Towson Tabs Nadelen to Replace Seaman
by Matt DaSilva | LaxMagazine.com
|
|
Team USA defenseman Shawn Nadelen, an assistant coach at Towson the last seven, has been hired to replace Tony Seaman as the Tigers' head coach. © John Strohsacker/LaxPhotos.com |
Towson University did not need to look far for its new men's lacrosse coach. Twenty days after letting Tony Seaman walk, the university hired associate head coach and U.S. national team defenseman Shawn Nadelen as his successor Sunday.
Nadelen, a decorated collegiate and professional player, spent the last seven seasons as an assistant to Seaman.
“Shawn’s championship experience at the collegiate, professional and international levels as both a player and a coach make him the ideal leader for Towson lacrosse,” athletic director Mike Waddell said in a statement Sunday. “When you look in his eyes, there is the intensity of a champion and a resolve which will bring the most out of our student-athletes on and off the field. He is the perfect choice to continue the coaching legacies of Carl Runk and Tony Seaman."
According to sources familiar with the search, Johns Hopkins associate head head Bill Dwan and Cornell offensive coordinator Matt Rewkowski were the other finalists for the position. Dwan reportedly removed himself from consideration.
“Our search committee did an outstanding job of reviewing many qualified candidates while providing great insight into what Towson lacrosse has been and what we hope to be in the future,” Waddell said.
That nine-member search committee included co-chairs Greg LaCour and Mike Harris, former Towson lacrosse coach Carl Runk, current Towson women's lacrosse coach Sonia LaMonica, faculty fellows Heather Crowe and Steve Heaney, former Towson player and Hall of Famer Norm Engelke, Boys' Latin (Md.) coach Bob Shriver and alumnus Tim Barger.
Nadelen has served as Towson's defensive coordinator since arriving in 2004. His Tiger defenses have allowed an average of nine or fewer goals four times and finished among the nation’s top 20-ranked defenses twice, including this year, when Towson allowed 8.23 goals per game.
As a player, Nadelen made headlines last summer by recovering from a major knee surgery in time to help Team USA win a gold medal at the Federation of International Lacrosse (FIL) world championships in Manchester, England, including an assignment against Canada's John Grant Jr.
Nadelen then won a Major League Lacrosse title with the Chesapeake Bayhawks of Major League Lacrosse. He recently completed his 10th season playing for the Philadelphia Wings of the National Lacrosse League.
Prior to joining the Towson staff, Nadelen spent three years as
an assistant coach for Bill Tierney at Princeton and was a member
of three consecutive NCAA tournament teams. Princeton won the NCAA
Division I title in 2002 and reached the semifinals in 2004.
A four-year starter and a captain for the Blue Jays as a senior,
Nadelen moved from the midfield position to close defense as a
junior. He led the Blue Jays to the NCAA semi-finals twice during
his playing career and was named an All-American in 2001.
Towson will hold a press conference Tuesday at 10 a.m. to introduce Nadelen as its new head coach.
