EMMITSBURG, Md. (July 17, 2023) – Mount St. Mary's announces that Chris Ryan, Head Coach at Mercyhurst University, accepts the role of Head Coach for the Mountaineers' men's lacrosse program. Ryan becomes the sixth coach in team history.
 
"I would like to thank President Timothy Trainor, Director of Athletics Brad Davis, and Mount St. Mary's University for affording me the opportunity to be the head men's lacrosse coach." Ryan said. "It is an honor to be trusted with the leadership of the program and I look forward to helping lead the Mountaineers to future success. The university and athletic department have defined their expectations for the program. I am excited about the vision the university leadership has for the program and look forward to the challenges that lie ahead. Karin and I along with our kids are excited to become members of the Mount St. Mary's campus and the Emmitsburg community. Go Mount!"
 
At the helm of the Lakers' program since 2000, Ryan has led Mercyhurst to an impressive run over the past two decades. His teams went 268-69 and took home the Division II national championship in 2011, defeating Adelphi to take home the hardware. This past season, he helped lead the Lakers to the D-II national title game, using an upset of #1 Le Moyne in the semifinals to achieve the feat. Mercyhurst finished the year with a mark of 16-3, won its third Great Midwest Athletic Conference Championship (GMAC) in four seasons, and advanced to its fourth straight NCAA Tournament.
 
"I am thrilled to welcome Chris, Karin, Caleb, Brianne, and Gavin to the Mount!" Mount St. Mary's Incoming Director of Athletics Brad Davis said. "We looked at many talented candidates. Chris, who I had the privilege of working with for the last five years, is everything we were looking for in our next head coach. He has won the right way. He genuinely cares about his players, their families, and his alumni. He is a players' coach and the kind of person the student-athletes will go above and beyond for."
 
Mercyhurst is a nine-time conference champion, winning titles in the NYAC, East Coast Conference, Eastern Collegiate Athletic Conference and GMAC during Ryan's tenure. This helped the team punch their ticket to the NCAA Tournament 12 times, making at least the semifinals on nine occasions.
 
With that run of team success comes an astounding number of player recognitions. 73 of Ryan's student-athletes achieved Division II All-American status. 29 were named to East Coast Conference All-League teams, 25 were Scholar All-Americans with the United States Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association (USILA) and another 12 earned USILA honors for individual play. In addition, a trio of student-athletes earned the prestigious NCAA Elite 90 award, recognizing the person with the highest cumulative grade-point average to compete at the finals site for each NCAA championship.
 
17 Lakers got drafted into professional leagues with 13 going to the National Lacrosse League and four more drafted by Major League Lacrosse. This includes current players Will Agate and James Wittmeyer, both members of the Philadelphia Barrage.
 
In addition to his time on Mercyhurst's campus, he works on the staff of the Waterdogs, a Premier Lacrosse League squad. The team, which captured the PLL title in 2022, is 4-1 in its current schedule, which features a barnstorming tour of cities across the United States.
 
A member of various committees during his coaching career, he serves at present on the USILA Division II All-American committee, holding the post since 2019. Further administrative accomplishments include representation for Division II to the USILA from 2006-11, and the NCAA Division II Regional Advisory Committee from 2006-08.
 
Originally from Rochester, New York, Ryan earned recruitment out of Irondequoit High School to Monroe Community College in the same city. After two seasons there, he competed for the Randolph-Macon Yellow Jackets out of Ashland, Virginia, graduating from the school in 1998.
 
The 55^th season for Mount St. Mary's men's lacrosse begins in February 2024. Season schedule and team roster will become available in the upcoming months.
 
What People Are Saying About Chris Ryan
 
"I'm very happy for Chris and for Mount St. Mary's. Chris is a wonderful person, a highly thoughtful coach, and a team builder. He has championship experience and an infectious personality that can galvanize both team and community. This is a perfect match."
 

• Andrew Copelan, Head Coach, Waterdogs, Premier Lacrosse League

 
"A great hire for the Mount. Chris is a true professional and will certainly bring a wealth of knowledge and passion to the Mount St. Mary's lacrosse program. His dedication to the game and his student-athletes is unmatched and his 20 plus years of experience of developing and implementing a championship culture will serve the Mountaineer program well for years to come. I'm excited to see him get started!"
 

• Randy Mearns, Team Canada Coach and Head Coach at St. Bonaventure University

 
"Coach Ryan's successes are no surprise. His innovation on the field and his personable leadership has served Mercyhurst well and will translate to the next level."
 

• Kevin Conry, Head Coach, University of Michigan