University of Massachusets Athletics
Jake Coon Named UMass Men's Lacrosse Assistant Coach
September 07, 2005 | Men's Lacrosse
Sept. 7, 2005
AMHERST, Mass. - The University of Massachusetts has announced the hiring of Jake Coon as an assistant men's lacrosse coach. Coon comes to the Minutemen after serving as an assistant at Nazareth College for the past five years. Coon also completed his fifth season as a goalie with the Rochester Rattlers of Major League Lacrosse in 2005.
"We are really happy to have Jake joining our program," said head coach Greg Cannella, who led UMass to the NCAA Quarterfinals for the third time in four seasons in 2005. "Jake fits our program as a hard-working, blue-collar type. He has accomplished a tremendous amount in his academic and athletic careers through hard work and determination. He has the type of attributes that will suit him very well at the University of Massachusetts."
At UMass, Coon will work with the goalies, the defense, face-offs as well as recruiting and travel.
Coon was similarly involved in all aspects of the Nazareth program for the past five years helping the Golden Flyers to four NCAA Tournament berths. He worked directly with the goalies and defense at the highest level including a national championship game appearance in 2004, where the Nazareth goalie Alex Civalier was named the MVP of the game despite the loss.
Coon is one of the most distinguished players in the storied history of Nazareth lacrosse. He was the team's starting goalie for four seasons and in 2000 became the program's first-ever four-time All-American. He was a first-team selection in 1998 and 2000, each time being awarded with the Ensign C. Markland Kelly Jr. Award as the Outstanding Goalie in Division III. As a freshman in 1997, Coon was the starting goalie on a Nazareth team that captured the NCAA Division III championship.
A native of Homer, N.Y., Coon was a three-sport standout there. At Nazareth, he set records for most career saves (769) and lowest single season goals-against average (7.32 in 2000). He also holds the NCAA Division III Tournament record (as well as the Nazareth school record) for most saves in a game with 32.
Coon earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in social science in 2001.
In addition to his coaching, Coon has worked in sales and been a tech representative for Cascade Helmets for the past two years. He has also worked numerous lacrosse camps across the country since 1998.
In the professional ranks, Coon has been a goalie for the MLL's Rochester Rattlers for the past five years. In 2005, he played in five games and had a 6.77 goals against average. He also played for the Rochester Knighthawks of the of the indoor National Lacrosse League from 2000-03.
