AMHERST, Mass. — Sean Woods is the new head coach of the Amherst College men’s lacrosse program, it was announced today by Director of Athletics Don Faulstick. A member of the Intercollegiate Men’s Lacrosse Coaches Association (IMLCA) Board of Directors with 15 years of head coaching experience, Woods is currently the head coach at National Collegiate Athletics Association (NCAA) Division III Colorado College. The appointment is effective August 16.
“I am very pleased to introduce Sean Woods as the next head men’s lacrosse coach at Amherst College,” said Faulstick. “Sean stood out in our search for his unwavering commitment to mentoring students to help them meet their personal, academic and athletic goals and guiding them to become full, contributing members of the Amherst College community. He’s a proven leader in D3 lacrosse, and we believe he will be a critical partner in helping us to successfully evolve our men’s lacrosse program.”
“I am honored and excited to be part of the Amherst Mammoth family,” said Woods. “I want to thank Dr. Catherine Epstein and Mr. Faulstick for this amazing opportunity. I am looking forward to getting my feet on the ground in Amherst and becoming part of such an amazing college community. I am also eager to build relationships with the players and alumni to continue the great tradition that is Amherst men’s lacrosse.”
In 10 seasons as the Tigers’ head coach, Woods guided the Colorado College program through the most successful era in its 50-plus-year history. Capturing four conference championship titles (2013, 2014, 2019, 2021), his teams compiled an 109-42 overall record (a .722 winning percentage) and a perfect 20-0 league mark in four seasons competing in the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference (SCAC). Woods also led the Tigers to seven NCAA Championship tournament appearances (2013-18, 2021) and advanced to the national quarterfinals in 2021 as the seventh-ranked team in the country. A highlight occurred in 2016, when Woods and his team hosted the program’s first-ever postseason home game, a nail-biter in which Colorado College defeated Whittier College, by one goal, in overtime.
During his career in Colorado, Woods was named the SCAC Coach of the Year three times (2013, 2019, 2021) and was voted the 2021 IMLCA Region V Coach of the Year after leading the team to a 13-4 record. He has mentored 177 SCAC Honor Roll selections, 41 All-Conference honorees, 10 SCAC major award winners and 10 United States Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association All-Americans over the past 10 years. He currently ranks as the 20th-ranked winningest Division III coach all-time.
Woods previously served as the head coach at NCAA Division II Mars Hill College in North Carolina from 2006 to 2011, accumulating a 51-24 overall record, three Deep South Conference championship crowns (2009-2011), and three conference Coach of the Year selections (2007, 2009, 2010). He began his coaching career as an offensive assistant and goalie coach at Division I Brown University (2001-2003) before joining the staff at Division III Washington College (Md.) for a three-season stint (2003-2006) as the program’s offensive coordinator and recruiting coordinator. He served as chair of the NCAA Division III Men’s Lacrosse National Committee in 2018 and 2019.
A native of Newport, R.I., Woods is a 2001 graduate of Hartwick College in Oneonta, N.Y., where he earned his bachelor’s degree in anthropology and was a four-year letter-winner.
WOODS’ COACHING CAREER
2021: Amherst College (Head Coach)
2011-21: Colorado College (Head Coach)
2006-11: Mars Hill University (Head Coach)
2003-06: Washington College (Senior Assistant Coach)
2001-03: Brown University (Assistant Coach)