Former Marquette and Yale assistant coach Andrew Stimmel is the second head coach in Marquette University men’s lacrosse history, it was announced on Friday morning.
“Andrew is one of the rising stars in the lacrosse world and we are thrilled to know that he will be leading the Marquette men’s lacrosse program,” said Marquette Vice President and Director of Athletics Bill Scholl. “He cares greatly about the student-athlete experience, believes deeply in Marquette and our values and he can flat out coach. He has been a winner at every stop along the way and we expect that to continue in Milwaukee. We are proud to welcome Andrew, his wife Vanessa, and sons, JJ and Rhys, back to the Marquette family.”
Andrew Stimmel, who was an assistant at Marquette in 2016, has spent each of the last three seasons as the offensive coordinator at Yale, which he helped lead to the 2018 NCAA National Championship and a runner-up finish in 2019. The national title was Yale’s first in 135 years and the squad has posted historic offensive production with Stimmel guiding the attack.
“I would like to thank President Michael R. Lovell, Vice President and Director of Athletics Bill Scholl, Deputy Athletic Director Mike Broeker and Executive Athletic Director Danielle Josetti for the incredible opportunity to be the next head lacrosse coach at Marquette University,” Stimmel said. “What excites me most about Marquette is the vision and alignment from President Lovell and Bill Scholl to continue a tradition of excellence both on the field and in the classroom.
“Marquette’s unparalleled commitment to building an exceptional lacrosse program while producing elite leaders is second to none and I couldn’t be more excited to continue that tradition. I am blessed to have had great mentors in my life in Andy Shay, Joe Amplo and Nick Myers who have all taught me the value of accountability, belief and work ethic; all things I feel the Marquette community embodies making this a perfect fit for me and my family.”
The Bulldogs scored 574 goals over the last two seasons, a mark which places them third in NCAA Division I history over a two-year span. In addition to scoring a program-record 296 times in 2019 (No. 7 all-time), the 2018 NCAA Champions scored 278 goals, led by Tewaaraton Award winner and USILA First Team All-American Ben Reeves.
Including his time at Marquette, Andrew Stimmel has coached in the NCAA tournament in each of the last five seasons and advanced to the NCAA quarterfinals as a student-athlete in 2008.
Since his return to New Haven for the 2017 campaign, Yale has notched an overall record of 42-13, won an Ivy League Tournament crown in 2017 posted a regular season record of 17-2 in league action. In addition to Reeves, Stimmel has worked at Yale with double-digit USILA All-Americans, including TD Ierlan, Jackson Morrill, Conor Mackie, Jack Tigh, Michael Quinn, Tyler Warner, Christopher Keating, Mark Gilcini, Michael Keasy. He has also mentored numerous professional lacrosse draft picks during his career.
He was tabbed in January to serve as an assistant coach of the United States Men’s Under-19 Team at the 2020 Federation of International Lacrosse (FIL) World Championships in Limerick, Ireland next summer. He will assist head coach Nick Myers, under whom he played as a collegian at Ohio State.
In addition to his work with the Yale offense, Stimmel has roots on the defensive side of the ball, having played as a defensive midfielder in college and served as a defensive coordinator at MU.
“Andrew has a track record of success with championship-caliber programs and experience coaching elite units on both sides of the field.” Scholl said. “He is a value-driven leader who has built meaningful relationships with his student-athletes, including our own during his one year with the program.”
Andrew Stimmel spent one year at Marquette as an assistant coach on the 2016 team that earned the No. 6 seed in the NCAA Championship after claiming the BIG EAST Tournament title with a championship game victory at then-No. 1 Denver. In his work with the defensive unit, goalies and face-off specialists, Stimmel tutored USILA All-Americans Liam Byrnes, B.J. Grill and Jacob Richard, and worked with All-BIG EAST performers, goalie Cole Blazer and face-off specialist Zachary Melillo.
His defense at Marquette ranked No. 8 nationally in 2016 by allowing just 8.13 goals per game and his work with the face-off specialists resulted in a 55.6 winning percentage, which was 14th nationally.
Prior to his arrival in Milwaukee in June of 2015, Stimmel served as an assistant coach at Yale for the previous two seasons, working with a defense that ranked in the top-20 in goals-against average and man-down defense during both campaigns. His 2014 face-off group also ranked 13th in NCAA Division I by winning 57.9 percent of its draws to lead the Ivy League.
The Bulldogs (11-5) finished the 2015 season ranked 10th in the final Inside Lacrosse Media Poll and ended the year ninth in goals against, allowing the opposition just 8.13 goals per contest behind All-Ivy League goalie Eric Natale. Yale won the Ivy League tournament by topping then-No. 9 Brown and then-No. 15 Princeton before falling to national finalist Maryland, 8-7, in the NCAA First Round.
He also served with the Bulldogs in 2015 as the Director of Player Development, a role which was created for him in the fall of 2014. In the position, Stimmel assisted student-athletes in acclimating to their roles on the field, in the classroom and in the community through the creation, analysis and modification of individualized player development plans. He served as the team’s community service coordinator and worked in conjunction with the strength and athletic training staff.
In 2014, the captain of the 2010 Ohio State lacrosse team, volunteered as the Bulldogs’ goalie coach. As a team, the Bulldogs’ defense led the Ivy League and finished 12th in the nation allowing 8.53 goals per game. Yale also ranked among the national leaders in man-down defense and face-offs.
Andrew Stimmel served as head coach at Grove City (Pa.) College for two seasons (2012-13) prior to his work at Yale and led the Wolverines to a quarterfinal appearance in the 2013 national tournament. His squad finished fifth in the final Nike/Inside Lacrosse Poll after a 10-2 regular season and earned a first-ever top seed in Central Collegiate Lacrosse Association Playoffs. For his efforts, Stimmel was named the 2013 Men’s Collegiate Lacrosse Association Division II National Coach of the Year.
He transformed a 3-7 team in 2011 into a 7-5 squad his first year as a head coach. While compiling a 17-7 overall regular-season record, Stimmel produced four All-Americans and had the conference’s best face-off percentage.
A two-year starter as a defensive midfielder at OSU, Stimmel was the 2010 team defensive MVP, the 2009 Buckeye Power Club Award Winner and helped the Buckeyes to the 2008 NCAA quarterfinals and a share of the ECAC title. He was also a three-time scholar-athlete recipient and a two-time Academic All-Big Ten selection. He graduated in May of 2011 with a bachelor’s degree in business logistics.
Stimmel, who was taken by the Ohio Machine in the 2013 MLL Supplemental Draft, has also been the director of curriculum and co-director of recruiting for Low and Away Lacrosse Camps in Pittsburgh.
Additional coaching experience came with the Fellowship of Christian Athletes Lacrosse as head coach of the 2011 U-15 National Developmental Program. That team won a national title while also he served as an assistant on the 2010 U-17 and U-19 squads that also won national championships.
Stimmel and his wife, Vanessa, were married in 2012 and have two young sons, JJ (2), and Rhys (seven months).
What they are staying about Andrew Stimmel:
Andy Shay, head coach, Yale (2018 NCAA Champion)
“I couldn’t be more excited for Andrew. He has aggressively honed his craft at Yale and Marquette, coaching both sides of the ball with incredible success, and now he’s ready to be a head coach. I expect a similar trajectory as the steward of his own ship. Yale’s loss is Marquette’s gain. Congrats Stimm!”
Nick Myers, head coach, Ohio State (2017 NCAA Runner-Up)
“We could not be more excited for Andrew and the Stimmel family. Marquette has hit it out of the park with this hire. Andrew is not only an amazing coach but will be a one-of-a-kind mentor for young men. I have no doubt he will make an immediate impact on both the Marquette program and Wisconsin lacrosse community. Buckeye Nation is proud, and we wish Andrew all the very best. I look forward to the opportunity to coach alongside Andrew as part of the Team USA staff as we build a team in effort to compete for a World Championship next summer in Ireland.”
Ben Reeves, 2018 Tewaaraton Award winner at Yale
“Marquette is getting one of the best coaches in the game. It’s been both an honor and a privilege playing for Stimmel during my time at Yale, and while I’m disappointed he won’t be on the Yale sidelines anymore, I couldn’t be more happy for him. (He’s) one of the most deserving in the game – not only a great coach but an awesome guy. I’m going to have to check out some Marquette games next year.”
The Stimmel Coaching File:
| Year | Team | Position | Overall | Conf. | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | Ohio State | Undergrad. Asst. | 8-8 | 3-3 | |
| 2012 | Grove City (Pa.) – DII | Head Coach | 7-5 | CCLA Coach of the Year | |
| 2013 | Grove City (Pa.) – DII | Head Coach | 10-2 | MLCA DII Coach of the Year, CCLA CoY | |
| 2014 | Yale | Vol. Asst. Coach | 9-5 | 3-3 | |
| 2015 | Yale | Assistant Coach | 11-5 | 3-3 | Ivy League Champions |
| 2016 | Marquette | Assistant Coach (DC) | 11-5 | 4-1 | BIG EAST Champions, NCAA No. 6 Seed |
| 2017 | Yale | Assistant Coach (OC) | 10-6 | 5-1 | Ivy League Champions |
| 2018 | Yale | Assistant Coach (OC) | 17-3 | 6-0 | NCAA Champions, Ivy regular season |
| 2019 | Yale | Assistant Coach (OC) | 15-4 | 6-1 | NCAA Runner-up, Ivy regular season |
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