Lehigh University Men's Lacrosse

Former associate head coach Will Scudder '11 was named head lacrosse coach June 19, 2023. Scudder will enter his 13th year on staff and third year as a head coach in 2025-26. He spent five years as an associate head coach and seven years as the defensive coordinator. Scudder was named defensive coordinator prior to the 2016 season and associate head coach following the 2018 season. Scudder was a former team captain and All-Patriot League honoree as a Mountain Hawk. Scudder has helped Lehigh jump back into the national spotlight, making three consecutive Patriot League Championship games in 2018, 2019 and 2021 (the 2020 season was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic). Lehigh is the only men’s lacrosse program in the Patriot League to each of the last 10 Patriot League Tournaments. Entering 2022, the Mountain Hawks are ranked in the national polls for a fourth straight season. This comes after a 2021 campaign which saw Lehigh rise as high as No. 5 in the rankings. The Mountain Hawks began the season 9-0, with wins over No. 10 Loyola, No. 7 Army West Point and No. 19 Navy. Lehigh was the second-to-last team in the nation to lose a game in 2021. The Mountain Hawks finished 8-0 in the Patriot League (regular season) before beating Colgate in the semifinals. The championship game was cancelled due to a positive COVID-19 test in Loyola’s tier 1 testing pool, but Lehigh earned the No. 8 seed in the NCAA Tournament – the second time in three all-time NCAA berths that the Mountain H

Year Started at Lehigh • 2013 – 2015 Intern • 2015 – Present Personal Information • From Corning, NY • Raised in Upper Black Eddy, PA Education • Palisades High School (Class of 2010) • BS – Sport & Exercise Science, DeSales University (Class of 2015) • CSCS Professional Experience • Palisades High School Football Coach (2012 – 2015) • Speed Advantage Training Head Coach (2013 – Present) Interests & Activities • Cooking, Eating, Lifting, Hunting, Live Music Entertainment • Game of Thrones, The Office, Marvel, Dr. Seuss, Shel Silverstein Quotes to Live by • Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overall & looks like work – Thomas Edison

Year Started at Lehigh • 2004 – Present Personal Information • Resides in Coopersburg with Wife, Nicole, and sons, Luke and Ryan Education • MS, East Stroudsburg University, PA ’04 (Ex Science) • BS, East Stroudsburg University, PA ’02 (Ex Science) • CSCS ‘02 Professional Experience • Lehigh University, Director of Strength and Conditioning (2015 – Present) • Lehigh University, Co-Head Strength and Conditioning (2004-2015) • Speed Advantage Training, Owner and President (2002-Present) • Just Be Natural, Nutrient Consultant (2003-2005) • East Stroudsburg University, Assistant Strength Coach (2001-2002) Sport Participation • East Stroudsburg University: Football • Mix Marital Arts • Power Lifting Interests and activities: • Playing with my kids • Competing in anything Quotes to Live by • Adversity brings evolution

Matt Francis begins his first season on the Lehigh sidelines in 2022-23. Francis comes to Lehigh following a six-year run at Providence College, the last three as the Friars’ associate head coach. Francis brings a wide breadth of experience and versatility to the Lehigh men’s lacrosse staff. “We are thrilled to officially welcome Matt Francis, his wife Auden and daughter Mackenzie into the Lehigh Lacrosse family,” said Lehigh head coach Kevin Cassese. “Matt brings a wealth of knowledge and 12 years of coaching experience with him to Lehigh. He is a true professional in this business, a tireless recruiter and someone who cares deeply about his players and helps them to develop as lacrosse players, as teammates, as leaders and as men. He is so versatile as a coach with experience coaching defense, man down, faceoffs, goalies, riding, clearing and the substitution game. And, his positive attitude and infectious energy will make an immediate uplifting impact on our Lehigh Lacrosse culture.” In six seasons at Providence, Francis worked with the defense, goalies and faceoff specialists. The Friars qualified for the Big East Tournament in three of the five seasons a postseason championship was held. With Francis on staff, Providence produced 16 All-Big East honorees, highlighted by Big East Defensive Player of the Year and two-time All-American goalie Tate Boyce. The Friars ranked 10th in the country in scoring defense in 2019. “I’d like to thank Murray H. Goodman Dean of Athletics

Matthew Licciardi enters his second season in 2024 as an assistant coach, following a strong playing career in Ithaca, which ended with an appearance in the National Championship Game in 2022. Licciardi was one of six Big Red players to start all 19 games in 2022. He finished the season with six goals and 10 assists, along with 13 groundballs and four caused turnovers. Cornell finished the season 14-5, beating Ohio State, Delaware and Rutgers in the NCAA Tournament before falling to No. 1 Maryland in the Championship Game, 9-7. A native of Lloyd Harbor, N.Y., Licciardi saw action immediately as a first-year – posting six goals and five assists as part of the second midfield line. He helped Cornell win the Ivy League Tournament Title and advance to the NCAA Quarterfinals. The following year, Licciardi recorded two goals and seven assists as a sophomore in 15 games. Then, in the COVID-shortened 2020 season, he had a goal and three assists in five games. In the classroom, Licciardi was named a 2022 Scholar All-American. He graduated Cornell in May with his Bachelor of Science degree in Applied Economics and Management. Licciardi was also a founder of Lacrosse Training Camp in his hometown of Cold Spring Harbor. While there, he's worked more than 30 hours corresponding with parents and coaches to provide lacrosse instruction and supervision to boys and girls ages 6-16.