Western Connecticut State University

Ryan Cavanagh was named head men’s lacrosse coach at Western Connecticut State University in January of 2016. Coach Cavanagh was hired to rebuild the program and since his arrival the Wolves have climb to the top of the Little East Conference (LEC) while receiving both regional and national recognition.

Last spring, Cavanagh guided the Wolves to their second LEC regular season title in a row, as WestConn went 7-1 in the league (13-5) overall to earn the top seed in the LEC Championship Tournament.  WestConn downed Keene State, 11-9, in the conference semifinals but lost, 16-10, to Plymouth State in the LEC Finals.  Wolves' junior Julian Duque was honored as the LEC Offensive Player of the Year.

The Wolves experienced a historic year in 2023, securing their first-ever regular season championship and second tournament championship in program history. The won their first NCAA game and advanced to the second round of the national tournament, showcasing their prowess on the national stage. Individual achievements were also notable, as Trey Aronow earned United States Intercollegiate lacrosse Association (USILA) All-American honors and the LEC Offensive Player of the Year award. The Wolves were regionally ranked among the top 10 of all New England programs.

In 2022, the Wolves went 14-4 overall, 6-2 in the Little East Conference and earned the No. 3 seed for the LEC Tournament. They advanced to the league semifinals and received votes in the top 20 of the USILA Coaches Poll.  In 2021, the Wolves were regionally ranked in New England for the first time in program history, had their program's first two USILA All-Americans and made it back to the LEC Championship for the first time since 2008.  In 2020, the Wolves raced out to a 5-1 record before the season was canceled due to the coronavirus.  In 2019, the Wolves had their first 10-win season in nine years and finished third in the conference, which tied for the program's best finish in conference play to that point.  

Cavanagh came to WestConn after four successful seasons as head coach at SUNY Plattsburgh in upstate New York.  Through four seasons at the helm, the Cardinals went 51-23 including a program-best 14-4 record in 2013 and back-to-back 13-6 campaigns in 2014 and 2015.  Cavanagh began his collegiate coaching career in 2011 at Plattsburgh and his Cardinals never failed to appear in the State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) Tournament and advanced to the SUNYAC Tournament Finals in each of his last three seasons.  The Cardinals posted an impressive 21-5 mark at home and Cavanagh left the school with the most career wins and the highest winning percentage (.689) of any Plattsburgh State lacrosse coach.

In 2013, Cavanagh was named both the SUNYAC and the Jac Coyne Magazines Coach of the Year, becoming the only coach in the history of the program to receive the league's highest coaching honor. During his time at Plattsburgh, he had wins against several nationally-ranked opponents including Connecticut College, Bowdoin, RPI, St. Lawrence, and Clarkson.  In addition, the Cardinals continued to rise among the Division III ranks, culminating with Plattsburgh State’s first appearance in the USILA Top 20 Coaches Poll in March 2013. The Cardinals were ranked for eight straight weeks and rose to as high as No. 16 in the country.  Cavanagh also recruited and/or coached all 11 of Plattsburgh’s USILA All-Americans.  Prior to his appointment as head coach, Cavanagh spent three seasons as the Cardinals’ top assistant after serving as a student assistant coach during the 2008 season.

Cavanagh played for the Cardinals from 2005-07 after his collegiate career began at Nassau Community College. He earned All-SUNYAC Honorable Mention honors as a senior and still holds Plattsburgh State records with a .630 single-season face-off winning percentage and a .581 career face-off efficiency. Cavanagh was named the team's Most Improved Player award recipient in his junior year and the team’s MVP following his senior campaign.  A graduate of Kings Park High School, Cavanagh graduated from Plattsburgh State in May 2007 with a bachelor’s degree in political science and a master’s degree in leadership and administration. He resides in Sandy Hook, CT with his wife Kaila, and their three children, Declan, Taylor, and Lucas.

Coach Cavanagh Through the Years