Tom Ryan (lacrosse)
Encyclopedia
Tom Ryan is a lacrosse
coach and former professional player. He is the current head coach of the Charlotte Copperheads
of the North American Lacrosse League
. Ryan is the former head coach of the Boston Blazers
of the National Lacrosse League
.
Ryan attended Bowdoin College
where he was an All-American attackman. He amassed 97-points in his senior year to become the leading scorer in school history.
Ryan played in the National Lacrosse League
where he was known as the "Dude" due to his long dreadlocked hair. He scored 202 total career points (82 goals and 120 assists) while playing for the Boston Blazers, Baltimore Thunder
and the Philadelphia Wings
. In addition, he played in the Heritage Cup for Team USA in 2002.
Ryan played in Major League Lacrosse
's inaugural season in 2001
with the New Jersey Pride
.
Ryan's playing career was cut short by a series of concussions.
s.
Ryan has served as a coach for the women's lacrosse teams at Towson University
and Loyola College
. In addition, he has coached the men's lacrosse team at Connecticut College
and Mount Ida College
.
On May 9, 2007, the NLL announced that an expansion franchise had been granted to the city of Boston
, and that Ryan had been named head coach. The team, which was named the Boston Blazers
, was scheduled to begin play during the 2008 NLL season
, but after a labour dispute that saw the season temporarily cancelled, the Blazers opted to sit out the 2008 season and begin play in 2009. Ryan was dismissed as the head coach of the Blazers on December 23, 2010.
Lacrosse
Lacrosse is a team sport of Native American origin played using a small rubber ball and a long-handled stick called a crosse or lacrosse stick, mainly played in the United States and Canada. It is a contact sport which requires padding. The head of the lacrosse stick is strung with loose mesh...
coach and former professional player. He is the current head coach of the Charlotte Copperheads
Charlotte Copperheads
The Charlotte Copperheads is an American professional indoor lacrosse team based in Charlotte, North Carolina. They are a charter member of the North American Lacrosse League...
of the North American Lacrosse League
North American Lacrosse League
The North American Lacrosse League is a men's professional indoor lacrosse league based in the United States, set to begin play in January 2012. The league will be North America's third professional lacrosse league, after Major League Lacrosse and the National Lacrosse League...
. Ryan is the former head coach of the Boston Blazers
Boston Blazers
The Boston Blazers were a member of the Major Indoor Lacrosse League from 1989 to 1997. They were called the New England Blazers from 1989 to 1991 while based in Worcester, Massachusetts, and were renamed the Boston Blazers in 1992 when they moved to Boston. While in Worcester, the Blazers played...
of the National Lacrosse League
National Lacrosse League
The National Lacrosse League is a men's professional indoor lacrosse league in North America. It currently has nine teams; three in Canada and six in the United States. Unlike other lacrosse leagues which play in the summer, the NLL plays its games in the winter and spring. Each year, the playoff...
.
Playing career
Ryan played his High School ball at Canton Central in NY.Ryan attended Bowdoin College
Bowdoin College
Bowdoin College , founded in 1794, is an elite private liberal arts college located in the coastal Maine town of Brunswick, Maine. As of 2011, U.S. News and World Report ranks Bowdoin 6th among liberal arts colleges in the United States. At times, it was ranked as high as 4th in the country. It is...
where he was an All-American attackman. He amassed 97-points in his senior year to become the leading scorer in school history.
Ryan played in the National Lacrosse League
National Lacrosse League
The National Lacrosse League is a men's professional indoor lacrosse league in North America. It currently has nine teams; three in Canada and six in the United States. Unlike other lacrosse leagues which play in the summer, the NLL plays its games in the winter and spring. Each year, the playoff...
where he was known as the "Dude" due to his long dreadlocked hair. He scored 202 total career points (82 goals and 120 assists) while playing for the Boston Blazers, Baltimore Thunder
Baltimore Thunder
The Baltimore Thunder were a member of the National Lacrosse League from 1987 until 1999. They were based in Baltimore, Maryland, and won the first Eagle Pro Box Lacrosse League championship in 1987...
and the Philadelphia Wings
Philadelphia Wings
The Philadelphia Wings are a member of the National Lacrosse League, a professional box lacrosse league in North America. They play at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania....
. In addition, he played in the Heritage Cup for Team USA in 2002.
Ryan played in Major League Lacrosse
Major League Lacrosse
Major League Lacrosse, or MLL, is a professional men's field lacrosse league that is made up of five teams in the United States and one team in Canada.- History :...
's inaugural season in 2001
2001 MLL season
The 2001 Major League Lacrosse season was the 1st season of the league. The season began on June 7 and concluded with the championship game on September 3, 2001.-General information:...
with the New Jersey Pride
New Jersey Pride
The New Jersey Pride were a men's field lacrosse team formerly based in Piscataway, New Jersey, United States. They played in Major League Lacrosse from 2001-2008.-Franchise history:...
.
Ryan's playing career was cut short by a series of concussions.
Coaching career
In 2006, Ryan was named Head Coach of the U.S. Indoor Lacrosse team playing in the 2007 World Indoor Lacrosse ChampionshipWorld Indoor Lacrosse Championship
The World Indoor Lacrosse Championship is an international box lacrosse tournament that is held every four years an is sponsored by the Federation of International Lacrosse . First held in 2003, the tournament was sponsored by the International Lacrosse Federation until 2008, when the ILF became...
s.
Ryan has served as a coach for the women's lacrosse teams at Towson University
Towson University
Towson University, often referred to as TU or simply Towson for short, is a public university located in Towson in Baltimore County, Maryland, U.S...
and Loyola College
Loyola College in Maryland
Loyola University Maryland is a Roman Catholic, Jesuit private university in Baltimore, Maryland, United States. Established as Loyola College in Maryland by John Early and eight other members of the Society of Jesus in 1852, it is one of 28 member institutions of the Association of Jesuit Colleges...
. In addition, he has coached the men's lacrosse team at Connecticut College
Connecticut College
Connecticut College is a private liberal arts college located in New London, Connecticut.The college was founded in 1911, as Connecticut College for Women, in response to Wesleyan University closing its doors to women...
and Mount Ida College
Mount Ida College
Mount Ida College is a private college in Newton, Massachusetts offering professional undergraduate and graduate degrees.-History:The Mount Ida School for Girls was a private all-female high school founded in 1899 by George Franklin Jewett, named after the hill on which it was located in Newton...
.
On May 9, 2007, the NLL announced that an expansion franchise had been granted to the city of Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
, and that Ryan had been named head coach. The team, which was named the Boston Blazers
Boston Blazers
The Boston Blazers were a member of the Major Indoor Lacrosse League from 1989 to 1997. They were called the New England Blazers from 1989 to 1991 while based in Worcester, Massachusetts, and were renamed the Boston Blazers in 1992 when they moved to Boston. While in Worcester, the Blazers played...
, was scheduled to begin play during the 2008 NLL season
2008 NLL season
The 2008 National Lacrosse League season, the 22nd in the history of the NLL, began on December 29, 2007 and concluded with the Buffalo Bandits winning the championship game over the Portland LumberJax on May 17, 2008....
, but after a labour dispute that saw the season temporarily cancelled, the Blazers opted to sit out the 2008 season and begin play in 2009. Ryan was dismissed as the head coach of the Blazers on December 23, 2010.
NLL
| Regular Season | Playoffs | ||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | GP | G | A | Pts | LB | PIM | GP | G | A | Pts | LB | PIM | ||
| 1995 | Boston | 4 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 11 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | ||
| 1996 | Boston | 10 | 17 | 15 | 32 | 54 | 8 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 5 | 2 | ||
| 1997 | Boston | 10 | 15 | 8 | 23 | 34 | 10 | - | - | - | - | - | - | ||
| 1998 | Baltimore | 12 | 8 | 19 | 27 | 58 | 6 | 3 | 1 | 5 | 6 | 11 | 2 | ||
| 1999 | Baltimore | 10 | 2 | 11 | 13 | 26 | 24 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | ||
| 2000 | Philadelphia | 11 | 6 | 12 | 18 | 38 | 23 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 6 | 2 | ||
| 2001 | Philadelphia | 14 | 10 | 22 | 32 | 70 | 18 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 5 | 11 | 7 | ||
| 2002 | Philadelphia | 16 | 15 | 25 | 40 | 110 | 22 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 8 | 0 | ||
| 2003 | Philadelphia | 8 | 7 | 7 | 14 | 35 | 2 | - | - | - | - | - | - | ||
| NLL Totals | 95 | 82 | 120 | 202 | 436 | 113 | 10 | 3 | 13 | 16 | 46 | 15 | |||
MLL
| Regular Season | Playoffs | ||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | GP | G | 2ptG | A | Pts | LB | PIM | GP | G | 2ptG | A | Pts | LB | PIM | ||
| 2001 | New Jersey | 14 | 9 | 0 | 7 | 16 | 15 | 2.5 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | ||
| MLL Totals | 14 | 9 | 0 | 7 | 16 | 15 | 2.5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |||