WESTON, Mass. - Regis College Dean of Athletics Pam Roecker has announced that Scott Kessler has been named head coach of the Pride men's lacrosse program, effective September 30, 2024.
Kessler has been an assistant coach at Lasell University since October 2022, serving as defensive coordinator where he was responsible for developing and implementing defensive strategies tailored to team strengths and needs. During the 2024 regular season, the Lasers posted the lowest goals against average in Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) play at 7.45 as they finished 8-2 in league play, upset Norwich in the GNAC Tournament quarterfinals after allowing just six goals, and held eventual conference champion University of Saint Joseph to only seven goals in the semifinals, close to half USJ's season scoring average of 13.71 goals per game.
"I am excited to welcome Coach Kessler to Pride Athletics as our next head men's lacrosse coach," Roecker said. "Coach Kessler brings a level of professionalism to the position, along with a wealth of men's lacrosse experience ranging from familiarity with the GNAC, a Division I playing career, and coaching high school lacrosse. Coach Kessler also brings a level of intensity to the position while having a holistic approach to coaching. He will prioritize academics, while being attuned to the overall well-being for all of the men in his program. Coach Kessler will be a great leader and mentor that is committed to continuing to build this program through recruiting. I am excited to have him on board, and I know that he has the passion and work ethic to get the job done!"
In addition to coaching lacrosse, Kessler has been a human resources recruiting professional for 12 years, working for area organizations including NBC Universal, Moderna Therapeutics, Bose Corporation, and the Harvard University Kennedy School.
Kessler played collegiate lacrosse at the University of Hartford, an NCAA Division I institution at the time, from 2009 to 2012, earning First Team All-America East accolades in 2012 and helping the Hawks win the America East Tournament title and advance to the NCAA Division I Men's Lacrosse Tournament in 2011. He graduated magna cum laude with a Bachelor of Science degree in business administration and was inducted into Beta Gamma Sigma, which recognizes business academic excellence.
"I am thrilled and honored to join the Regis College community and athletic department as the new head men's lacrosse coach," Kessler said. "I want to thank my wife Amanda and my family for their continued support on this journey. Additionally, I want to thank Pam Roecker, Mark Clemente, Laura Ladino, Ron LeClair, and everyone involved in the search process for this incredible opportunity. I'm committed to leading a program where our student-athletes thrive not only on the field but also in the classroom and as members of the Regis community. This is a fantastic opportunity to continue growing as a team and take pride in the privilege of being a student-athlete at Regis. I am deeply grateful and excited to start with the team in this new chapter of Regis lacrosse."
Kessler replaces Matthew Sweeney, who led the Regis men's lacrosse team to seven wins in 2024, the most victories in a single season by the team in seven years.
Regis College sponsors 19 intercollegiate sports, including men's lacrosse, within NCAA Division III as a member of the Great Northeast Athletic Conference.