BOULDER, Colo. (6/3/11) - University of Colorado Collegiate Sport Clubs has announced that head men's lacrosse coach Mike Ryder and associate head coach Taylor Short have been relieved of their coaching duties.
"The University of Colorado appreciates the efforts of Mike Ryder and Taylor Short after the resignation of Pete Stevenson in the spring of 2010," said collegiate sport clubs director Kris Schoech. "They took over a program during a very difficult time and they did a great job in bringing this team to the national tournament the past two years."
Schoech cited that the men's lacrosse staff was relieved because of administrative concerns, no disciplinary issues were involved.
"I appreciate Mike and Taylor's services and I wish them the best of luck in the future," Schoech said.
Ryder began at Colorado as an assistant coach in the fall of 2009, but he was hired as the head coach midway through the 2010 season. Ryder leaves Boulder with a 16-10 record after a year and a half on the job. He helped lead CU to the 12-10 victory against No. 1 Michigan in his second ever game as head coach on Apr. 9, 2010; a win that ended the Wolverines 49 game win streak.
With Ryder at the helm in 2010, Colorado won four of its final five regular season games and earned the final bid to the Men's Collegiate Lacrosse Association National Championships. Ryder and the Buffs proved that they belonged in the tournament as they defeated Oregon in the first round before losing to the eventual runner up Arizona State in the quarterfinals.
In 2011, the Buffs spent the majority of the season in the top 10 in the CollegeLax Prodigy Poll, but the team struggled to pull out the close victories against the top-tier clubs like they had a year earlier. CU lost four one-goal games, two of which coming against in-state rival Colorado State, and lost by one tally in the first round of the this year's national tournament to Boston College.
CU Collegiate Sport Clubs and the men's lacrosse student officers will immediately begin conducting interviews with possible head coaches for the 2011-12 season.
