BOULDER, Colo. (6/23/11) – John Galvin has been named the University of Colorado men’s lacrosse head coach for the 2011-12 season, CU collegiate sport clubs director Kris Schoech announced on Thursday.
"I have no reservations about John's coaching and administration abilities," Schoech said. "He is one of the best coaches I have had in the last 25 years and I know he will provide great leadership for the CU men's lacrosse team."
Galvin replaces Mike Ryder, who was relieved of his coaching duties earlier this month. Ryder finished with a 16-10 record in the year and a half he was the head coach of the Buffaloes.
Galvin returns to Boulder where he previously coached the Buffaloes for six years and led the team to the 2006 National Championship game. In 2009, his last year at CU, the team finished with a 15-7 mark, earned the Rocky Mountain Lacrosse Conference regular season title with a 5-0 record and advanced to the Men’s Collegiate Lacrosse Association National Semifinals. He left the program in August of that year in order to focus his attention on his business in Boulder.
“I am definitely excited for the opportunity again, and I think it will give me some challenges,” Galvin said. “For the last two years I have had a few different perspectives and I’m excited to take on the head coaching world again.
“I missed coaching and the opportunity presented itself this year. I thought it was the right time to come back to coaching.”
During his first stint at Colorado, Galvin was named the MCLA Coach of the Year in 2004 and the RMLC Coach of the Year in 2004 and 2009. He was named the University of Colorado Collegiate Sport Clubs Coach of the Year in 2005. He went 65-28 (.699) in his time at CU and had four seasons of 10 wins or more.
Galvin played his collegiate lacrosse at Ohio Wesleyan University where he lettered and was named to the All-Conference team each of his four years (1999-2002). He was a team captain for the Battling Bishops during his junior and senior seasons.
Galvin, who is one of the most respected coaches in the MCLA, began his coaching career in 2003 as an assistant coach at NCAA Division III powerhouse Cortland State and helped lead the Red Dragons to the national semifinals that season. He was then hired as CU’s head coach in the fall of 2003.
He earned his undergraduate degree in political science while also picking up a minor in history at Ohio Wesleyan, and he attained his master degree in management from Regis University in Denver in 2008.
Last year, Colorado finished 10th in the Adidas MCLA Poll with an 11-6 record and third in the RMLC with a 2-2 mark. The No. 7 seeded Buffs lost 10-9 to the No. 10 seeded Boston College Eagles in the first round of the MCLA National Championships in May at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park in Commerce City, Colo.
John Galvin Quotes
On why he came back to CU—“I missed coaching and the opportunity presented itself this year. I thought it was the right time to come back to coaching. I fully supported the prior coaching staff in coach Ryder and Short.”
On what the future holds for the program—“Honestly, I think it is getting back to building the foundations that were set in place and just keep moving forward and improving on those foundations.”
On what has he been up to the last two years—“I have a business in Boulder and I have been running that business. It’s a lacrosse business and I have been trying to build local support in Boulder for the game of lacrosse and build up the sport in the State of Colorado.”
