The United States Coach of the Year Award is given to a head coach or co-head coaches who made a noticeable difference in the performance of a scholastic lacrosse team in a particular season. The coaching performance is not limited to progress made in the year which the award is given.
Here are this year’s nominees:
Tim Bosco, Olentangy Liberty (Ohio) — Fifth-year head coach guided to the Patriots to the first championship the school has ever won in a team sport
Kim Frantz, Upper Moreland (Pa.) — Despite a strong history in girls’ lacrosse, it is notable that Frantz was able to guide this team to win a PIAA state playoff game. With the win Upper Moreland became only the second team from Lower Bucks County to win a state tournament game
Michael Haight, Olney Good Counsel (Md.) — After a decade and a half as head coach, he might have had his finest team. Falcons had an undefeated record and a win in the WCAC championship, but the eye-popping result was a Spring Fling win over a good Bethesda Stone Bridge (Md.) side
Skip Harris, Essex (Vt.) — Took over two years ago after the team won only one game and brought the side to the state championship
Sonorah Hunter, Denver Colorado Academy (Colo.) — Former Denver University player was able to keep CA’s place at the top of the heap in Colorado’s 5A bracket, beating some formidable teams during the 2024 season
Gary Jensen, Sayville (N.Y.) — Came out of a tough area of the state (Long Island) and won its first state championship with a 9-5 win over Rye (N.Y.)
Carrington King, Charlottesville St. Anne’s-Belfield (Va.) — Taking lessons from last year’s season, the Saints beat Alexandria St. Stephen’s/St. Agnes (Va.) in the VISAA state final
Darcy Messina, South Huntington St. Anthony (N.Y.) — Took a talented team on a season-long ramble through league and intersectional games and finished with an undefeated season
Helen McCutcheon Oliver, Chatham (N.J.) — Won a third straight state championship; on all three occasions, the Cougars beat a South Jersey legacy powerhouse. In 2024, they bested Moorestown (N.J.)
Amy Orcutt, Tredyffrin Conestoga (Pa.) — A resilient Pioneer team got by Radnor (Pa.) in the state final after losing to the Raptors twice in the regular season
Jenny Tran, Arlington Yorktown (Va.) — Having won the 2022 state title, a number of players left to concentrate on soccer, but the team bounced back to win the VHSL championship over longtime power Fairfax James Robinson (Va.)
Kristin Woods, New Canaan (Conn.) — In one of the most competitive leagues in the United States, New Canaan was able to beat its main rival, Darien, twice in four weeks to take two major trophies
The recipient will be announced July 25.
