APPLETON, Wis. -- Ben Morhac is the leader of the Lawrence University women's lacrosse team.
    Morhac was announced as the program's first head coach today by Lawrence Director of Athletics Jason Imperati.
    "Anytime you can be a part of a startup and make history, it's appealing," Morhac said. 
    "The support and research that has gone into starting the program has been amazing. The high expectations, the challenge of it, it's all just really exciting."
    Morhac comes to Lawrence from Notre Dame College, a NCAA Division II institution near Cleveland, Ohio. Morhac served as the Notre Dame head coach since December 2019 and compiled a 34-21 record with the Falcons over four successful seasons.
    "We are excited that Ben will be the new leader of our women's lacrosse program," Imperati said. "Throughout the interview process it became clear that Ben would be the right person to start our program. He has done great work on and off the field at previous institutions, and we are very lucky to have him."
    A native of Kent, Ohio, Morhac led Notre Dame to the Mountain East Conference Tournament championship in 2021 as the team posted a 12-3 record. Morhac was chosen as the 2021 Mountain East Conference Coach of the Year in the wake of the championship. Morhac saw 11 of his student-athletes named to the All-Mountain East Conference team in 2021. Three Falcons were chosen for the 2021 all-tournament team, and Notre Dame picked up tournament MVP honors as well. 
    Notre Dame followed that season with another Mountain East Conference Tournament title in 2022 as the team finished with a 10-6 record. Included in that mark was the first shutout of an opponent in Notre Dame history. The Falcons had eight All-Mountain East Conference selections and one player was chosen to compete in the Intercollegiate Women's Lacrosse Coaches Association All-Star Game. 
    In three full seasons at Notre Dame (the 2020 season was dramatically shortened by COVID), 34 of Morhac's players earned Mountain East all-conference or all-freshman honors. Morhac's Notre Dame teams broke more than 30 school records and were ranked in the top 15 nationally in more than six categories each season. 
    A graduate of St. Norbert College with a degree in graphic design, Morhac said he has been humbled by praise he has received during his coaching career. He hopes he can impart his desire for success to the new program at Lawrence.
    "I went to Notre Dame and we completely turned the program around," Morhac said. "I have a passion for the game and a passion for the players. And there's a drive to win. I'm super competitive. I don't like losing. I think if players want to get better and have a great experience, this could be a really good fit for them."
    With the first season of Lawrence lacrosse a little more than a year away, Morhac realizes he will be extremely busy attracting prospective players to Appleton until the fall of 2024.
    "It's going to be a lot of phone calls, a lot of emails and a lot of traveling," Morhac said. "I want to have the right people to start the program and make a difference for a start-up team."
    Before coaching at Notre Dame, Morhac served as the head women's lacrosse coach at Morningside College in Iowa for the 2019 season. He also was the head women's and men's lacrosse coach at Clarke University for the 2018 season.
    Lawrence begins play for both its women's and men's lacrosse programs in the spring of 2025.