Phillylacrosse.com, Posted 3/28/24
From Press Release
The Premier Lacrosse League (PLL) has named legendary coach Bill Tierney head coach and general manager of the Philadelphia Waterdogs. A member of the USA Lacrosse Hall of Fame and seven-time NCAA Champion (six at Princeton), Coach Tierney brings more than 40 years of world-class coaching experience to the Waterdogs organization.
“We’re excited to unveil a monumental addition to the Philadelphia Waterdogs family as one of lacrosse’s most esteemed head coaches, Bill Tierney, joins our ranks,” said Paul Rabil, Co-Founder and President of the Premier Lacrosse League. “With a remarkable seven NCAA Championships, Coach Tierney embarks on a groundbreaking mission—to become the first to win both a college and professional championship as head coach. The City of Brotherly Love and our devoted Waterdogs fans will get to witness Tierney’s coaching debut this June, marking the commencement of a multi-year partnership.”
“I want to thank Paul and Mike Rabil and the PLL for affording me this remarkable and exciting challenge,” said Tierney. “Having coached at all levels of our game, working with the world’s best professional players as a GM and Head Coach is a unique opportunity. The Waterdogs have a great culture and history of success in the league and I look forward to helping the team continue on that path.”
Winning six national championships at Princeton, and leading the University of Denver to their first-ever championship, Coach Tierney is the only coach to win seven NCAA Division I titles. Coach Tierney also led the US men’s national team to a gold medal over Canada in the 1998 World Lacrosse Championships. Prior to his tenure at Princeton, Coach Tierney served as an assistant coach at Johns Hopkins University from 1985-1987, winning two national championships. He was previously head coach at Rochester Institute of Technology, where he led RIT to their first championship appearances, and was named Division III Coach of the Year.
The Waterdogs appeared in their second straight PLL Championship game in 2023, falling to the Archers in a 15-14 OT thriller after winning the PLL title in 2022. The Waterdogs also reached the final of the PLL Championship Series, falling to the Boston Cannons in overtime. Newly calling Philadelphia home as part of the PLL’s move to assign teams to home cities, the Waterdogs are the PLL’s seventh expansion team and joined the league in 2020.
The Philadelphia Waterdogs’ 2024 season will kick off June 1-2 at PLL Opening Weekend in Albany, NY, and make their homecoming debut in Philadelphia at Villanova Stadium June 15-16. To view the Waterdogs schedule and purchase tickets, visit www.premierlacrosseleague.com/schedule.
