Phillylacrosse.com, Posted `11/26/19
From Press Release
Bryn Athyn College Director of Athletics Dave Leach recently appointed Jack Crawford as the head coach of the men’s lacrosse program.
Crawford brings 31 years of lacrosse coaching experience with him to Bryn Athyn. He was a coach at the high school level for 27 years and spent the last four years a collegiate assistant coach at the NCAA Division III level.
“We are thrilled to welcome Jack to the Bryn Athyn College community as the next head men’s lacrosse coach,” stated Leach. “In addition to his significant team and individual accolades as a lacrosse player at Johns Hopkins University, Jack brings considerable coaching and teaching experience to Bryn Athyn. Our student-athletes will be direct beneficiaries of Jack’s addition to our staff.”
Before becoming the Lions’ fourth head coach in program history, Crawford was the defensive coordinator and goalie and faceoff coach at Lebanon Valley College for the last two years.
“I am thrilled at having the opportunity to lead Bryn Athyn’s men’s lacrosse program,” said Crawford. “Bryn Athyn represents the perfect balance of academics, athletics and community service, and is a perfect example of higher education’s ultimate purpose. I’m excited to now be a part of the college and its community.”
Last season, the Dutchmen ranked ninth in Division III in man-down defense, successfully killing off 82.3 percent of their opponents’ power plays and led the Middle Athletic Conference (MAC) Commonwealth with a 9.83 goals against average. In 2018, Lebanon Valley finished eighth in Division III with a 6.59 goals against average and 18th with 11.35 caused turnovers per game. The Dutchmen had four defenders and midfielders selected to the All-MAC Commonwealth Team in both years.
He spent 2016 and 2017 as a volunteer assistant coach—serving as the goalie coach, assistant defensive coach, and JV assistant coach—at Stevenson University. The Mustangs reached the second round of the NCAA Tournament in 2016 and the third round in 2017.
Crawford was a highly successful coach in the high school ranks before making the jump to the collegiate level.
As the head coach at Loyola Blakefield School in Towson, Maryland from 2003 through 2015, Crawford won the Maryland Interscholastic Athletic Association “A” Conference Championship in 2007, 2008, and 2013. Along with the championships in 2007 and 2008, Loyola Blakefield finished those seasons ranked second by STX/Inside Lacrosse Final High School National Poll. The team was an MIAA “A” Conference finalist in 2012 and a four-time semifinalist.
The program’s success led to numerous coaching accolades. Crawford was the Maryland State Lacrosse Coaches Association Coach of the Year and MIAA “A” Conference Boy’s Lacrosse Coach of the Year in 2007 and 2013, the 2007 Baltimore Sun Boy’s High School Coach of the Year, and the 2008 sports.com Maryland Boy’s High School Coach of the Year.
Crawford’s first head coaching job came at The Thacher School in Ojai, California. In his four years at The Thacher School, the team went 27-7 was the California Condor League Co-Champion in 2002.
His first foray into coaching was at the Landon School in Bethesda, Maryland from 1989 through 1999. The team won the Interstate Athletic Conference title every year and racked up 119 wins while Crawford was there.
In 2012, Crawford was an assistant coach for the International Lacrosse Federation gold-medal winning United States Men’s Under-19 Lacrosse Team.
As a player at Division I Johns Hopkins University, Crawford was a part of the 1984 and 1985 NCAA National Championship teams. The Blue Jays went to the semifinals in 1986 and the quarterfinals in 1988. Crawford was a co-captain in 1988 and received the Turnball-Reynolds Award for sportsmanship and leadership and the W. Taylor Cook Memorial Award for strength of character. In addition to playing lacrosse, Crawford was a co-captain of the 1986 men’s soccer that made the NCAA Tournament.
