After three years as the first assistant men’s lacrosse coach at Harvard University, George Harris has accepted a new challenge as the men’s lacrosse head coach.

Harris brings an impressive resume to Springfield, first as a student-athlete and later as a coach. A 1989 graduate of Ithaca College, Harris was a four-year starter for the perennial powerhouse Bombers, and he served as team captain his final two intercollegiate seasons. He returned to his alma mater in 1992 and served as a graduate assistant coach for the Ithaca women’s lacrosse team the following spring, helping the Bombers to a No. 5 national ranking and a berth in the NCAA Division III Tournament quarterfinals.

That experience earned Harris the men’s head coaching position at Skidmore College. After three seasons leading Skidmore, he moved to Division I as an assistant at Colgate University in 1996. Harris helped the Raiders to two East Coast Athletic Conference championship game appearances and the 1997 title while serving as the team’s offensive coordinator and goalkeepers coach from 1996-2001. He then moved on to Cornell University for the 2002 season, helping the Big Red to an NCAA tournament appearance and a No. 6 national ranking as the teams second assistant coach.

In his three seasons at Harvard as the first assistant, the Crimson posted a 17-24 overall record in the extremely competitive Ivy League. Harris served as the teams offensive coordinator and recruiting coordinator, and he was recognized for his outstanding work with the 2004 Harvard University Department of Athletics Merit Award, which is given to one assistant coach among the university’s 37 varsity teams each year.

– Ryan Maurer