Paul Day Steps Down as Wings Head Coach to Focus on GM Duties

PHILADELPHIA — Today, it was announced that the Philadelphia Wings and Paul Day have mutually agreed to a new contract for Day to serve as the team’s general manager. The new, two-year agreement runs through the 2025-26 season and includes a team option for a two-year extension through the 2027-28 season. 

Day has served as both head coach and general manager since joining the organization in 2017. These moves come after the Wings wrapped their 2023-2024 season yesterday to finish 6-12 and now enter one of the most exciting off-seasons in modern franchise history as they’ll have a new head coach to go along with the first overall pick in September’s NLL Entry Draft.

“I’m grateful to ownership and management for their continued trust in me, and am looking forward to what should be an incredibly exciting summer,” said Paul Day. “I love this organization and will do everything I can to help us win consistently. Our next head coach will bring a great, fresh perspective. From there we will round out the coaching staff and work together to prepare for free agency and the draft. We certainly feel good about the current roster and the opportunity to add some really special talent to the locker room via the draft.”

“Paul and I have been in constant communication since I arrived three years ago. I can honestly say that he has been singularly focused on one thing, and that’s putting this organization in the best position to win championships,” said Philadelphia Wings President Marc Zamarin. “Not once has it ever been about him, and so as this season progressed, our discussions naturally brought us to considering this new dynamic. With the roster and draft assets that he’s already assembled, I’m enthusiastic about the future of the franchise.”

A member of the Canadian Lacrosse Hall of Fame, Day has appeared in the National Lacrosse League finals nine times, capturing five titles as a player, coach or general manager. His coaching career began in 1995 with the Rochester Knighthawks, where he helped lead the team to a championship in 1997 and was then promoted to head coach in 1998, leading the team to three more NLL Finals through the end of his tenure in 2005. He then helped launch the Edmonton Rush as their inaugural head coach and general manager from 2006 to 2008. In 2010, he joined the Orlando Titans as assistant coach before returning to the Knighthawks as an assistant coach to support their back-to-back-to-back championship runs in 2012, 2013, and 2014.

In 2017, Day signed on to lead the charge as head coach and GM of the Philadelphia Wings shortly after the franchise was announced as an expansion team beginning play during the 2018-2019 season. After leading the Wings to a record of 8-6 in the shortened 2019-2020 season, a dramatic improvement over 2018-19 (4-14), Day was named NLL General Manager of the Year and was also the recipient of the prestigious Les Bartley Award, which recognizes the league’s Head Coach of the Year. Day became just the 5th coach in NLL history to reach 100 head coaching wins in 2022 and finishes the 2023-24 season with 118 wins for his head coaching career.

Out of the gate, Day established the foundation for the team’s return via the 2018 NLL Expansion and Entry Drafts, and has since executed a number significant transactions that have consistently improved the roster. His most recent trade deadline deal may prove to be the most impactful, after sending rookie Taggart Clark to New York in March exchange for what is now the first overall pick in the upcoming draft.

“I’m incredibly appreciative of Paul and his leadership of this franchise, both on and off the floor,” said Zamarin. “He’s a future first-ballot NLL Hall of Famer, and I’ve been fortunate to watch him operate from a front-row seat. Certainly, his lacrosse IQ is off the charts and the credentials there are undisputable, but what makes a leader and person like him so rare is his innate ability to connect and communicate with people. Whether that be players, coaches, staff, or fans, you’d be hard-pressed to find a more respected and admired person in this building. We thank him for his unwavering commitment that’s gotten us to this point and look forward to working together in pursuit of championships.”