Jacob Coon
Head Men's Lacrosse Coach
Jacob Coon
Head Men's Lacrosse Coach
Bio
The 2024 season is Jake Coon’s 15th season as the RIT men’s lacrosse head coach. During his decade-and-a-half, Coon has led the Tigers to two National Championships, 14 Conference Championships, and nine Final Four appearances.
The winningest coach in program history, Coon led RIT to 21-2 record in 2023, advancing to the NCAA Semifinal for the ninth time. Coon led the Tigers to their 11th straight Liberty League regular season and tournament title.
Honors/Accomplishments as Head Coach
- 2022 and 2021 National Champions
- 249 wins as head coach (Most in program history)
- .905 winning percentage is the highest winning percentage in Div. III history
- 13 straight NCAA Tournament appearances (There was no NCAA Tournament in 2020)
- 9 NCAA Final Four appearances
- 2011 and 2013 USILA Division III Coach of the Year
- 2013 MCLA Division III Coach of the Year
- 13 Conference Championships
- 11 consecutive Liberty League championships from 2012-present
- 99 All-Americans
- 2 National Players of the Year
- 18 major award winners, including Taylor Jensen (Long Pole Midfielder of the Year) in 2023
- 10 Liberty League/E8 Players of the Year
- 9 Liberty League Defensive Players of the Year
- 131 All-Liberty League/All-E8 selections
- 7 Liberty League/E8 Coach of the Year awards
Notable Games as Head Coach
- May 30, 2022 – RIT beats Union, 12-10 in East Hartford, Conn. for the program’s second straight NCAA Championship
- May 30, 2021 – RIT beats Salisbury, 15-14 in double overtime in East Hartford, Conn. for the program’s first NCAA Championship to cap off an undefeated season.
- May 19, 2013 – RIT takes down Cortland, 10-9 in overtime to advance to the NCAA Div. III Championship game for the first time in program history.
- March 12, 2016 – Coon led RIT to a 12-8 win over Rensselaer to become the all-time winningest coach in program history.
- May 1, 2021 – Coon collects his 200th with a 12-10 win against Union.
- April 7, 2015 – RIT beats Nazareth, 15-10 to win his 100th career game.
Playing Career
A four-time All-American goalie at Nazareth College, the Homer, NY native is Nazareth’s only four-time All-American. He led Nazareth to a 51-10 record, helping the Golden Flyers to the NCAA Division III title in 1997. Coon earned First Team All-American and USILA Goalie of the Year honors in 1998 and 2000. He was inducted into the Nazareth Sports Hall of Fame in 2009. Coon played professionally for the Rochester Knighthawks (National Lacrosse League) from 2000-2003, and the Rochester Rattlers (2001-2005) and Boston Cannons (2005-2009) of the Major Lacrosse League. Coon was inducted into the Upstate New York chapter of the US Lacrosse Hall of Fame in 2018, and will be inducted into the Rochester Lacrosse Hall of Fame in November 2021.
* Coon owns the highest winning percentage in NCAA Division III Men's Lacrosse history.
In the News
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February 14, 2025
![The R I T lacrosse team celebrates on a turf field in front of a crowd of people.]()
Carrying coach’s lacrosse lessons into life
Jake Coon has turned RIT men’s lacrosse into a national powerhouse. Coon, though, prefers to talk about the 15 classes of leaders he helped shape and the assistant coaches who worked with him to build a top-notch program. He has built a community that is there for his players long after they graduate.
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May 26, 2024
![The R I T men's lacrosse team is shown in a huddle.]()
RIT men’s lacrosse run comes to a close with title game loss
A third national title in four years proved not to be in the cards Sunday for RIT’s men’s lacrosse team. The Tigers dropped an 18-14 decision to Tufts University on Sunday at Philadelphia’s Lincoln Financial Field.
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May 24, 2023
![little girl walking up to a college lacrosse player on the field.]()
‘All American Dad’ closes out stellar career for RIT men’s lacrosse team
Taylor Jensen ’23 (marketing) earned a host of honors as a standout player on RIT men’s lacrosse team over the past three seasons. But if you were to ask him what brings him his most pride and joy? Fatherhood.
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May 20, 2021
RIT lacrosse seeking elusive national championship