Kean University Men's Lacrosse

Lopes returns for his third season at the helm of the Cougars in 2027. Coach Lopes Highlights  Conference Tournament Appearances: 2025, 2026 Three All-American Selections Two Preseason All-American Selections Two All-Region Selections Seven All-Conference Selections One Scholar Athlete of the Year One Senior All-Star Game Selection Six CSC All-District Selections One Academic All-American One Class Valedictorian Lopes finished 2026 with three All-Conference selections, including the CLC Scholar Athlete of the Year in Tyler Scott. Scott, an All-Second Team selection, was named the 2026 Kean University Class Valedictorian. Aarin Arbore and Jacob Dvoor joined Scott as All-Conference selections.  Lopes made a big splash during his first season in Union, winning 14 games, finishing third in the CLC and reaching the CLC Tournament semifinals. The Cougars finished #28 in the new NPI rankings, just outside an at-large bid into the NCAA Tournament. Dylan Johnson (USILA - Third Team), Anton Updale (US Lacrosse Magazine - Hon. Mention) and Nick Thorne (US Lacrosse Magazine - Hon. Mention) were all named All-Americans. Johnson, Thorne and Updale were all named All-Conference selections by the CLC along with goalie Nick Paterno.  The Kean University athletics department has announced the hiring of Alex Lopes as the head men's lacrosse coach ahead of the 2025 season. "I cannot begin to describe how excited I am to be back at Kean", said Lopes. "I want to thank Mr. Williams and the search committee for allowing me the opportunity to lead this program". The former Kean men's lacrosse assistant (2009-12, 2021) becomes the seventh coach in program history. "I am very excited to have Alex Lopes as our new Head Men's Lacrosse Coach. As an offensive coordinator, Lopes was instrumental in leading our men's lacrosse team to a CSAC Championship and an NCAA appearance in 2021", said Director of Athletics Kelly Williams. "Coach Lopes is an unbelievable communicator, great recruiter and has outstanding leadership qualities. He has tremendous knowledge of the game and I know he will work tirelessly to bring a special environment to the lacrosse program!" Lopes comes to Union after brief head coaching stints at the Hun School and Division II Caldwell University. At Caldwell, he increased the roster size by 50%, changed the program culture and had one All-Conference selection. His other stops include NJIT (2016-20), Jacksonville University (2014-16) and Fairfield University (2012-14). Alex served as the Offensive Coordinator/Recruiting Coordinator at both NJIT and Jacksonville. Lopes was a four-year letter winner at St. Joseph's University (Pa.) while playing attack and midfield.  At the conclusion of his career he ranked among the top 10 in career assists with the Hawks. Lopes earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Management from St. Joseph's in 2009 and his Masters of Arts degree in Elementary Education from Kean in 2012. His connection to Kean runs deep as he met and married his wife at Kean. His wife (Olivia Triano) is a Kean grad and was inducted into the Kean Hall of Fame in 2019. A former math and science teacher in the Glen Ridge School District and he was inducted to Glen Ridge High School Hall of Fame in 2016. "I also want to thank Coach Sheiner, not only for building Kean Lacrosse to what it is, but for giving me my first opportunity to coach college lacrosse. The pieces are in place to compete in the CLC and the NCAA Tournament year in and year out". Head Coach Alex Lopes Career Summary Year Record Postseason 2025 14-5 CLC Tournament 2026 7-11 CLC Tournament Updated 6-29-26

Sheiner has won 146 games as head of the Cougar program. The 2013 & 2014 Cougars broke the program's all-time single season wins total in back-to-back years; in 2013 Kean won 15 games and then the team won 16 in 2014. The prior record was 14 wins, which was accomplished in three different years (1993, 2008, and 2010). Two of those seasons were under Coach Sheiners guidance. During the 2013 season, Coach Sheiner reached the 100-win mark with a 10-9 victory over Birmingham Southern College on March 15. In 2010 the Cougars captured their first ECAC championship in 15 years with an 11-7 win over in-state rival Richard Stockton in the Division III Mid-Atlantic Mens Lacrosse Championship. In 2008, the team captured the program's first-ever Skyline Conference championship with a thrilling 8-7 come-from-behind victory over arch-rival Montclair State University, advancing the Cougars to the NCAA tournament for the first time in program history.  For the past ten seasons, Sheiner's squads have posted winning records. The last time the Cougars had this much success was under the legendary Hawley Waterman. A Kean student-athlete at the time, Sheiner was a defender on the 14-win, 1993 team that won the program's last of four Knickerbocker Conference Championship titles. Coach Sheiner credits Coach Waterman as one of his coaching mentors. In fall of 2003, Sheiner was named the sixth head coach in the history of the program after serving two years as an assistant coach at Kean. Prior to that, Sheiner served as the head boy's lacrosse coach at Indian Hills High School in Oakland, N.J., from 1997-2001. During his tenure, Sheiner guided the program to back-to-back state tournament appearances (1999 & 2000) and was named the New Jersey Lacrosse Coach of the Year for the Rizk Division in 2000 when Indian Hills finished 13-5.   Sheiner began his coaching career at Ridgewood High School, where he served as an assistant boy's lacrosse coach from 1995-96, under Steve Jacobsen, one of the all-time winningest coaches in New Jersey lacrosse history and a member of the New Jersey Lacrosse Hall of Fame. Sheiner credits Jacobsen as the person who gave him his start in coaching some 18 years ago. The Israel Lacrosse Association announced that in the summer of 2014 that Sheiner was to be one of the assistant coaches for the Israeli National Team. The team won its group and finished seventh in the world out of 38 nations entered in the tournament. Skyline Player of the Year Richard Cheifitz and assistant coach Michael Grosz represented Israel as players during those games.  Sheiner has coached 32 players to All-Conference accolades and has coached four USILA All-Americans. In 2008 he was voted by his peers the Skyline Conference Coach of the Year. Sheiner graduated from Kean University in 1995 with a Bachelor of Arts in psychology and a Bachelor of Science in political science and criminal justice. He earned his master's degree in special education/initial certification from William Paterson University. Sheiner is an active member in the New Jersey chapter of US Lacrosse and a sitting member on the New Jersey Lacrosse Hall of Fame Committee. He is a special education teacher at Roy W. Brown Middle School in Bergenfield, NJ.  In his spare time he volunteers as a coach for the Fair Lawn Junior Wrestling Program. He resides in Fair Lawn with his wife Kelly and their children, Jacob and Sarah.

Cleary was a major part of the largest athletics expansion in Kean history. A member of the school's first-ever lacrosse team in the spring of 1970, he was also a charter member of the school's football program, which began play that autumn. A four-year letter winner in lacrosse, Cleary was a standout defenseman from 1970 through 1973, becoming the first Kean player to be named as a first-team All-Knickerbocker Conference honoree.  Cleary was also a three-year starter at tackle for the football team from 1970 through 1972, helping to lead the fledgling squad to a solid 4-2 record in its initial campaign in 1970.  Besides lacrosse and football, Cleary played basketball for the 1969-1970 Squires (now Cougars).  For his accomplishments his senior year, Cleary was presented with the D'Angola Award, the highest honor presented as recognition of outstanding individual performance within the team concept that contributes to the enhancement of the team, the department of athletics and Kean. Since graduating Coach Cleary has remained very active in the Kean athletic department.  He has served as an assistant lacrosse coach since 1978 and was an assistant coach on the Kean teams under the legendary Hawley Waterman that participated in the World Games in Japan 1992 and Australia 1993.  Cleary was the offensive line coach for the Kean Football team from 1981 to 1986.  He has served as a member of the Hall Of Fame selection committee after his induction into the Kean University Hall of Fame in 1985. Cleary is the retired chief of police in East Orange, N.J. and earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in history from Kean in 1973.  He is married to Tricia and is the father of Michael and Matthew.

Paul Kieltyka joins the Cougar coaching staff for his 12th overall as an assistant coach. Kieltyka was originally an assistant under Hall of Famer Hawley Waterman from 1992 to 1994. During his time on the staff, the Cougars were two-time runners up in the ECAC Tournament and won the Knickerbocker Conference Championship in 1993. Kieltyka would return to the sidelines in 1997, as he was named Head Coach. He amassed a 26-30 record over his four seasons in Union. During that time, Kean made back-to-back appearances in the ECAC tournament. A 1991 graduate of Kean, Kieltyka was a four year student-athlete under Coach Waterman. He made the ECAC tournament all four years and won the championship in 1990 and 1991. He earned his B.S in Business Administration from Kean and master degree in Athletic Administration from East Stroudsburg University in 1994.  Updated 2-11-26