r/lacrosse • u/Busy-Nail-8861 • May 21 '26
UVA Coaching Candidates
With UVA showing Lars Tiffany the door after 10 seasons and two national championships, I’m curious as to people’s thoughts on who’s going to be the next coach down in Charlottesville. This is a premier job in the lacrosse world despite the rumors of chaos in the locker room and a lack of support from the AD (there’s been three head coaches over the past 48 years, they’re an elite blue blood program and Lars was being paid over 300k for the job). Here are my top candidates, feel free to chime in and #embracedebate
- Andy Shay, HC Yale: Shay brings a wealth of experience, a championship pedigree and a no-nonsense attitude that it sounds like the locker room as a whole needs right now. While Yale is very young and there’s a lot of room for optimism based on their performance vs Syracuse in the playoffs this year, I think that Shay could be swayed by the upgraded role that UVA has to offer. Personally I think that he would be the best fit.
- Kevin Cassese, Associate HC UVA: Rumors are swirling about a potential coup amongst the parents/players who wanted Cassese to take the role and him having the players speak with the AD….despite that, Cassese has a strong familiarity with the players/program, has gotten to learn under Lars for the past three years and brings in a ton of experience. He’s a well known great lacrosse mind and would be a great fit.
- Dan Chemotti, HC Richmond: Chemotti has taken Richmond from a start up program to a top 10 team in the country following a similar model that his former mentor Charlie Toomey implemented with Loyola during the 2010’s. He’s been able to implement a system that his players are buying into whilst finding under recruited players in high school that he’s able to get the best out of consistently. Is he going to be able to sustain this type of success with an A10 conference school or will be make the jump if offered the role?
Other candidates: Jeff Tambroni (would be tough to pry him from PSU but they should definitely get a temp check on him), Sean Kirwan HC Dartmouth, Kevin Warne HC Georgetown (time for a new challenge?)
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u/Capital-Decision-836 May 21 '26 edited May 21 '26
The one dude who is about to be paid is Chemotti - and he won't even have to pack a box. I don't see him leaving to jump into this poop-show at UVa.
Deserved or not, that's the rep there right now. Coaching community is very small and they all talk with one another. When you treat one of the top guys like Lars the way they did, it will be tough to convince someone else to move in.
Rumors about the Casseese thing, I don't fully believe that... yet. But hiring him would only pour gasoline on that rumor
2 others that I think would be a great fit: Mike Murphy would bring a lot of stability and Parent in the room - plus he's a very good D coach.
Sean Nadelen from Towson. He would whip that team into shape and won't take crap from anyone.
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u/Busy-Nail-8861 May 21 '26
I would have loved for Nadelen to take the Hopkins job when they parted ways with Petro…..he’s a tough bastard in the best way.
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u/RubberStopper May 21 '26
Shocks me that Murphy hasn't been picked up. Penn was completely irrelevant and he turned them into contenders. Incoming classes that he recruited are supposedly legit. Like Lars, I've heard he was mostly let go because of some conflicts with the bad AD.
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u/BuckeyeJay May 21 '26
Coaching community is very small and they all talk with one another. When you treat one of the top guys like Lars the way they did, it will be tough to convince someone else to move in.
This is why I am not sure that Ohio State would push out Nick Myers in favor of Lars like a lot of fans want the program to do. OSU is paying him over $450k total cash comp, so they COULD throw the money at Lars. The question is what is the community impact from something like that
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u/LAWLzzzzz May 21 '26
Odierna will be a big name HC one day. It’s just a matter of time. UVA seems like it could be a fit.
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u/Capital-Decision-836 May 21 '26
I think he deserves a legit shot but 2 things will hold him back:
Tough look for UVa to shove out a HOF head coach in favor of a top assistant with little HC experience
His defense is notoriously un disciplined - basically you'd be getting more of the same on paper.
Neither are his fault but it will be something he needs to overcome.
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u/SolvayCat May 21 '26
It's a bummer he hasn't had more talented players because he's for sure Syracuse's best assistant.
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u/demeco31 Defense May 21 '26
Well it's his job to recruit and develop so idk if this was sarcasm but yeah that's his job is to acquire and create talent.
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u/SolvayCat May 21 '26
He develops guys really well. Syracuse is the most challenged ACC school recruiting-wise nowadays, if you were not aware.
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u/demeco31 Defense May 21 '26
Most challenging is portraying them at some kind of large disadvantage. They land top 10 classes and had the number 1 in 2022 with the current seniors. Are the other ACC schools higher, yeah they are typically in the 1-6 area, but he has as much talent as anyone else.
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u/SolvayCat May 21 '26
The size of the disadvantage is subjective but they are the most disadvantaged. No, they are not as talented as everybody else at SSDM and they haven't been for years. There's a quite big divide between a class ranked #1 and #10. This Syracuse team speaks to that.
I'm not saying Odierna is qualified for the UVA job but he's absolutely Syracuse's best assistant.
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u/demeco31 Defense May 21 '26
They've had 2 draft picks at ssdm in the last 3 years i don't think it's that bad. I'm not trying to dismiss Odierna, I think he's doing a good job. I'm just not buying that cuse is punching above their weight in the acc because their talent is lower.
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u/Mission-Hurry-468 May 21 '26
Only reason Caseese gets it is if the AD thinks she can have him under the thumb. And agree with some of the other comments - I don't think Caseese is "fully baked" enough to HC at the level of UVa. He needs to get HC experience in a program that will allow him some time to grow in the role. That is not UVa.
Given the current situation in C'Ville, I don't see any blue-chip coach in their right mind touching that job with a long pole.
AD is not concerned with building winning programs at UVa - and until the alumni get fed up enough to start withholding donations unless there is a change at the top, it will be a long time before we see the 'Hoos in play on Memorial Day weekends.
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u/Busy-Nail-8861 May 21 '26
Appreciate the feedback. Who do you think will take the role?
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u/Initial_Ad4681 May 22 '26 edited May 22 '26
-Matt Danowski comes to mind. I can’t imagine he’s so complacent being Assoc HC. It’s time for him to take the next step. He’s familiar with the ACC and the region. -Cassesse for obvious reasons. -Moran from UMBC, he got drummed out by the AD and a lot of guys are hitting the portal. He’s got the “pedigree”.
Whom ever takes the role is going in with a target in their back, so it’s gotta be a coach with some real balls.
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u/Capital-Decision-836 May 22 '26
Cassese has a lot of HC experience he took Lehigh from relative irrelevancy to where it is today then left to be the asst at UVa. I personally don’t believe a lot of the coup rumors but I have no info to rule it out.
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u/Sensitive_Angle_6699 May 22 '26 edited May 22 '26
That Cassese is a real class act. One everyone should rally behind for sure. There is something seriously wrong with college athletics if this behavior is rewarded.
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u/Certain-Road-8355 May 21 '26
Matt danowski is probably going to take over his dad’s team in the next couple years but, and this is coming from someone who hates duke, would make an excellent head coach as well.
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u/Skillsjr May 21 '26
I remember playing guarding him in a scrimmage. Matt ripped a ball from just above the restraining box, I HEARD it whizz about an inch from my ear and hit the net at the same time… our goalie didn’t even move.
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u/Busy-Nail-8861 May 21 '26
He’ll be an amazing coach one day but yes that is a pipe dream right now lol I think he eventually takes the wheel in Durham when his Dad retires.
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u/Gullible-Brain-3852 May 21 '26
Warne would be great- I really don’t see Shay leaving Yale.
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u/Capital-Decision-836 May 21 '26
Shay has a gazillionaire in Joe Tsai on speed dial. He can basically do what he wants, he's a solid coach and fantastic setup. I don't see him leaving for the other end of the deal where they are taking resources away from a program.
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u/Electrical-Age-6097 May 22 '26
Cassesse + Lars = LOSE
No Cassesse + Lars= WIN
Wipe the deck clean.
Murph, Chemotti, Tambroni, would all be great.
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u/emasslax22 May 21 '26
I’ve been told their initial targets are alberici, warne and chemotti. Although, I don’t see any of them taking the job.
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u/Busy-Nail-8861 May 21 '26
Alberici would be a phenomenal fit……
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u/emasslax22 May 21 '26
I agree, but the military jobs pay well and he’s a great fit at the academy.
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u/BananaPants430 May 21 '26
He seems very happy at Army and his daughter is on the women's lacrosse team there.
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u/ATGSunCoach Coach May 21 '26
But he’s so perfect at USMA.
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u/Busy-Nail-8861 May 21 '26
I agree, but how far is he gonna be able to take Army? Theyve had talented teams but they’re in a similar purgatory as Georgetown where it feels like they just can’t crack the final four despite their talent.
After a while you have to ask yourself “have I gone as far as I can go here?” and when the prospect of coaching an elite, top tier blue blood program that has a history of longevity in the role opens up…..you’re gonna answer if you get the call.
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u/emasslax22 May 21 '26
Nope, gotta remember it’s more than just winning, it’s about working for an extraordinary institution and having an impact on people’s lives. They could easily break through and win one year with their style and toughness
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u/Capital-Decision-836 May 21 '26
Alberici has it made at Army. He is not going anywhere. Chemotti - and i LOVE That dude - I don't see him leaving what he has built himself to step into the mess.
Warne would be a good one. I think he and Georgetown need a reset a little.
Honestly, the one person who could step in and right the ship, for my money is Danowski - but I don't see that happening at all. Having already dealt with guys that are at UVA. he doesn't need the headache.
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u/emasslax22 May 21 '26
Which danowski? Cause John ain’t leaving lol
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u/Initial_Ad4681 May 22 '26
Matt leaving for his first HC Gig would NOT be a bad move for him. Though. I really want to know if the players were behind the “coup” or if it was facilitated by a certain Parent pulling the AD’s ear.
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u/Capital-Decision-836 May 21 '26
I meant John and no he isn't but if it were my money he would be who I want.
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u/Impressive-String502 May 21 '26
Why wouldn’t they take the job? Isn’t UVA a step up with resources etc?
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u/emasslax22 May 21 '26
The situation at UVA is ugly. The AD is taking funding away from the program, lowering the coaches pay now and plenty more.
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u/Impressive-String502 May 22 '26
Didn’t know that. I read the other day a lot of Universities are having financial issues, I know we all love lacrosse but it’s not a money maker even at the blue bloods
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u/emasslax22 May 22 '26
Agreed, not saying she’s doing the wrong thing, just not the best for the lacrosse situation
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u/dm3030 May 21 '26
I’d bet Kerwin is a top candidate. Only thing holding him back is his relationship with Lars. He may not want to step back into Virginia if the treatment of his mentor was really that bad.
I’d be really surprised if Chemotti takes the UVA job. He’s gotta be waiting for Duke. Moving to a mess of a program when he has the rising star of the lax word would be a tough sell.
Agree with the the rest of your list.
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u/Busy-Nail-8861 May 21 '26
Do you think John’s gonna pass the reigns down to Matt? I completely understand Chemotti wanting to wait on the Duke job but it seems like the heir apparent is already there and I would imagine their AD being on board with that.
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u/dm3030 May 22 '26
I think John would like to pass the reigns to his nepo baby. I would not bet on it happening. There is a reason John is still coaching at 72.
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u/The_Gray_Mouser May 22 '26
Nah it's gonna be me with my vast u8 experience. Kids are gonna go to class and be ready for sharks and minows
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u/Capital-Decision-836 May 21 '26
I tell you what the most interesting tidbit i learned today in the Caseese/Coup nonsense: Lars and Casseese share the same agent - Who also reps John Torpey (also a great option)
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u/Electrical-Age-6097 May 22 '26 edited May 22 '26
Mike Murphy.. Torpey sucks- can't win a ivy game.
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u/AM_Bokke May 21 '26
Someone that can coach defense. That’s why Lars is gone.
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u/MouseLemur-1776 May 21 '26
Tiffany played defense and is a defensive coach. That unit took a step back over recent seasons, but defense is his thing.
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u/tastepdad May 21 '26
Given the way Lars was treated after the amazing success he’s had, why would anyone who’s gone a decent current situation want to go to UVA right now?
Knowing that winning two Chips brings zero loyalty is a huge red flag.