WESTON, Mass. – Regis College is pleased to announce the hiring of Matthew Sweeney as head coach of the Pride men's lacrosse program, effective June 10.
Sweeney comes to Regis after a four-year stint as an assistant coach at Rollins College, an NCAA Division II program located in Winter Park, Fla. With the Tars, Sweeney served as offensive coordinator, recruiting coordinator, and social media manager; he also assisted with fundraising as Rollins continually built its roster to its current size of over 50 players. The Tars posted a 34-25 (.576) record during Sweeney's four seasons on the coaching staff.
"Coach Sweeney represents all of the qualities we were looking for in this position. He has a comprehensive background and expertise with NCAA Division II & III men's lacrosse both as a coach and player. He has demonstrated success recruiting quality student-athletes to every program he has been involved with, the foundation of his coaching philosophy is accountability and positive team culture, and he has a passion for the sport," Pam Roecker, dean of athletics at Regis College, said. "Regis men's lacrosse will become a competitive program in the GNAC and eventually the Northeast, and that will start with Coach Sweeney's approach with our players as he inspires and supports them in their quest to be the best they can be in the classroom, the college community, and on the field."
Sweeney will be returning to the New England Division III lacrosse scene, as he was both a player and a coach in the region. After three years at Merrimack College (2008-2010), he completed his collegiate playing career at Husson University in Bangor, Maine, serving as captain as he helped the Eagles reach the championship match of the 2011 North Atlantic Conference Tournament. A first team All-NAC honoree and a USILA Scholar All-American, he was selected to both the NEILA East-West Senior All-Star Game and the USILA Division III North-South Senior All-Star Game.
He began his coaching career at Husson as an assistant coach in the 2011-12 campaign, serving as defensive coordinator, team strength and conditioning coordinator, and recruiting coordinator. After a five-month period as Husson's interim head coach, Sweeney moved on to Curry College in Milton, Mass. As an assistant coach for two seasons, he played a significant role in the Colonels' practice and game planning as well as their film review.
"I would like to thank Pam Roecker and her staff for welcoming me to the Regis College Athletic Department and giving me the opportunity to lead the men's lacrosse team," Sweeney said. "We are thrilled to continue with the development of this program as we work toward success on the field and in the classroom. The strong academic offerings, supportive campus environment, and vision for success within the athletic department make Regis an exciting place to be. I look forward to working with the student-athletes, faculty, and staff on our shared mission."
Sweeney received his bachelor of arts degree in criminology from Merrimack College in 2010 and his master of science degree in criminal justice administration from Husson University in 2013.
ABOUT REGIS COLLEGE:
Regis is a leading Catholic coed university in greater Boston with nearly 3,000 undergraduate, graduate and doctoral students in the arts, sciences and health professions devoted to engage, serve and advance in a global community. With a strategic graduate focus on health care, Regis was recently named a Center of Excellence in Nursing Education by the National League of Nursing for the third time. The intergenerational Weston campus includes a Children's Center, named 2017 Program of the Year by the National Coalition for Campus Children's Centers, and a Lifelong Learning program (LLARC) for senior adults with a passion for learning. Regis North, a satellite campus in Lawrence, Mass., offers public health and marketing and communications bachelor degree completion programs and a full-time accelerated bachelors in nursing program to students in the Merrimack Valley. Regis sponsors 20 sports within the Great Northeast Athletic Conference at the NCAA Division III level. For more information about the athletics program visit www.GoRegisPride.com.