Swarthmore College Men's Lacrosse

The 2026 season marks Pat Gress's 30th season as the men's lacrosse coach at Swarthmore. Gress became the program's all-time wins leader with the Garnet's 16-8 victory versus Eastern University on February 19, 2025. He picked up win No. 181 to surpass Avery Blake Sr., who had held the record since 1959. Swarthmore went on to post its third straight campaign with double-digit wins, finishing 12-5. The 2024 campaign was a historic one for the Garnet. Swarthmore went 15-3 to set a new school record for victories and also ran the table in the Centennial Conference regular season with an 8-0 mark. The Garnet went on to grab their second straight NCAA Tournament bid and recorded their first tourney win in program history with a 14-9 triumph over Endicott College. Swarthmore was nationally ranked by the United States Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association every week during the season and the Garnet acheived its highest slot in school history, coming in at No. 4 in late April. Gress and his coaching staff were honored for their extraordinary season with the 2024 IMLCA Coaching Staff of the Year award.  The Garnet posted their best campaign in over three decades in 2023, totaling a program-record 14 victories and advancing to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 1984. Swarthmore also made its first appearance in the Centennial Conference final. The Garnet recorded a thrilling 12-11 overtime victory over fifth-ranked Gettysburg, marking the highest-ranked opponent the squad has defeated in school history. Swarthmore was ranked as high as 14th during the season as the staff took home Centennial Coaching Staff of the Year honors.  Gress, a 1991 graduate of Towson University, has improved the program's fortunes in recent years, producing seven consecutive winning seasons entering 2024. The run started with a 12-6 mark in 2016, the Garnet's first winning record in eight years. The campaign also marked Swarthmore's first-ever appearance in the Centennial Conference tournament and Gress was named the league's Coach of the Year for his efforts. That season, the Garnet also claimed the ECAC Mid-Atlantic title. In 2017, Swarthmore earned another berth to the conference tournament after winning its final three Centennial games, including two in overtime. Gress has had four teams (2000, 2003, 2008, 2016) selected to compete in the ECAC Tournament. At Towson, Gress was a history and secondary education major, four-year varsity letterman, and winner of the James Saxon Memorial Award for Outstanding Leadership. Upon graduation, he assisted North Harford High School in Harford County, MD, from 1991 to 1993. From there, Gress assisted Franklin & Marshall College for two years, helping the team reach the NCAA Tournament in 1995. Gress received a master's degree in administration from West Chester University in 2000. He also teaches physical education classes. Gress currently serves on the USILA Regional All-American Committee and has chaired the Centennial Conference Men's Lacrosse Committee (2005-11), coached the 2003 North-South Senior All Star Game and served on the Regional Advisory Committee for NCAA Tournament Selection.

Sam Wasson joined the men's lacrosse staff for the 2020 season as the defensive coordinator and was elevated to the full-time assistant role in the summer of 2022. He now holds the title of Associate Head Coach. Wasson was a member of the 2023 Centennial Conference Coaching Staff of the Year and 2024 Intercollegiate Men's Lacrosse Coaches Association Staff of the Year..  A graduate of the University of Mary Washington, Wasson majored in business administration while captaining the men’s lacrosse team during his senior season.  Additionally, he was on the team Leadership Council and was team representative on the Student Athlete Advisory Council.  Wasson spent the 2019 season coaching the Palmyra High School defense while working as a Supply Chain Analyst with Penske Logistics.

Danenza enters his third season working with defenders for the Garnet. In addition to coordinating the defense, Coach Danenza plays a primary role in recruiting and managing video exchange throughout the season. During the 2015 season, Danenza worked primarily with the defensive specialist and guided the man-down unit to a 71% penalty kill rate. Coach Danenza enjoyed a brief collegiate lacrosse career at Neumann University, which ended abruptly due to injury. Although his athletic career came to an early end, Coach Danenza continued on at Neumann and finished an undergraduate degree in English and Secondary Education. Additionally, Danenza started the foundation of his coaching career at his alma mater, Cardinal OHara High School in Marple, Pa. Upon graduation, Danenza entered the professional world as a secondary-English teacher within the Southeast Delco School District and continued to coach at Cardinal OHara HS, Brandywine Youth Club and Upper Darby High School. During his tenure at Upper Darby High School, Danenza led a previous winless Royals team to a handful of wins over his three year stay, including their first Central League win in over two years. While coaching at Upper Darby, Danenza began working with NXTlacrosse Club as a high school coach and finished his graduate degree in Education at Cabrini College. Danenza ultimately left the classroom and joined NXTsports full-time as an Assistant Director of NXTlacrosse club and Director of Trashcan Lacrosse. Danenzas responsibilities included creating and implementing age/skill specific lacrosse curriculum for boys ages 7-14.  Currently, Danenza is an eighth-grade English teacher at Penn Wood Middle School in Darby, Pa., and serves as one of two eighth-grade Leaders. Coach Danenza resides in South Jersey with his wife, Danielle, and daughter, Kennedy Jane. Warren Danenza enters his third season working with defenders for the Garnet. In addition to coordinating the defense, Coach Danenza plays a primary role in recruiting and managing video exchange throughout the season. During the 2015 season, Danenza worked primarily with the defensive specialist and guided the man-down unit to a 71% penalty kill rate.

Tate Wasson joined the coaching staff in the 2024-25 school year after a standout playing career at the University of Delaware where the team won the CAA and competed in the NCAA tournament in both 2022 and 2023.   Tate graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Sport Management and a Master’s degree in International Business and was on the CAA Commissioner ‘s Academic Honor from 2020-2023.  As an athlete, Tate was a five-year starter on defense, 2020 Freshman All American, Team Captain and CAA Defensive Player of the Week. Off the field, Tate was a three-year member of SAAC.  

Lou Harrison joined the Swarthmore men’s lacrosse coaching staff prior to the 2022 season as offensive assistant. He was recognized a member of the 2023 Centennial Conference Coaching Staff of the Year and 2024 Intercollegiate Men's Lacrosse Coaches Association Staff of the Year.  A 2018 graduate and four-year attackman at Ursinus College, Harrison spent the last three seasons assisting the lacrosse program at nearby Ridley High School. A Health and Exercise Physiology major, Harrison was a member of the Phi Epsilon Kappa Honor Society and minored in Psychology while at Ursinus. For the Garnet he will coach the attack, run the Extra Man Offense unit and assist with recruiting.