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RJ Rossi Tabbed Head Coach of Rollins Men’s Lacrosse

Written by Lee Roggenburg on . Posted in , , , .

WINTER PARK, Fla. (April 26, 2011) – Rollins Director of Athletics Pennie Parker announced Tuesday that interim head coach RJ Rossi has accepted the position of full-time head coach of the Rollins men’s lacrosse team.

“We are thrilled that coach Rossi has accepted the position as head coach,” said Parker. “I was very impressed with how he ran the program this past season, and know that he will be a great fit for the program. I am confident he will help the program advance to new levels of success, and we are excited to see what the future has in store for the men’s lacrosse program.”

Rossi first joined the men’s lacrosse staff in 2010 as the program’s first full-time assistant coach, taking on the role of defensive coordinator. Upon the resignation of inaugural head coach Andrew Baxter in December of 2010, Rossi stepped in as interim head coach and guided the Tars through a season that saw the program win their first-ever road contests.

“I would like to thank Athletic Director Pennie Parker for this amazing opportunity, and am looking forward to the challenge of building a top-notch program,” said Rossi. “I am excited about the potential this program possesses. The 2011 season, despite the overall record, was instrumental to building a solid foundation for the upcoming years. The men worked hard, changed the team’s overall dynamic, and created a new sense of pride that will have an instant impact on next year’s squad. I am grateful to be a part of this changing culture here at Rollins, and can’t wait to see what 2012 has in store for the program”

Coach Rossi joined the Rollins staff with over 25 years of experience as a player and coach and has already made enormous strides, coaching the Tars first ever First Team Deep South Conference selection in 2010, and securing top-notch recruiting classes in his short time with the program.

Before coming to Rollins, Rossi spent four years at Western Connecticut State University as a Defensive Coordinator for two seasons before being promoted to Assistant Coach with defensive responsibilities.

Rossi began his stint at Western Connecticut after four seasons as the varsity coach at nearby Ridgefield High School in Connecticut, where he built a solid foundation for the growing program. In 2006, he was named Class “M” Coach of the Year as well as Danbury News Times All-Area Boys Lacrosse Coach of the Year.

“I have a four-year plan that is already in the initial stages, and am excited about the incoming talent that we are bringing in for next season,” Rossi added. “The next few years of Rollins men’s lacrosse will be vital to the program’s development, and we are already off to an amazing start. The incoming group I have recruited for the 2012 season is the biggest in terms of not only quantity but talent, as well, and they hail from various nationally-ranked programs both on the high school and collegiate levels. The future looks very bright for the Rollins men’s lacrosse program, and I am honored to be a part of this changing dynamic for years to come.”

Fans can stay up to date on the latest news, updates, and information on the men’s lacrosse team’s quest to success by visiting the Tars’ home on the web at RollinsSports.com.

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