Berry College Men's Lacrosse

Gilbert is in his third year at Berry College entering the 2016 season. He was hired as the Vikings' head men's lacrosse coach in September, 2013. In the 2015 season, Gilbert improved his overall record to 23-7, losing only one game in the Southern Athletic Association. Gilbert led his team to a second place finish in the SAA Championships, garnering seven All-SAA honors in the process, including the Offensive Player of the Year title awarded to Cory Hall. Hall and Jack Chase also earned post-season recognition as All-American Scholars from the United States Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association for their success both in the classroom and on the field, and Hall was invited to join the 63 other best senior lacrosse players in the country at the annual USILA North/South All-Star Game. In his first year at BC, he led the Vikings to an 11-4 record. The Vikings were 5-2 in the SAA and had nine student-athletes earn All-SAA honors. Gilbert arrived from New England College in Henniker, N.H. In 2013, he led the Pilgrims to a record of 10-7 and a runner-up finish in the North Atlantic Conference. In 2012, he led NEC to a berth into the NCAA DIII Men's Lacrosse Tournament after winning the program's first North Atlantic Conference (NAC) Championship. In the two years that NEC was in the NAC, Gilbert has produced 10 First team and six second team all-conference players, as well as four All-Academic student-athlete selections. Over his seven seasons at NEC Gilbert has an overall coaching record of 59-49--and a conference record of 37-19. During the 2011 season, Gilbert led the Pilgrims to an impressive 13-6 overall record, including a 9-0 record at home, and an appearance in The Commonwealth Coast Conference (TCCC) Semifinals. In 2010, the Pilgrims boasted an overall record of 10-9 and an appearance in the TCCC Championship game for the first time since 2002. In 2009, the Pilgrims earned a trip to the ECAC New England Championship game. Gilbert's teams played in four conference championship games in the past six years at New England College, a program which produced two All-Americans in the last 3 years--the first in NEC's history. Coach Gilbert has placed ten players on the TCCC All-Conference team, and four of his athletes have been named ECAC New England All-Stars. In addition, Gilbert has coached and developed the TCCC Senior Scholar-Athlete of the Year, Matt Vozzolo, and TCCC Offensive Player of the Year, John Gabriel. Vozzolo earned USILA Scholar All-American accolades and was chosen to play in the USILA North-South game. Gabriel was named a USILA All-American. Most recently, Gilbert coached and developed the 2013 national leading goal scorer, Brian Gillis, who was also selected as both a USILA Scholar All-American, All-American, and played in the North-South game. Prior to New England College, Gilbert was an assistant lacrosse coach at Denison University in Granville, Ohio. While at Denison, Gilbert helped lead the Big Red to an impressive 20 wins, two NCAC Championships and two NCAA Tournament appearances. Before Denison, Gilbert had stints as an assistant lacrosse coach at Washington College and Whittier College. Over two seasons at Washington College Gilbert led the Shoremen to a record of 28-8, a school-record 15-game winning streak, and an NCAA Semifinal appearance. At Whittier, he helped the Poets to a record of 21-3 and two national tournament appearances--including one NCAA quarterfinal and a semifinal appearance. Gilbert is a graduate of Washington College, where he was a four-year member of the men's lacrosse team. While at WC, Gilbert was a member of the 1998 NCAA Division III championship team and garnered all-conference accolades. In addition to coaching lacrosse, Gilbert serves on various committees including the USILA Top 20 poll and All-American Committee. He graduated with a master's degree in management and strategic leadership from NEC. "With my experiences as a student-athlete, an assistant coach and a head coach in the NCAA Division III and the liberal arts setting, I couldn't be more excited," said Gilbert. "I look forward to leading the first graduating men's lacrosse class at Berry College into unchartered territory."

Peterson was hired as an assistant men's lacrosse coach at Berry College in August 2014. He joined Head Coach Curtis Gilbert's staff from Centre College, also a member of the Southern Athletic Association. Peterson coached at Centre since its inaugural 2010 season. He was part of a dramatic turnaround that saw the Colonels reach consecutive NCAA Tournaments and win a Southern Athletic Association regular season championship and SAA Tournament championship in the team's first four seasons of play. By just their second year of competition in 2012, the Colonels posted a 12-4 overall record with a 7-2 record and second place finish in the Southern Collegiate Athletic Association. One of the highest scoring offenses in the country, Centre ranked third nationally with 15.38 goals per game, finished fourth in assists at 9.56 per game and had three individuals ranked in the top 10 nationally in offensive categories. In four seasons at Centre, Peterson has coached 26 all-conference selections with attacker Zack Connors earning SCAC Offensive Player of the Year honors in 2012. In 2013, Peterson helped lead the Colonels to their first NCAA Tournament appearance in just the third season in program history. Centre finished the season with an 11-4 overall record and tied for the SAA regular season title with a 6-1 record in conference play. The 2014 season saw the Colonels make a return trip to the NCAA Tournament while also claiming their first SAA Tournament title. Centre also set school records for wins in a season with 13 and consecutive wins with 11. Peterson has a wealth of experience in lacrosse and came to Centre College after coaching at Louisville Collegiate High School in Louisville, Ky. Before college, the Green Bay, Wis. native played at Mariemont High School in Cincinnati, Ohio. While at Mariemont, Peterson accumulated many lacrosse accolades, including all-state honors three of the four years he played. He was a two-time Position Player of the Year, two-time First Team All-State selection and a U.S. Lacrosse All-American. He led Mariemont to its first state title appearance in 2003. Peterson's lacrosse playing career took him to two NCAA Division I programs. He started at Canisius College and completed his playing career at Bellarmine University, earning varsity letters each season. After his lacrosse playing career was completed, he moved to the broadcast booth where he received the Bellarmine Media Award for Broadcasting for his work announcing the sporting events on campus. Post playing career, Peterson became an assistant on the varsity men's lacrosse team at Louisville Collegiate School in Louisville, Ky., that went to the state's final four in 2010 and was the runner-up for the state title in 2009.

Byers returns for his sixth year as an assistant coach for the Berry College Vikings in 20116-17. Coach Byers was with the Berry College program during its initial seasons and has helped take a young start-up program into one that has played in the Conference Championship in two of its last four years. Byers has spent time with both coaching staffs and continues to strengthen the foundation of the program, while also taking it to new heights. Recently Byers took a team composed largely of Berry College student-athletes on a trip to the European Alps where they competed in friendly contests with the Austrian National team, Slovakian National team and a Munich men's team. Prior to arriving at Berry, Byers established a nationally recognized MCLA program at Kennesaw State University. His six year KSU career record is 61-28. Coach Byers was selected as the SELC Coach of the Year in 2009 and 2011. His 2010 KSU squad was awarded the James "Ace" Adams award for sportsmanship. Before his tenure at KSU, Ken started the program at Etowah High School. Etowah compiled a record of 45-22 and became an elite team in the North Georgia Lacrosse League. He also was an assistant coach at Roswell HS from 1999-2001, earning a public high school championship in 1999. From 1982-2002 he was a player/coach for the Atlanta Lacrosse Club. He produced an overall team record of 307 wins and 104 losses. Coach Byers played for national junior college powerhouse Suffolk Community College on Long Island. He completed his collegiate career as a defenseman at Kutztown State in Pennsylvania. Byers plays competitive lacrosse in national tournaments at the grand masters level. Coach Byers is a member of the Positive Coaching Alliance and is a certified lacrosse official. On January 28, 2007, he was inducted into the Georgia Lacrosse Hall of Fame for his outstanding accomplishments to the sport of lacrosse in the state of Georgia. In addition to lacrosse, Byers served more than 31 years as a member of the Atlanta Fire Rescue Department. He retired as an assistant chief and shift commander. Byers and his wife, Kelly, have two children: Jennifer and Bryan.