Ryan Cavanagh
Head Men's Lacrosse Coach
cavanaghr@wcsu.edu
Western Connecticut State
Division 3
Head Men's Lacrosse Coach
cavanaghr@wcsu.edu
Western Connecticut State
Division 3
[Bio](http://www.westconnathletics.com/sports/mlax/coaches/Ryan_Cavanaghview=bio)
Ryan Cavanagh was named Head Mens Lacrosse Coach at Western Connecticut State University in January of 2016.
The Colonials have gone 9-22 overall and 4-10 in Little East Confernce play in his first two seasons. WestConn improved to 7-9 overall and 3-4 in the LEC in his first full recruiting year.
Cavanagh comes to Western after four successful seasons as Head Coach at SUNY Plattsburgh in upstate New York. Through four seasons at the helm, the Cardinals went 51-23 including a program-best 14-4 record in 2013 and back-to-back 13-6 campaigns in 2014 and 2015.
Western Connecticut has some of the best athletic facilities in Division III and is in an area of the country ideal for recruiting high-quality student-athletes, added Cavanagh.
Cavanagh began his collegiate coaching career in 2011 at Plattsburgh State. In his four seasons at the helm, the Cardinals never failed to appear in the State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) Tournament and advanced to the SUNYAC Tournament Finals in each of the last three seasons. The Cardinals went and impressive 21-5 mark at home and Cavanagh left the upstate institution with the most career wins and the highest winning percentage (.689) of any Plattsburgh State lacrosse coach.
In 2013, Cavanagh was named SUNYAC and Jac Coyne MagazinesCoach of the Year becoming the first coach in the 15-year history of the program to receive the league's highest coaching honor. One of the team's biggest highlights came at the Field House Lacrosse Complex when the Cardinals defeated No. 17-nationally-ranked St. Lawrence University, 16-12. It was the first win for Plattsburgh State over the Saints in program history. That same season, Cavanagh and his staff led the Cardinals to a 14-4 record and produced the best season in Plattsburgh State history. In addition to setting a new mark for single-season victories, Cavanagh and the Cardinals captured the No. 2 seed in the SUNYAC Tournament for the first time and picked up the programs first postseason victory a 15-7 win against Brockport in the SUNYAC Semifinals. Plattsburgh State also made its first appearance in the SUNYAC Championship game and saw seven of its players selected to the SUNYAC All-Conference Team, setting a new program record. Twenty-one Cardinal lacrosse players have received All-SUNYAC honors during Cavanagh's tenure
During his tenure the Cardinals continued to rise among the Division III ranks, culminating with Plattsburgh States first appearance in the USILA Top 20 Coaches Poll in March 2013. The Cardinals were ranked for eight straight weeks and listed as high as 16th in the weekly poll during the 2013 season.
Prior to his appointment as Head Coach, Cavanagh spent three seasons as the Cardinals top assistant after serving as a student assistant coach during the 2008 season.
Cavanagh played for the Cardinals from 2005-07 after his collegiate career began at Nassau Community College. He earned All-SUNYAC Honorable Mention honors as a senior and still holds Plattsburgh State records with a .630 single-season face-off winning percentage and a .581 career face-off efficiency. Cavanagh was named the team's Most Improved Player in his junior year and the teams Most Valuable Player following his senior campaign.
A Northport N.Y. native and a graduate of Kings Park High School, Cavanagh received the SUNY Plattsburgh Vision Award for Community in May 2010 after spearheading the teams involvement with the St. Baldricks Foundation, a childrens cancer research organization. With his guidance over the past five seasons, he helped raise over $38,000 for St. Baldricks through numerous events including four Cardinals Clip Cancer games.
Cavanagh, a former team captain, graduated from Plattsburgh State in May 2007 with a Bachelors Degree in Political Science and a Masters Degree in Leadership and Administration.