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Webber Men: Webber adds Ryan McAleavey to Men’s Lacrosse Staff

Written by Lee Roggenburg on . Posted in , .
  via Webber press release   BABSON PARK, Fla. (November 6, 2020) – It was announced today that former Florida Tech Head Coach Ryan McAleavey has accepted an assistant coaching position with the Webber International University men’s lacrosse program. “We are very excited to add Coach McAleavey to the staff”, commented Burdick about his recent hire. “Ryan has a great offensive mind for the game, is a proven leader and loves to compete. Coach McAleavey will be very helpful in working with our offensive personnel from recruitment to skill development as well as working on that side of the ball as our Offensive Coordinator.” Ryan McAleavey served eight seasons as the head coach of the men’s lacrosse program at Florida Tech until a family emergency led him to coach his last season in 2018-19. “Coach Mac” has since moved back to Florida and reconnected with Coach Burdick, who recruited him to come on staff for Webber’s inaugural season in 2021. McAleavey was named the Florida Tech’s first men’s lacrosse head coach on Friday, August 13, 2010, and the inaugural game took place on February 14, 2012, versus Saint Leo University. McAleavey finished with a career record of 46-53 at Florida Tech, was named the 2013 Deep South Conference Coach of the Year, and guided the Panthers to three SSC Tournament appearances. Additionally, he coached three All-Americans and had 15 first-team all-conference players, 12 second-team all-conference players, three all-conference honorable mention players and nine all-freshman team players during his time in Melbourne, Florida. During McAleavey’s last season at Florida Tech in 2018, the Panthers went 9-6 overall and 6-1 in SSC play while ranking as high as No. 9 in the nation in the Nike/US Lacrosse Poll and No. 13 in the USILA Coaches Poll. Florida Tech rattled off a school-record eight straight wins over the final nine games of the regular season and took down No. 5 Tampa and No. 10 Mount Olive in consecutive one-goal victories during the streak and jumped out to a 6-0 mark in the league play, becoming the first team in SSC men’s lacrosse history to reach six conference wins. The Panthers made their third appearance in the SSC Tournament but fell to Tampa in the semifinals. Logan Sweeney became the third player in program history to be tabbed an All-American, earning USILA All-American Honorable Mention honors. In 2017, McAleavey led Florida Tech to an 8-7 overall record and a 3-2 mark in the SSC as the Panthers won six of their final eight regular season games and earned their second ever appearance in the SSC Men’s Lacrosse Tournament. Florida Tech picked up its first-ever victory over a top-5 program, taking down Seton Hill 5-3. Florida Tech defeated Lynn 13-6 in the semifinals to reach their second league championship game in three seasons, where the Panthers fell to Tampa 12-8. Addison Abramson and Grant Hughes became the first student-athletes in program history to be named All-Americans. Abramson was a USILA/Nike Third Team All-American while Hughes earned honorable mention honors. Hughes then became the first Panther to be selected in the MLL Draft, taken in the 10th round with the 82nd pick by the Florida Launch. Before his time at Florida Tech, McAleavey served as the boy’s head coach at Red Bank Regional High School in New Jersey, where he guided the Bucs to a top-four finish in their division after being picked to place last in the preseason poll. Prior to working with the Bucs, McAleavey roamed the sidelines at St. John Vianney High School in Holmdel, New Jersey. After inheriting a team that was unable to tally a win the season prior to his arrival, he built a respectable squad, leading them to five victories on the playing field. McAleavey served as the associate head coach/offensive coordinator at Suffolk Community College before moving on to Vianney High School. At Suffolk, he had the opportunity to coach a consistent top-five National Junior College Athletic Association lacrosse program. Two of his teams were region runner-ups and his 2006 club not only won its region, but advanced to the NJCAA National Championship. The Brentwood, New York, native has experience in developing a program from his time at Notre Dame Catholic High School in Fairfield, Connecticut. As the institution’s first head lacrosse coach, he was responsible for all aspects of starting the program, and in each of his three years at Notre Dame Catholic, his teams consistently improved. By year three, the squad fielded 30-35 varsity players and it qualified for the high school’s Division II playoffs. Before he embarked on his coaching career, McAleavey was a standout attackman at Dowling College, pacing the team in goals all four years. Following a junior campaign where he scored 60 goals and dished out 15 assists, he garnered United States Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association (USILA) Division II All-America Honorable Mention honors. Although his collegiate career concluded in 1999, McAleavey still holds school records for goals and points in a single-season and career. Author’s Note:  “Although his collegiate career concluded in 1999, McAleavey still holds school records for goals and points in a single-season and career.” . . . we can change that to permanent! Following his collegiate career, McAleavey inked a free agent contract with the New Jersey Pride. Shortly after signing, he was asked to join the coaching staff as an assistant. With one season of coaching experience under his belt, he still had a strong desire to play. In 2004, he was selected by the Pride in the ninth round of the 2004 Major League Lacrosse Supplemental Draft.  Even though his career was cut short due to injury, he remained on the team as an assistant coach. McAleavey received a Bachelor of Arts degree in professional and liberal studies from Dowling College in 1999. Before earning a master’s degree in special education and general education at Touro College, he occupied the graduate assistant men’s lacrosse position at Dowling.  

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