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Jacksonville University

Jacksonville, FL 32211
Florida Southeast
Private Small Developing team
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Tara Singleton

Jacksonville University Athletics announced the hiring of Tara Singleton as the new head coach of the women's lacrosse program on June 27.


Singleton comes to JU from Johns Hopkins, where she served as defensive coordinator and director of recruiting since 2011 and was the Associate Head Coach for the past 10 years.


"We are ecstatic to welcome Tara to Jacksonville. When we set out on this search, we were looking for someone who would value the whole person. It was clear from our first conversation that Tara was going to care deeply about our young women," said Senior Vice President/Athletic Director Alex Ricker-Gilbert. "She's played and coached at the highest level and has spent more than a decade in one of the finest women's lacrosse cultures in the country."


"Jacksonville University women's lacrosse will continue to ascend under Coach Singleton's leadership."


She takes over as just the second head coach in the history of the women's lacrosse program at JU, signing a five-year contract to lead the Dolphins, her first full-time head coach opportunity after years of establishing herself as one of the top assistant coaches in the country.


"I am thrilled to have the opportunity to lead the women's lacrosse program and join the JU family," Singleton said. "I would like to thank President Cost, Alex Ricker-Gilbert and every member of the search committee for trusting in my vision to continue the success of the program going forward.


"Jacksonville is an impressive university with even more impressive people and I can't wait to be a part of it all!"


Not long after arriving at JHU, her reputation attracted suitors at a multitude of programs, leading to her promotion to Associate Head Coach. Her longtime boss and recently retired all-time winningest coach in JHU history, Janine Tucker, recalled how hard they worked to keep her with the Blue Jays. She said she knew early on that she was going to be a phenomenal head coach because of how she both coaches up and cares for players, seeing beyond the Xs and Os.


"I am thrilled for Coach Tara and JU lacrosse! They just hired a first-class coach, person and a role model who is passionate about her players and the game," said Tucker. "I can't stop smiling thinking about how lucky those players are."


"I believe Tara will continue to build on what Coach Mindy [McCord] established and is a perfect next step for the program."


Her impact on the players on- and off-the-field was integral to the extensive success of the Blue Jays during her time there, which spanned over a decade. Her defenses were nationally recognized, finishing in the top-30 in the country in scoring defense five times, and were 31st in the nation this past season. They led the Big Ten each of the last two seasons in caused turnovers, and were top-20 nationally both years. Since joining the Big Ten in 2017, the team was top-two in the league in scoring defense every season.


Fourteen players went on to earn First Team All-Big Ten honors, with two players from the 2021 team named All-Americans and the Big Ten Goaltender of the Year that year as well.


The defensive prowess started before the Big Ten move, with the team finishing eighth in the nation in scoring defense, seventh in save percentage and 25th in caused turnovers in 2015, leading the American Lacrosse Conference in defense in 2014 and 2015.


She started her coaching career at her alma mater, Loyola, spending one year there before moving on to UMBC. She oversaw the defense of the Retrievers for two years, and served briefly as the interim coach in spring of 2006. After that, she took an assistant coaching job with Denver, where she spent three seasons helping the Pioneers establish themselves as one of the winningest programs in the country. They compiled 36 victories from 2008-10, advancing to the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation championship game twice.


The Baltimore native excelled as a player at Loyola, where she was a four-year letterwinner, starting her final two seasons and serving as a captain as a senior, when she was named a Second Team All-American. She helped lead the Greyhounds to four consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance, advancing to the Final Four twice, while also capturing the 2022 Colonial Athletic Association title.


She led the team in caused turnovers her junior year, as part of the nation's top-ranked defense, and was one of the national leaders again in CT as a senior. She was a member of the US National Developmental Team from 2003-05, was a World Cup Team candidate and a member of the US National Elite Team from 2007-08.

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Mike Bedford

Jacksonville University women's lacrosse head coach Mindy McCord welcomed Mike Bedford as an assistant coach in August, 2020.


In year two as an assistant for the Dolphins, Bedford helped JU to another extremely successful season capped by their fifth straight ASUN Conference Title and eighth overall NCAA Tournament bid. Under his offensive instruction the Dolphin unit was able to lead the country in shots with 704, while also claiming second in scoring offense, third in points per game, and third in scoring margin. Also working extensively with the Dolphins' three goalkeepers, Bedford assisted in achieving a team save percentage of .517, while also helping Redshirt Freshman Goalkeeper Paige Pagano claim ASUN Freshman and Defender of the Year, and also Conference Tournament MVP.


In his first year as an assistant, the Dolphins had one of the programs most historic seasons yet. His first game on staff, the team defeated a ranked team for the first time in program history, after beating Florida, 12-11. Under Bedford's instruction, the team achieved a 3-0 conference record and its fourth-straight, seventh ASUN Conference Title. During the post-season, the team earned its seventh NCAA Tournament bid and made it to the second round for the first time in program history.


Bedford joined the program after serving one season as volunteer assistant at Michigan and prior to that, one season as the assistant coach at Rutgers University where he was the defensive and recruiting coordinator for the Scarlet Knights. He also served as the head coach of the Philadelphia Force in the United Women's Lacrosse League for two seasons, coaching the team to the 2018 undefeated UWLX Championship.


At Rutgers, he was responsible for implementing all facets of the defensive strategy as well as goalkeeper training, practice planning and team development. During his time at Rutgers Bedford helped mentor a strong freshmen class including Sarah Cedarstrand who was selected to the U-19 Puerto Rico Women's Lacrosse National Team and had three freshmen earn Big Ten Conference Rookie of the Week honors in the 2019 campaign.


Along with his coaching duties, Bedford helped manage operations budgets, served as a camp director and was a liaison between the coaching staff and strength and conditioning department as well as the athletic training department.


Prior to his stint at Rutgers, Bedford spent one season as the defensive coordinator at Boston University where he helped the team to a 2018 Patriot League semifinal. Bedford was also an assistant coach at William & Mary from 2016-17. Working primarily with the Tribe's goalies, he guided the goal-keeping unit to lead the Colonial Athletic Association with a 9.18 saves per game average during the 2016 season.


Bedford spent three seasons as the defensive coordinator at Hofstra where the Pride was the 2015 CAA Regular Season Champions after going 6-0 in conference action and earned multiple CAA honors.


He spent one season at Lenoir Rhyne University as the defensive coach from 2012-13 where he also oversaw the goalkeepers and position players. Bedford earned his start in collegiate coaching at Suffolk County Community College where he spent two seasons as an undergrad, helping the team to a NJCAA National Champion Runner-Up finish in the 2006 campaign. Bedford was named team captain in his sophomore season, earning first team all-region as well as being named a Second Team NJCAA All-American.


Bedford went on to play two seasons at Long Island University Post, where he helped the team to the NCAA National Championship in 2009 and an East Conference Championship.


Following his collegiate career, Bedford had a short stint as a member of the Chesapeake Bayhawk's practice squad and earned a spot on the Charlotte Copper Head's team in the professional lacrosse league in 2012.


Bedford graduated with a Bachelor of Science in physical education and a minor in coaching from Long Island University Post in 2009.

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Brooklyn Neumen

Brooklyn Neumen joined JU as an assistant coach for women's lacrosse in August 2023 after a standout five-year career as a midfielder for North Carolina, as well as multiple leadership roles in lacrosse at UNC and elsewhere.


The Rockford, Michigan native was named a Third Team Preseason All-American by USA Lacrosse Magazine and an Honorable Mention Preseason All-American by ILWomen prior to her final season in Chapel Hill. She played in 70 total games in her career, starting 21. Her best year was as a senior in 2022, when she totaled career-highs in points, with 11, and ground balls, with nine, while adding 18 draw controls, second-most in a single-season for her. She played in all 22 games and helped the Tar Heels capture a national championship, third in program history.


She competed on the 2019 U.S. Women's National Team at the World Lacrosse Women's U19 World Championship and won a gold medal.


Her coaching career started after her freshman year of college, when she served as a coach and player mentor for the Michigan Select team of high school girls lacrosse players over the summer. She carried on that role in the fall of 2020 in North Carolina, working with Team 91 Lacrosse Club, and since December of 2021 has held the same role with the Pure Advantage Lacrosse Club in Grand Rapids, Michigan.


Neumen served on the Student-Athlete Advisory Council (SAAC) for three years at UNC, and additionally was a participant in the Leadership Academy and Community Liaison Member in Chapel Hill. Just this past spring, she received the Kellie Thompson Shiley Award, which is annually presented to the Tar Heel women's lacrosse player who exemplifies outstanding leadership, excels in the classroom and on the field and displays a love of the game. She was also presented with the Tar Heel Leader of Distinction honor.


In high school, she was a four-time state champion, three-time Under Armour All-American and the 2018 Grand Rapids Area Player of the Year.

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John Galloway

Entering his seventh season leading the Dolphins in 2023, John Galloway was named head coach of the Jacksonville University men’s lacrosse team in June 2016.


The 2018 and 2022 Southern Conference Coach of the Year has transcended the team’s culture and brought national attention to the program, with substantial growth year-by-year, both on and off of the field.


In 2023, Jacksonville again had a top two overall season in thee program's history. The Dolphins knocked off the at-the-time seventh ranked Duke Blue Devils in the second week of the season and finished the year with their second consecutive 10-win season. In what was their second season in the ASUN, and first since 2014, the team claimed the third overall seed and won seven conference games, the most in program history. JU had a plethora of statistics that were top 15 nationally, including being second in man down defense and caused turnovers per game, fifth in scoring margin, ninth in scoring defense, 11th in ground balls per game and 12th in scoring offense, assists per game and points per game. In addition to a wealth of top statistics in the country, the team also had five players named All-ASUN, one make the All-Freshman team in Aaron Toguri, and Troy Hettinger was named the conferences Defensive Player of the Year. Hettinger also was named an All-American from multiple platforms and was taken 12th overall in the Premier Lacrosse Leagues College draft.


2022 included prominent wins over #2 Duke and #14 Denver on the road and #17 Richmond at home, the first season in JU history with wins over multiple ranked opponents. The season was a "year of firsts" for the program, which included the first national ranking, first 10-win season and first regular season SoCon Championship. It concluded with the program's second ever appearance in the conference tournament final and the team was ranked #11 nationally at the end of its season after going 14-3 overall and a perfect 5-0 in SoCon play. The Dolphins finished the campaign in the top-three of eight different NCAA statistical categories, the most of any team in the country. The team was ranked as high as sixth in country and was featured in a cover story by USA Lacrosse magazine. Colin Hinton earned SoCon Defensive Player of the Year recognition and Jackson Intrieri was the conference's Freshman of the Year, as 10 total 'Phins earned SoCon recognition. Troy Hettinger, Colin Hinton, Luke Millican, and Max Waldbaum finished the year collecting All-American honors from multiple platforms.


Back in action after the coronavirus ended the previous season early, the 2021 team finished the season with a 7-7 overall record and a 4-2 conference record. The seasons biggest highlight was the teams 11-5 victory in the nationally aired contest against Air Force in the Jacksonville Lacrosse Classic. Jason Yoquinto shined in the net this season for JU, his best performance came against Air Force where he accumulated 16 saves and was later named to the USILA team of the week for his efforts. The awards for Yoquinto did not stop there, as he and Matt Stagnitta were named the Southern Conference men’s lacrosse defensive and offensive players of the week, respectively, for their work during the competition. Halfway through the season, Jack Dolan was among the names added to the Tewaaraton Award watch list for his outstanding play. Dolan finished the season with 29 goals, 20 assists, 22 ground balls and four caused turnovers. After the season, nine athletes were placed on the SoCon All-Conference list. The list was highlighted by three first team selections; Dolan, Evan Tyler and Zack Deaken and four second team selections; Yoquinto, Conor Shears, Jordan Young and Colin Hinton. Rounding out the All-Conference awards, Nathan Kapp and Jacob Greiner were listed on the SoCon All-Freshman team. Off the field, multiple student-athletes dominated in the classroom. The program landed 44 players on the SoCon Academic Honor Roll list and nine to the SoCon Academic All-Conference team. Additionally, nine garnered the Commissioner's Medal honor, and two achieved a 4.0 GPA.


In the shortened 2020 season due to the coronavirus pandemic, the veteran-led Dolphins had showed signs of being well-balanced and versatile throughout non-conference play. After a difficult start to the season, big wins in three of the next four games highlighted the campaign. Dixon Smith became the program's all-time leader in Caused Turnovers during the win over Hampton and freshman Jacob Greiner was named SoCon Offensive Player of the Week after the team's win at Marquette and earned a spot on the College Crosse/SB Nation All-Freshman Team for his outstanding debut season. A total of eight players made the SoCon Academic Team at the end of the season, and the stretch of professional success continued, with former JU face-off man and graduate assistant Hunter Forbes joining the Chrome of the Premier Lacrosse League and LSM Hayden La Vangie signing with the Connecticut Hammerheads of Major League Lacrosse.


While the Dolphins finished 2019 just 6-9 overall, several notable milestones were achieved. A trio of program records were broken as Jack Dolan set the single-season points record (55), Evan Tyler set the single-season goals record (37), and Eric Applegate ‘19 became just the third player in program history to reach 100+ career points before he finished his career as the Dolphins’ all-time leading scorer with 143 points. Jacksonville also picked up its first-ever win against a top-10 opponent - a 12-10 win over No. 10 High Point during the regular season.


The 2018 season saw the Dolphins reach an unprecedented level of success. As a team, Jacksonville ranked in the top five nationally in face off winning percentage (3rd – .701), ground balls per game (4th – 33.20), and matched the program’s record for wins in a season (8).


After spearheading the revitalization of the Moe’s Lacrosse Classic, Galloway guided the Dolphins to a near upset in overtime of 2017 National Runner-Up and then-No. 4 Ohio State in the first nationally-broadcasted (CBS Sports) sporting event held on Jacksonville University’s campus.


Under his tutelage, the team has produced 28 First or Second Team All-Conference members, as well as seven All-Freshman Team members, two SoCon Defensive Players of the Year and a Freshman of the Year. Additionally, several players have earned national recognition, with multiple players being honored by outlets such as Inside Lacrosse, USILA, USA Lacrosse Magazine and College Crosse as All-Americans.


Along with the team’s on-field accomplishments, Galloway has structured a vision of community involvement including the World’s Largest Outdoor Lacrosse Party, a fall exhibition against professional lacrosse players that benefits Nemours Children’s Specialty Care, and the JU: Lacrosse Capital of the South High School Series that features local high school lacrosse games played at Rock Stadium before and after the Dolphins’ home games throughout the season.


Galloway also played an instrumental role in revitalizing efforts in both fundraising and designing the Dolphins’ $1.875 million, 8,600-square-foot facility housing the men’s and women’s lacrosse teams’ locker rooms, film room, lounge, coaches offices, athletic training center, conference room, game room, and nutritional center.


One of the young legends in the sport, Galloway joined the Dolphins following a four-year stint as an assistant coach at Providence College. While at Providence, Galloway helped coach Peter Badgley to Big East Goalkeeper of the Year and All-Big East First Team honors. It was the first time in program history that a Friar had earned the accolade. He also mentored Jarrod Neumann to an All-Big East First Team selection.


A native of Syracuse, N.Y., Galloway played goalkeeper for Syracuse University and ended his college career with an NCAA-record 59 wins while playing a record 3,776 minutes. A two-time First Team All-American at the position and the only goalie in Orange history to earn the honor twice, Galloway is also the only goalie in NCAA history to win national championships in his freshman and sophomore years. A Tewaaraton Award Finalist, he also earned the Ensign C. Markland Kelly, Jr. Award for the nation’s best goalkeeper in 2010 and 2011. In addition to his on-field presence, Galloway was a two-time national Academic All-American and was twice named Big East All-Academic.


In his first season as a professional with the Rochester Rattlers (Major League Lacrosse), he was named Rookie of the Year, and twice earned Goaltender of the Year honors (2014, 2016). A two-time MLL All-Star in 2015 and 2016, Galloway helped lead the Rattlers to the three MLL Championship games in 2014, 2015, and 2018. From 2019-21, he played in goal for the Chrome of the PLL, announcing his retirement at the conclusion of the 2021 season.


In addition to playing professionally, he captained the U.S. Men’s National Team that won gold at the FIL World Championships in Netanya, Israel in 2018 and was an alternate member of Team USA in 2014.


Galloway married the former Christina Decker in October 2019. They reside at the beaches with their handsome dog, Maverick.

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