Frostburg Taps Pearce to Restart Program
from press releases
FROSTBURG, Md. - Thomas Pearce has been selected
to start the new era of men's lacrosse for Frostburg State
University. He has been named the head coach in an announcement
made by Director of Athletics Troy A. Dell.
Pearce comes to Frostburg State University from Gettysburg College
where he served as an assistant coach and offensive coordinator for
the men's lacrosse team for the last four seasons.
A native of Chestertown, Md., Pearce helped Gettysburg to an
incredible run during his time with the Bullets. The team won the
Centennial Conference Championship and advanced to the NCAA
Tournament in each of those four seasons, including a national
runner-up finish this spring. Gettysburg collected an overall
record of 66-12 and was consistently ranked in the top-10 in the
nation, including a No. 5 ranking at the conclusion of this past
spring season.
Pearce, who earned the Intercollegiate Men's Lacrosse Coaches
Association 2008 Division III Outstanding Assistant Coach award,
helped recruit and coach 20 All-Americans while at Gettysburg,
including six in 2009.
Success at Gettysburg came not only as a coach for Pearce, but also
as a player. He was a two-time All-American, garnering First Team
honors in 2001 as well as being named the Centennial Conference
Player of the Year and Eastern College Athletic Conference South
Region Player of the Year. He helped the Bullets to four-straight
conference titles and the school's first-ever berth in the NCAA
Division III national championship game.
"I'm excited to welcome Tom Pearce to Frostburg State University.
He was selected out of a very competitive national applicant pool,"
stated Dell. "Tom has played and coached at the highest level of
Division III men's lacrosse and is prepared to build a recruiting
base and a playing style that will attract some of the best talent
in lacrosse to Frostburg. I'm confident that he has the right level
of experience and success to lead our men's lacrosse program."
"I am honored to be chosen by Frostburg State University to restart
its lacrosse program. I am eager and excited to get to work on all
aspects of preparing for the 2011 season and becoming a part of
Frostburg's campus community," said Pearce.
"I'd like to thank Gettysburg College and everyone there for
teaching me what it means to be a Division III student-athlete for
four years and then what it means to coach Division III
student-athletes for another four years. I am confident that what I
learned there has prepared me to take on this exciting challenge of
reestablishing Frostburg Men's Lacrosse and furthering their
success in the future."
Pearce will begin work immediately at FSU starting the men's
lacrosse program that was added as a varsity sport in March. The
Bobcats, who offered men's lacrosse from 1970-1978, will begin
competition in the spring of 2011 and will play their home games at
Bobcat Stadium.
Peace graduated from Gettysburg in 2001 with a bachelor's degree in
English and received his master's degree from McDaniel College in
2008 in physical education and athletic administration.
Men's lacrosse is currently sponsored by 149 NCAA Division III
institutions, including seven in the state of Maryland: Hood,
Stevenson, Salisbury, McDaniel, St. Mary's, Goucher and Washington.
The sport has also seen significant growth since 1981, when 70
teams competed at the DIII level. The number of student-athletes
has also increased from 2,059 (81-82) to 5,135 last year.
