Men's Lacrosse | 7/21/2023 12:00:00 PM

FAYETTEVILLE, N.C.  Methodist University Vice President and Director of Athletics Dave Eavenson has announced the hiring of Ryan McKay as the next head coach of the Methodist men's lacrosse team.

"We are pleased to welcome Ryan McKay as our next Head Men's Lacrosse Coach," said Eavenson. "Ryan brings high energy, passion, and a wealth of successful experience to our program. We are excited about his enthusiasm for Methodist University and his vision for the future of our men's lacrosse program. We are looking forward to a bright future under his leadership."
 
McKay, who becomes the second head coach in program history, comes to Methodist from Piedmont University, where he had assisted since the summer of 2017. Working primarily with the offense and the man-up unit, he most recently served as the team's Associate Head Coach and Recruiting Coordinator – a position he assumed in the summer of 2021.  
 
With McKay on staff, the Lions achieved their first winning season in 2018 (9-8) and in 2019 they were victorious in the USA South Athletic Conference Championship, earning a spot in the NCAA Tournament.
 
Over the last two seasons, McKay has helped lead Piedmont to a 15-2 regular season record versus USA South opponents. In 2023, his team was just shy of another conference title game appearance, falling in overtime in the semifinal round of the USA South Tournament.
 
Since August of 2019, McKay has also served as a coach for the Thunder LB3 Elite program – a summer league based out of Georgia for skilled high school players. He helped coach the 2021, 2022, 2023 and 2024 Orange Elite teams, assisting with player and team development.
 
McKay is a graduate of Millsaps College, where he was a four-year starter and three-time captain for the men's lacrosse team from 2010-2014. Playing attack and midfield, he finished his career with 105 points and sits as the program's all-time assist leader.
 
After graduating, he became a volunteer assistant for his alma mater while also coaching at MadLax Lacrosse, serving as the head coach and director of the youth program in Madison, Mississippi. In January of 2016, he became a full-time assistant at Millsaps before accepting the job at Piedmont in June of 2017.
 
McKay earned a Bachelor of Arts in Education with a minor in Spanish from Millsaps in 2014, and he received a Master of Arts degree from Piedmont in 2020.