On Monday, it was announced that Lars Tiffany would not be extended as the Virginia men’s lacrosse head coach. Tiffany won two National Championships during his ten seasons in Charlottesville. He departs after an up-and-down season that saw the Hoos start 3-4, then go 7-2 down the stretch, which included an ACC Tournament title before a disappointing loss to Georgetown in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament. The press release put out by the University announced that a national search will begin immediately. That said, here are our top six candidates:
Kevin Cassese, UVA Associate HC
Cassese arrived in Charlottesville after the 2023 season as the associate head coach and offensive coordinator. In his first year, he helped lead the Hoos to Championship weekend. This past season, Cassese orchestrated the offensive resurgence that saw the Hoos finish with the No. 6 scoring offense in the nation. He also oversaw the Hoos’ net 31 goals in a dominant offensive showing during the ACC Tournament. If athletic director Carla Williams looks to hire from within, then Cassese is the prime candidate. Prior to UVa, Cassese served as the head coach of Lehigh from 2008 to 2023, helping the Mountain Hawks to three Patriot League titles and 136 wins.
Sean Kirwan, Dartmouth HC
Before Cassese, Sean Kirwan was the offensive mastermind in Charlottesville, helping the Cavaliers to two National Championships. During his tenure, the Virginia offense ranked top three nationally in goals per game on four occasions. In 2023, the Hoos were the top-scoring offense nationally, averaging 17.24 goals per game. After that season, Kirwan took the Dartmouth head coaching job and has spent the last three seasons in Hanover, New Hampshire. At Dartmouth, it has been an uphill battle for Kirwan, considering that historically the Big Green have been at the bottom of the Ivy League. Despite this, he led Dartmouth to an 8-5 record in 2025. Kirwan is more than capable of leading the Virginia lacrosse program to National Championships and is deserving of taking a top job in college lacrosse.
Dan Chemotti, Richmond HC
The head coach of the Richmond Spiders, Dan Chemotti, has made his presence known in college lacrosse over the last two seasons. Last year, Chemotti led the Spiders to their first-ever NCAA Tournament win with a 13-10 road victory over North Carolina. A year later, Richmond posted a 14-2 record with wins over Virginia, Cornell, and Georgetown in the regular season in addition to an A10 Tournament title before falling to Duke in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament. Chemotti has turned Richmond into a contender and, with even more resources at his disposal in Charlottesville, has the potential to produce something special.
Mikey Thompson, CNU HC
A lesser-known name, Mikey Thompson, served as a player and assistant coach at Virginia from 2006 to 2011. In his one coaching season, Thompson helped the Hoos to a National Championship, helping him land a job as an assistant coach at Christopher Newport University, a Division III program located in Newport News, Virginia. In 2016, Thompson was elevated to head coach and has since led the Captains to two Final Fours and five NCAA Tournament appearances. Thompson has also earned the Virginia State Coach of the Year six times. Although Thompson is a less surefire hire due to the leap required from DIII to a program like Virginia being a tall task, his leadership and resume at CNU keep him in this discussion.
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Andy Shay, Yale HC
A less likely but enticing option is the head coach of Yale, Andy Shay. During his time in New Haven, Shay has led the Bulldogs to one National Championship (2018), five Ivy League Tournament Titles, and ten NCAA Tournament appearances. This past season, the Yale offense was the No. 1 man-up unit in the nation, scoring 59.3% of the time. Shay is an offensive wizard and would do well orchestrating an offense with the firepower that is present in Charlottesville. As for the caveat, Shay has been at Yale since 2004, making it unlikely he would depart.
Jeff Tambroni, Penn State HC
A similar candidate to Shay, Tambroni has coached at Penn State for 16 seasons. During that time, Tambroni has helped the Nittany Lions to three Final Fours and two Big 10 Tournament titles. This past season, the Lions won the Big 10 Tournament and advanced to the quarterfinals of the NCAA Tournament before falling to No. 1 Princeton. Penn State has also led the Big 10 in ground balls per game each of the last two seasons as Tambroni embraces a scrappy coaching style that would fit well in Charlottesville. Virginia could be the path for Tambroni to finally reach the top of the mountain.
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Importantly, all of these candidates fit the criteria and character of a Virginia lacrosse coach. Each one balances a strong resume on the field while receiving praise for their leadership and culture in their locker rooms.
This article was originally published on www.si.com/college/virginia as Virginia Lacrosse Coaching Candidates: Top Replacements for Lars Tiffany.
