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July 12, 2007
JUSTIN AXEL TABBED AS MEN’S LACROSSE COACH
Former Salisbury U. assistant hired as program’s first fulltime head coach
WILLIMANTIC, Conn. -- Justin Axel has been hired as the first fulltime head men’s lacrosse coach in the 12-year history of the program and will officially begin his duties Aug. 27.
Axel becomes the fourth head coach in program history – third in five years. He replaces Nicholas Smith, who directed the Warriors to two post-season tournament berths and compiled a three-year record of 30-21.
The collegiate head coaching assignment is the first for Axel, who spent the last six seasons as a parttime assistant coach at Salisbury University, where he served on the staff of head coach Jim Berkman with the nation’s premier Division III lacrosse program. With Axel on the staff, the Sea Gulls compiled an overall record of 115-7 (94.3 per cent) and won four national championships (three straight) and placed second once.
“Eastern has a strong sense of pride and tradition, and with the great facilities and strong academic reputation, I believe that we can establish the program as one of the top echelon Division III programs in the country,” noted Axel, a native of Columbia, MD.
This past spring’s Salisbury team was ranked No. 1 in Division III from start to finish and completed a 23-0 season by downing Cortland State College in a re-match of the 2006 national championship game.
In addition to coordinating Salisbury’s strength and conditioning program, Axel filled the role as Berkman’s chief recruiter. Last year, he attracted eight high school All-Americas to the Salisbury campus.
In three years under Smith, the Warriors were 20-4 in the Little East Conference, 16-2 in the regular season and 4-2 in the conference playoffs. The Warriors won the 2006 conference regular-season and post-season tournament titles and participated in their fifth NCAA tourmament in six years. Last spring, Eastern was 8-9 and placed second in the conference regular season and playoffs. The Warriors missed their first post-season tournament since 1998.
Eastern’s men’s lacrosse program joined the intercollegiate ranks in 1996 under head coach Rick McCarthy. McCarthy coached the program to its first four post-season tournament berths, compiling a seven-year record of 91-19. Jon Basti was 22-10 as head coach during the 2003 and 2004 seasons, directing the program to NCAA berths each season.
In 12 seasons of intercollegiate lacrosse, the program has played 193 matches, winning 143 and losing 50 (74.1 per cent). The Warriors have won nine Little East Conference or Pilgrim League regular-season titles and eight conference playoff titles. They are 65-3 in conference regular-season play and 19-3 in conference playoff competition and have won 77 of 82 matches at Thomas Nevers Field.
Axel, who will also be assigned administrative duties within the department, holds a B.S. Degree in Exercise Science (2003) from Salisbury and an M.A. in Teaching (2005) from Salisbury.
