By Chris Goldberg – Phillylacrosse.com, Posted 9/6/24
Brian Samson has been named head coach of the Conestoga boys’ lacrosse team for the second time.
In his first stint, Samson built the Pioneers into a 3-time state champion and a national power, taking the Pioneers to the PIAA title in 2010-12 (the state had only one class at that time) and finishing as runner-up in 2009 and 2013. From 2009-12, his teams won four straight District 1 championships, went 96-8, and finished no worse than 12th in the LaxPower National Coaches Rankings.
Overall, Samson won six Central League titles – between 2006-13 – and compiled a 210-72 record in his 13 seasons at the helm.
Samson replaces Brody Bush, who recently stepped down after posting a 146-62 record in 9 seasons, including two District 1 3A titles, two appearances in the state finals, and two more trips to the state semis.
It was Bush who brought Samson on as an assistant in 2021. Before then, Samson had spent 3 years as an assistant at Division I Villanova and then 1 season as an assistant at Marple Newtown.
“I am incredibly excited and honored to accept the job as Head Coach for the Conestoga Boys Lacrosse Program,” Samson said in a statement he also gave to the Conestoga parents. “I was excited to get back to this position at an amazing school with a talented and enthusiastic athlete. I thank Coach Bush for the dedication and passion he brought to the program during his tenure as the head coach and for bringing me back to the program for the past few seasons.
“With a group of devoted Assistant coaches, we are committed to building on a strong lacrosse tradition.”
Samson was named the EPSLA Coach of the Year in 2009 and twice was named the Daily Local News Coach of the Year. Samson also served as a head coach and assistant coach for the Philly team at the Under Armour Underclassmen Games for several years and also has served as an evaluator for the US U-19 team.
Samson – a Radnor High graduate – graduated from Georgetown in 2000 after starting as a defenseman for three years and took over the Conestoga program in 2001-02. From 2006 through 2012, his teams went 145-24. After beating Calvert Hall (MD) on the road to open the 2012 season, his team was ranked No. 1 in the nation in every national poll until a tight loss to Garden City (N.Y.) at the Checking for Cancer Invitational at Haverford School.
