While there is much work to be done in starting a program from the ground up, I am excited about the vision that Jeff Stapleton and Marilyn have laid out for the lacrosse program and am very encouraged by the support shown from the University. Monmouth provides everything a student-athlete would ever want from their college experience; Division I athletics, an intimate and friendly campus, strong academics and of course the beach. I cannot wait to get started and introduce Monmouth University to the lacrosse community and potential recruits."
Among other duties, Fisher worked with the Fighting Irish faceoff unit, which has been one of the best in the country over the six campaigns. Notre Dame ranked ninth in the nation in faceoff winning percentage in `09 with a .556 mark. Notre Dame ranked second nationally in 2008 with a .628 winning percentage, and was 15th in the nation in that category during Fisher's first season with the Irish. The Fighting Irish were 17th nationally in faceoff percentage in `10 and `11.
Also in 2012, Notre Dame ranked first in the nation in scoring defense and man-down defense, while John Kemp led the nation in goals against average (6.27) and save percentage (.637).
Fisher was a standout midfielder and faceoff man for the Scarlet Knights for four seasons (1998-2001). As a coach at Rutgers, he worked extensively with the Scarlet Knight midfielders, was the assistant director of MVP Lacrosse Camps, was recognized as a member of the 2003 ECAC Staff of the Year and made back-to-back NCAA Tournament appearances in 2003 and 2004.
Fisher, a top faceoff man in the nation throughout his Rutgers career, was awarded the Rutgers Lacrosse Knight Cup in `01, which goes to the player "who has played the game of lacrosse to the best of his ability, who has, by example, inspired or led his teammates both on and off the field and, who, above all, has consistently demonstrated the qualities of un- selfishness and loyalty to his team and Rutgers University." That same season he was named the Rutgers Lacrosse Time Scholar-Athlete.
The Morton, Pa. native also was awarded the 2000 Frederick Fitch Trophy while at Rutgers, an honor presented to the varsity letter winner who, through personal effort to develop his lacrosse ability, has shown the greatest improvement during the season.
Fisher married the former Lauren Vader from South Orange, N.J. on December 19, 2008, in the Caribbean and the couple has two daughters.
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