Courtesy of Beloit College
BELOIT, Wis. -- Beloit College is excited to announce the hire of Ben Coughlin as the head coach of the Buccaneer men's lacrosse program.
"I'd like to thank Tim Schmiechen and the rest of the search committee for giving me this opportunity to lead the men's lacrosse program," said Coughlin. "Beloit College has a rich academic and athletic tradition and I'm looking forward to adding to both of those. I want the lacrosse program to focus on academics, instilling a strong moral compass and competing for championships in that order. The program has seen much success in recent years and I am ready for the challenge of advancing that success. Becoming an NCAA head coach was one of my goals when I got into this profession and to achieve that at a school such as Beloit is icing on the cake. I would also like to thank former Aurora University head coach Kylor Berkman. Under his tutelage, I have surpassed my own coaching expectations and I'm looking forward to taking his teachings to the next level at Beloit. Lastly, I'd like to thank my parents John and Kathy Coughlin for their continued support in all of my professional endeavors. GO BUCS!"
Coughlin comes to Beloit from Aurora University where he held the role of assistant coach and recruiting coordinator last season. Prior to that, Coughlin was the head coach at Benedictine College, from 2015-2017, heading a brand new program that competes in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics. He had a previous two-year stint at Aurora University as an assistant coach and entered the coaching realm as the head coach at the University of Illinois from 2012 to 2013.
"We are all very excited to have Ben join our department as our new Head Men's Lacrosse Coach," noted athletic director Tim Schmiechen. "Our lacrosse program has achieved success over the last several years and Ben's proven success as a coach and as a recruiter makes him a great fit to lead our program. From the moment we met Ben his passion for the sport, his desire to win, and his enthusiasm was clear. Most importantly, Ben has a clear and strong commitment to building a culture on our team that will lead to the holistic development of our student-athletes."
Coughlin is a United States Navy veteran earning an honorable discharge after four years of service. He received the Good Conduct Award during his time in the military. In May of 2010, Coughlin earned a Bachelor's of Science degree from Kansas State University in social sciences and social psychology. Coughlin was a captain on the Wildcats' men's lacrosse team for three consecutive seasons.