Friday, January 22, 2004

PATRICK LYNCH NAMED PRESBYTERIAN COLLEGE’S
FIRST MEN’S LACROSSE COACH

Lynch will help build the first men’s lacrosse program in school history. The school announced plans to add men’s and women’s lacrosse to its athletic program beginning with the 2004-05 academic year in early November. Both teams will compete at the club level during the 2004-05 season and will become varsity sports for the 2005-06 season. The addition of the two lacrosse teams will give PC 15 total varsity teams in 10 sports.

“I am extremely thrilled that Dr. William B. “Bee” Carlton and everyone else involved in the selection process chose me to develop the Presbyterian College men’s lacrosse program,” said Lynch.  “PC provides a perfect blend of academics and athletics and atmosphere and support given to student-athletes will help thrust the Blue Hose into national recognition for lacrosse in a very short time.”

Lynch, a native of Orchard Park, New York, brings over 16 years of experience in the sport of lacrosse to Presbyterian College as a player and coach. He has coached at different levels including the collegiate, high school, and club level.

“Pat Lynch is a dynamic leader and is a coach with a passion for the game of lacrosse,” said Carlton. “His enthusiasm and energy for the game and for PC will help him recruit talented players for the men’s lacrosse team. He has a solid understanding of what it takes to start a program and understands the full landscape of lacrosse in the South Carolina and the region. He is also a gifted teacher and is a motivator who will teach our student-athletes valuable life lessons in addition to building a solid lacrosse program.

Lynch has been instrumental in the development of lacrosse in the state of South Carolina from founding the first youth lacrosse programs in the city of Columbia at local YMCAs to founding the first men’s and women’s high school lacrosse programs at Ridge View High School. In addition, he helped bring the first lacrosse camp to Columbia through the sponsorship of Shamrock Lacrosse, Inc. He is currently a member of the Board of Directors of United States Lacrosse in South Carolina which helps to develop the sport as a whole and serves as a liaison between the Board of Director of US Lacrosse and the South Carolina High School League.

Lynch currently serves as the varsity girl’s head coach at Ridge View High School, a post he has held for the last three years. In addition, he is still active as a player as a member of the Charleston Hurricane Club team. He started his career in coaching at Canisius College in Buffalo, New York  as an assistant coach with the men’s lacrosse program from 1990-91.

“The Clinton community is very passionate about PC,” said Lynch. “Lacrosse players are very passionate about the game.  This will provide for a perfect combination as the community comes to learn and love lacrosse. I feel PC will be a place where lacrosse players will thrive academically and athletically in such a way that lacrosse will make its mark very quickly within the ranks of not only NCAA Division II, but the whole collegiate lacrosse community.”

He began playing lacrosse at the collegiate level in 1986 as a member of the Canton Tech Junior College in Canton, New York. He played for two seasons and scored 99 goals while being named to the NJCAA All-Region team in 1988. After spending one season at Potsdam College in Potsdam, New York in 1988, Lynch transferred to Canisius College from 1989-1990. He started at attack for the Golden Griffins and became the only player in program history to score 50+ goals in their career and holds the single-season mark for goals scored in a single-season. He finished his senior year ranked 13th in the country in points per game average.

Lynch graduated from the University of South Carolina with a bachelors of arts degree in history with a congnate in government/international relations. He later received his masters of arts degree from USC in teaching-secondary education with emphasis in social studies.

Lynch is married to the former Sharyn Buckland from Columbia, South Carolina. The couple have two children, Conan Buckland (3), and Shelby Jacqueline (1).

 “We are thrilled to have Pat and his family as members of our staff, the PC campus and the Clinton community,” Carlton said.

Return to main page