Bryant University Men's Lacrosse

Bio Brad Ross begins his third season as the head coach of the Bryant University men's lacrosse program in 2025.  2024 would see Ross coach the Bulldogs to a 9-5 overall record; earning key victories over No.15 Boston University and eventual America East Champion UAlbany. Bryant would also defeat Providence and Brown to win their seventh Ocean State Cup. Six of Ross’ players would earn All-America East Honors in 2024. Nathan Laliberte, Johnny Hackett, and Drew Lucas would earn first team nods, Kevin Groeninger and Aidan Goltz would make the second team, and Dawson Rielly would be named to the All-Rookie Team. Laliberte would also be named conference faceoff specialist of the year. Ross had a triumphant return to the Bryant sideline in 2023, earning NEILA Coach of the Year honors after leading the Bulldogs to a 12-5 record, an America East Championship and an NCAA Tournament appearance. Coach Ross' return also saw Bryant emerge as one of the top offensive units in the country. Bryant set single-season records for goals and goals per game, finishing 13th nationally with over 14 goals per game. The Bulldogs featured five players with 40+ points, including the program's first-ever 30-30 player in Kevin Groeninger and Aidan Goltz's single-season record 45 goals. Bryant also featured two of the nations' top freshmen in America East Rookie of the Year Johnny Hackett and Jack Lonsinger.  Ross took over as the third head coach in program history following the retirement of Mike Pressler. An associate head coach at Bryant for four years (2011-2014), Ross returned to the Black and Gold after spending the last three years at Navy. Coach Ross was a three-time All-American at Duke University, graduating with 73 career wins, an NCAA record at the time, and playing in four NCAA Final Fours. On the sidelines, Ross has emerged as one of the premier recruiters and one of the top offensive minds in lacrosse. In his role as an assistant coach at Navy, the Mids produced four top-20 recruiting classes in the four years he was on staff. As the associate head coach and recruiting coordinator at Ohio State, the Buckeyes' 2017 and 2019 recruiting classes were ranked No. 4 nationally. Those two classes included nine "top 100" players according to Inside Lacrosse.  Coach Ross' time at Bryant was one of the most successful four-year runs in program history. The Black and Gold won three Northeast Conference Championships and advanced to two NCAA Tournaments. That run included the 2014 season that produced one of the best teams in program history. Bryant went 16-5, won the NEC Tournament title and defeated Syracuse in the Carrier Dome to advance to the NCAA Quarterfinals.    Ross was part of a staff that developed eight players into eventual Major League Lacrosse draft picks, while also coaching 13 all-conference athletes and two All-Americans. Bryant won 46 games during Ross' tenure and ranked as high as No. 11 nationally.  Ross left Bryant following the 2014 season and spent the next five years at Ohio State. He was the offensive coordinator and recruiting coordinator and was promoted to associate head coach in 2016.  During his time at Ohio State, Ross was named the 2017 IMLCA Assistant Coach of the Year and helped the Buckeyes reach the program's first Final Four and NCAA National Championship Game. The Buckeyes produced seven top-5 wins, six top-10 wins and eight top-20 wins. Ross coached six All-B1G offensive selections, including Jesse King (2015) who recorded the most points by an OSU player since 1979. In 2017, Ohio State averaged 11.33 goals per game and scored 12 or more goals on 11 occasions. The Buckeyes also had an offense that generated nearly 34 shots per game and converted 49.2 percent of its man-up chances. With Ross leading the offense in 2018, the Buckeyes finished the regular season ranked 29th nationally in scoring offense and 21st in shooting percentage. The Buckeyes scored 10 or more goals in nine of 12 games and three players had 30 or more points on the season. In 2019, the Buckeyes averaged 11.75 goals per game and stood 29th nationally, while their 30.5 shooting percentage was 19th best in the country. Anchoring the offense was Tre Leclaire who was ninth nationally in goals per game (3.09), while Jack Myers was 29th in assists per game (1.82). In 2015, Ross' first year at Ohio State, the Buckeyes reached the NCAA Quarterfinals after a win over two-time defending NCAA Champion Duke in the opening round. The Buckeyes averaged 10.0 goals a game on the year and scored nine or more goals in eight of the last nine games. Senior Jesse King had 77 points, the most for a Buckeye since 1979, en route to earning Third-Team All-America honors, while King and Carter Brown were both named First-Team All-Big Ten. The Buckeyes scored 9.4 goals a game in 2016, tallying double digits in six games, including three of the last four. While at Navy, Ross helped the Mids rank as high as No. 20 in the nation in 2021 and produce some of the top offensive numbers in Navy history. In his first season, the Mids finished No. 40 in the nation and No. 4 in the Patriot League in scoring offense, averaging 11.80 goals per game. It marked the first time since 2007 (11.00) that a Navy team would close out the year averaging double digits. The Mids' 20.00 points per game stood 28th nationally and marked the best average since 1978 when Navy averaged 23.07 points per game. Navy's 8.20 assists per game stood 20th nationally and was the best average since 1978 when it averaged 8.77 per contest. Once again, the Mids' extra-man offense was among the best in the country in 2021. Navy was ranked 10th, scoring on 13 of its 30 opportunities for a 43.3 conversion rate. As a team, the Mids shot 30.4 percent, targeting 97 goals on 319 shots. It's the first time Navy has finished inside of the top 20 in shooting percentage since 2012 when the Mids finished 13th with their 31.1 shooting efficiency (109G, 351 Sh). Though their goal production was roughly one goal less than in the shortened 2020 campaign, the Mids finished the 2021 season 35th in scoring offense - their best finish since 2016 (33rd, 9.88GPG). Ross started his coaching career at Brown University in 2010, helping the Bears win a share of the Ivy League Championship.  Ross was a two-time captain (2008, '09) and three-year starter at midfield for Duke. During his five-year career with Duke, he was a part of three ACC titles (2007, '08, '09) and the squad reached the NCAA Semifinals four times, including a berth in the National Championship game twice. Ross produced 102 points for the Blue Devils (76g, 26a) and was a three-time All-American. Ross played professionally for four years before retiring because of medical issues prior to the 2013 season. He was a member of two Major League Lacrosse championship teams, winning the title with Toronto in 2009 in his first year as a pro and with Boston in 2011. Ross, who saw action in 40 regular-season MLL games in his career, scoring 46 goals and 70 points, was selected for the 2011 MLL All-Star Game. He was a second-round choice of Toronto in the 2009 MLL Draft. A two-time USILA Scholar All-American, Senior CLASS Award first-team honoree and ACC All-Academic Team selection, Ross graduated from Duke with a bachelor's degree in sociology in 2008. Using his final year of eligibility to work toward a graduate degree, he earned a master's degree in humanities with a concentration in ethics from his alma mater in 2009. Ross and his wife, Nicole, have two daughters, Bodie and Dempsey, and a son, Cade. Bryant University is a top national leader for return on higher education investment (ROI), according to the newly released Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce (CEW) scorecard. Bryant ranks in the top 1% (No. 46) nationally of the  4,500 schools included in the study and among the top 5% (No. 10) of colleges and universities in New England. "The new national ranking represents Bryant's steep ascent from No. 76 in 2019 to No. 46 in 2022, a jump of 30 positions. Bryant is No.1 on the list of Rhode Island schools. Bryant also features some of the top athletic facilities in college lacrosse with the David '85 and Terry Beirne Stadium Complex, the Bulldog Strength and Conditioning Center, and the Conaty Indoor Athletic Center.    What they're saying about Coach Ross Mike Pressler - Retired Bryant Men's Lacrosse Coach "I could not be more thrilled, more overjoyed, more excited with the announcement of Brad Ross being named the new head men's lacrosse coach at Bryant University. I had the privilege to recruit and coach Brad at Duke University. As a player, nobody was tougher, more physical, more competitive and more determined than Brad Ross. In those categories, I would have him in my top-5 all-time. As a coach, he is an incredible teacher of the fundamentals and very innovative. He is an outstanding communicator and relationship builder. His diverse experience as an offensive coordinator at four very different institutions will serve him well moving forward now as a head coach. Coach Ross is a tireless recruiter and has a very keen eye for talent. Bryant University and Bryant Lacrosse just got better today. Congratulations to coach Ross, his wonderful wife Nicole and their three beautiful children. Can't wait for them to call Smithfield home. The future of Bulldog lacrosse as it enters the America East Conference next spring is in great hands. Cheers to coach Ross and Nicole. My wife Sue and I could not be happier for them and the players too. Go Dawgs!" Joe Amplo - Head Coach at Navy "I am excited for Brad, Nicole and their three beautiful children. The Ross family will wrap their arms around the Bryant Lacrosse program, and Brad will lead them to great heights. His success at every stop of his career is remarkable and he leaves Navy in a better place than he found it with his sights set on success at Bryant."

Compitello enters his third season at Bryant in 2016-17. Compitello joined the Bulldogs as an assistant coach and offensive coordinator and has also be responsible for the programs extra-man unit and goalies. His work with with the netminders has not gone unnoticed, as Bryant allowed just 8.53 goals per game in 2016 thanks to the program's all-time leader in saves, Gunnar Waldt.  Tom Compitello enters his third season at Bryant in 2016-17. Compitello joined the Bulldogs as an assistant coach and offensive coordinator and has also be responsible for the programs extra-man unit and goalies. His work with with the netminders has not gone unnoticed, as Bryant allowed just 8.53 goals per game in 2016 thanks to the program's all-time leader in saves, Gunnar Waldt.  Speaking for our entire program, we are absolutely thrilled with the hire of Tom Compitello as our assistant mens lacrosse coach, said Pressler. He is a tireless recruiter who brings three different Division I experiences to the table, first at Stony Brook as a great player and then coaching on the sidelines at Lehigh and Sacred Heart. Compitello arrives in Smithfield after having spent last season as the first assistant at Northeast Conference rival Sacred Heart University in Fairfield, Conn. There, he acted as extra-man and offensive coordinator and was responsible for all offensive personnel and game planning decisions. He designed the offenses off-season training program and was responsible for film exchange and breakdown, while also acting as the recruiting coordinator for the Pioneers. Under Compitellos guidance, Sacred Heart finished third in the league in goals per game in 2014 (10.13) and tied the Bulldogs for the most assists per game at 6.20 each time out. The Pioneers were second only to Bryant in points per game (16.33) last season while clinching the three-seed in the 2014 NEC Tournament and finishing the year with a 4-2 record in league play (6-9 overall). The Pioneers saw four named All-NEC selections in 2014, including First Team nods for attack Cody Marquis and midfielder Alex Miller under the tutelage of Compitello. It is so important for us to continue the momentum from the 2014 season," said Pressler, and I believe the hire of Coach Comp will keep the Bryant Bulldogs heading in the right direction. I am really excited about the opportunity to join the Bryant coaching staff and become a part of this program, said Compitello. The Bulldogs came off a great season last year, so I am ready to step in and continue that success. Prior to arriving at Sacred Heart, Compitello spent two seasons as a volunteer assistant at Patriot League powerhouse Lehigh University, where he acted as assistant offensive coordinator for the two-time league champs. He also assisted with the man-up unit and film breakdown while being involved in all game planning. The Mountain Hawks led the nation in extra-man opportunities in 2012, converting at a 54.2 percent clip, and the 2013 edition would run through the Patriot League to reach its second-straight NCAA tournament. Compitello has also spent years in the club and youth coaching ranks, currently working with Dynamic Lacrosse Training since 2010. Compitello entered the coaching realm after a successful playing career at Stony Brook University from 2007-2011. Team captain as a senior, he helped lead the Seawolves to an America East Championship in 2010, winning USILA All-America honors as a junior. A 2010 and 2011 first team all-conference pick, Compitello also excelled in the classroom, earning his Bachelor of Science in Athletic Training in June 2011 and being named an Academic All-American in the same year. Compitello totaled 146 career points with the Seawolves, tallying 68 points and 78 assists in four seasons with 78 career ground balls. He was drafted 28th overall (fifth round) by the Boston Cannons in the 2011 Major League Lacrosse draft.

Patrick Groschan begins his first season with the Black and Gold this fall after spending the past three years as an assistant coach at Kenyon College. While with the Owls, he served as both the Defensive Coordinator and Recruiting Coordinator, helping guide the program to multiple strong seasons at the Division III level. Prior to joining the Owls, Groschan was an assistant men’s lacrosse coach at Centre College, an NCAA DIII institution in Danville, Kentucky, from 2021-22. Groschan’s primary duties with the Colonels included coaching the defense, working with the goalies, and recruiting-student athletes. The team finished with a 9-6 mark and was 6-0 in the Southern Athletic Association contests.   Groschan was the head boy’s lacrosse coach at Bishop McDevitt High School in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania from 2019-21. He came to Bishop McDevitt after a two-year stint as the North Regional and Goalie Director for True Lacrosse Minnesota. Groschan served as an assistant coach at North Central University, an NCAA DIII institution in Minneapolis, Minnesota, from 2017-18. His first coaching stint was at his prep alma mater, Calvert Hall College High School, in Towson, Maryland, from 2015-17.   Originally from the Baltimore area, Groschan played at Eastern University in Philadelphia after a successful prep career at Calvert Hall. While at Eastern, Groschan garnered First Team All-Conference honors from the Middle Atlantic Conference in 2014 as the starting goalie, helping the Eagles claim the MAC title and secure a spot in the NCAA Tournament. He was part of three MAC championship teams during his Eastern career.   Groschan graduated from Eastern in 2014 with a bachelor’s degree in marketing and management.

Bio Zach Goodrich begins his second season as an assistant coach with the Bulldogs in 2024-25. Goodrich served as the Head Coach for the Naval Academy Preparatory School's lacrosse program forom 2018-2023. Prior to coaching, Goodrich played collegiate lacrosse at Towson University where he earned the 2019 Don MacLaughlin Award which is the award given to the NCAA's most outstanding midfielder. He also was named CAA Defensive Player of the Year, 3x All-American, and Towson's first 3x captain in school history. Following college, Goodrich would compete professionally in the MLL for the Boston Cannons where he would earn Defensive Player of the Year in 2020 along with Short Stick Defensive player of the year and an All-Star nomination. Goodrich would remain with the team following their transition to the PLL in 2021 and has been a Top-50 Player and All-Star. Goodrich also recently won a gold medal with Team USA in the men's lacrosse world championship in July of 2023.

Connor McMahon begins his first season as an assistant coach with the Bulldogs in 2024-25.. McMahon joins the Bulldogs coaching staff following a year as an assistant with Fairfield Men's Lacrosse Prior to coaching, McMahon played for the Black and Gold during his graduate season in 2023. In 17 games he would finish with career highs in goals (16), assists (11) and points (27) and help Bryant win the America East Conference Championship. Before his time in Smithfield, the Bloomsbury, New Jersey native played for four years at Mount St. Mary's. In 52 career games played for the Mountaineers, he totaled 39 points with 29 goals and 10 assists.