The 2017-18 season marks Mike Corrado's 14th year as the head coach at Villanova and his 23rd overall with the program. Corrado was appointed head coach during the summer of 2006 after being named associate head coach one year earlier. The 2013, 2010 and 2009 BIG EAST and CAA Coach of the Year has led the Wildcats to unprecedented success in recent seasons. Over the last nine seasons, Corrado has garnered a .536 overall winning percentage while posting a .544 mark in conference contests. His career record currently stands at 89-77 following the conclusion of the 2017 campaign. The 2017 season marked the sixth-straight year Villanova has qualified for the BIG EAST tournament; the most of any current member of the league. He has led his teams to six conference tournaments over the past seven seasons as a member of both the BIG EAST and CAA conferences and guided Villanova to their first-ever NCAA Tournament appearances in 2009 and 2011. Corrado’s squads have consistently played the best competition in the nation and the Wildcats strength of schedule has ranked in the top-5 in the NCAA every year dating back to 2009 according to laxpower.com. Additionally, in 2014 Corrado was chosen to coach in the prestigious USILA North/South All-Star game, where he led the South squad to a convincing 16-10 victory over the North. Corrado returned as an assistant coach for the South squad in 2016 where he coached long stick-defenseman John Moderski. Corrado has led several players to individual accolades since being appointed head coach. Over the past ten seasons, ten student-athletes have earned USILA All-America honors, eight have been named conference Player of the Years and a total of 44 have been chosen for all-conference laurels. Under Corrado’s defensive tutelage, several student-athletes have flourished during their time at Villanova. John LoCascio (2014 USILA First Team, 2013 USILA Third Team All-America, 2013 and 2014 BIG EAST Defensive Player of the Year), Remington Pope (2015 All-BIG EAST Second Team), John Moderski (All-BIG EAST Second Team), Chris Conroy (2013 All-BIG EAST First Team), Chris Piccirilli (2014 All-BIG EAST Second Team) and Chris Creighton (2012 All-BIG EAST First Team) all earned significant athletic laurels during their playing careers. In 2011, long-stick midfielder Brian Karalunas became the most decorated Villanova Lacrosse player of all time as Villanova's first three-time USILA All-American and the first men's lacrosse player to be named a First Team All-America selection. Additionally, the back-to-back 2010 and 2011 BIG EAST Defensive Player of the Year was twice named a First Team All-BIG EAST honoree. On the offensive end, Jack Curran (2014, 2015 All-BIG EAST Second Team, 2016 BIG EAST Co-Midfielder of the Year, 2016 USILA All-American Honorable Mention, 2016USILA Division I Scholar All-Americans), Jake Froccaro (2016 All-BIG EAST First Team, 2016 USILA All-American Honorable Motion, 2016 Tewaaraton Award Nominees), Devin McNamara (2016 All-BIG EAST Second Team), Joey Froccaro (2016 All-BIG EAST Second Team), Sean Cerrone (2015 Second Team All-BIG EAST), Jack Rice (2013 USILA Honorable Mention All-American, 2013 All-BIG EAST Second Team, 2012 All-BIG EAST First Team, 2011 All-BIG EAST First Team), Thomas Croonquist (2013 All-BIG EAST First Team, 2012 All-BIG EAST Second Team), John Kluh (2013 All-BIG EAST First Team), Kevin Cunningham (2012 USILA Honorable Mention All-American, 2012 BIG EAST Attack Player of the Year, 2012 First Team All-BIG EAST, 2012 BIG EAST Preseason Offensive Player of the Year, 2011 All-BIG EAST First Team, 2010 All-BIG EAST Second Team), Matt Bell (2012 All-BIG EAST First Team), Michael Vigilante (2012 All-BIG EAST Second Team), Paul Webber (2010 USILA Honorable Mention All-American, BIG EAST Midfielder of the Year, First Team All-BIG EAST) and Mark Scioscia (2010 All-BIG EAST Second Team) have all earned national recognition under Corrado's expertise. John Moderski, Remington Pope, Jack Rice, Max Hart, Michael Vigilante, Chris Ficke, Brian Karalunas, Andy German, Matt Fritts and Chris MacDonald were also selected to play in the prestigious USILA Division I North/South Senior All-Star game in recent years under Connor's teaching, with Rice taking home MVP honors in 2013 and Vigilante earning the same distinction in 2012. In his time at Villanova, Corrado has served in several capacities including mentoring the defense and serving as the recruiting coordinator. His expertise specifically lies with coordinating defensive efforts, and in 2003 and 2004, the Wildcats scoring defense ranked first and seventh in the nation, respectively. In 2005, Villanova improved to fourth in the country, allowing just 7.13 goals per game. In November of 2005, Corrado was inducted into the Villanova Varsity Club Hall of Fame, being just the fourth lacrosse player to ever receive this honor. Previous inductees from the men's lacrosse program include Bob Adams (Class of 1980), Bill Hook (1980) and teammate Drew Cunningham (1985). A former standout defenseman for the Wildcats, Corrado is in his second stint at Villanova having also served as an assistant under former Head Coach Randy Marks from 1992-95. Upon leaving Villanova, Corrado took a position at Conestoga High School before accepting a head coaching position with the Haverford High School varsity men's lacrosse team. As a student-athlete, Corrado was a four-year starter at Villanova from 1984-1987. He was the team's Rookie of the Year in `84 and named co-captain and Most Valuable Player in his senior season when he collected a team-high 93 ground balls. For his career, Corrado tallied four goals and five assists from the offensive end of the field and was an All-County player for Islip (N.Y.) High School prior to becoming a Wildcat. Upon graduation in 1987, Corrado served four years in the U.S. Navy where he was based out of Norfolk, Va. He is a veteran of the Persian Gulf War and retired as a Commander from the Naval Reserves. Corrado received his Master's degree in Education from Temple University in 2002. Michael and his wife, Valerie, live in Drexel Hill, Pa. with their son, Matthew.
Simon Connor Associate Head Coach
Simon Connor returns to the Villanova sidelines for his 14th season as the top assistant on Michael Corrado's staff and his seventh as Associate Head Coach for the 2015-16 season. Connor was promoted to his current position in June, 2010. Throughout his duration under Corrado, Connor has helped Villanova reach national recognition as one of the top lacrosse programs in the country. He is heavily involved in all aspects of the program and is directly responsible for the inception and direction of the offense, preparing scouting reports, designing game plans, assisting in player development and acting as the recruiting coordinator. The 2017 season marked the fsixth-straight year Villanova has qualified for the BIG EAST tournament; the most of any current member of the league. Connor has helped lead the team to six conference tournaments over the past seven seasons as a member of both the BIG EAST and CAA conferences and guided Villanova to their first-ever NCAA Tournament appearances in 2009 and 2011. Villanova's squads have consistently played the best competition in the nation and the Wildcats strength of schedule has ranked in the top-5 in the NCAA every year dating back to 2009 according to laxpower.com. Additionally, in 2014 Connor was chosen to coach in the prestigious USILA North/South All-Star game alongside head coach Mike Corrado, where the staff led the South squad to a convincing 16-10 victory over the North. Connor has led several players to individual accolades since being appointed associate head coach. Over the past ten seasons, ten student-athletes have earned USILA All-America honors, eight have been named conference Player of the Years and a total of 44 have been chosen for all-conference laurels. Connor has also helped several players earn regional and national distinction under his direction. Jack Curran (2014, 2015 All-BIG EAST Second Team, 2016 BIG EAST Co-Midfielder of the Year, 2016 USILA All-American Honorable Mention, 2016 USILA Division I Scholar All-Americans), Jake Froccaro (2016 All-BIG EAST First Team, 2016 USILA All-American Honorable Motion, 2016 Tewaaraton Award Nominees), Devin McNamara (2016 All-BIG EAST Second Team), Joey Froccaro (2016 All-BIG EAST Second Team), John LoCascio (2014 USILA First Team All-American, 2014 BIG EAST Defensive Player of the Year, 2014 All-BIG EAST First Team, 2013 USILA Third Team All-American, 2013 BIG EAST Defensive Player of the Year, 2013 First Team All-BIG EAST, 2012 Second Team All-BIG EAST), Jack Curran (2014 and 2015 Second Team All-BIG EAST), Sean Cerrone (2015 Second Team All-BIG EAST), Jack Rice (2013 USILA Honorable Mention All-American, 2013 Second Team All-BIG EAST, 2012 First Team All-BIG EAST, 2011 First Team All-BIG EAST), Thomas Croonquist (2013 First Team All-BIG EAST, 2012 Second Team All-BIG EAST), Chris Conroy (2014 First Team All-BIG EAST, 2013 First Team All-BIG EAST), John Kluh (2013 First Team All-BIG EAST), Max Hart (2013 Second Team All-BIG EAST), Kevin Cunningham (2012 USILA Honorable Mention All-American, 2012 BIG EAST Attack Player of the Year, 2012 First Team All-BIG EAST, 2012 BIG EAST Preseason Offensive Player of the Year, 2011 All-BIG EAST First Team, 2010 All-BIG EAST Second Team), Matt Bell (2012 All-BIG EAST First Team), Michael Vigilante (2012 All-BIG EAST Second Team), Paul Webber (2010 USILA Honorable Mention All-American, BIG EAST Midfielder of the Year, First Team All-BIG EAST) and Mark Scioscia (2010 All-BIG EAST Second Team) have all earned national recognition under Connor's tutelage. Prior to Villanova joining the BIG EAST Conference, Connor developed three All-CAA selections in Eric Heidenberger, Chris MacDonald and Timmy Driscoll and two All-CAA Rookie Team honorees in C.J. Small and Kevin Cunningham. Remington Pope, Jack Rice, Max Hart, Michael Vigilante, Chris Ficke, Brian Karalunas, Andy German, Matt Fritts and Chris MacDonald were also selected to play in the prestigious USILA Division I North/South Senior All-Star game in recent years under Connor's teaching, with Rice taking home MVP honors in 2013 and Vigilante earning the same distinction in 2012. Nationally, Connor has guided eight former players into the professional lacrosse ranks in Remington Pope, John LoCascio, Kevin O'Neil, Nick Doherty, Kevin Cunningham, Brian Karalunas, Eric Heidenberger and Mikey Haas. LoCascio, Rice, Karalunas and Cunningham were all chosen to the 2014 FIL Team USA Tryout Pool prior to the World Championships in Denver, Colo. Connor, a midfielder for the Wildcats in 2001-02, battled injuries throughout his time as a student-athlete before compartment syndrome sidelined his playing career at the end of his sophomore season. He began his coaching career as the head assistant and offensive coordinator at Harriton High School in Rosemont, Pa. before becoming the offensive coordinator at Whittier College in California. In his one year at Whittier, the Poets finished with an 8-7 record. A 2004 Villanova alumnus, Connor holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. He currently resides in Philadelphia, Pa.