Moon Township, Pa. - Robert Morris University Director of Athletics Craig Coleman, M.D., announced the hiring of Andrew McMinn as head men's lacrosse coach Wednesday afternoon.
McMinn, who was previously the associate head coach for the Colonials, has served on the Robert Morris staff for the past six seasons, helping RMU develop from its earliest stages as a program to one that has secured three consecutive winning seasons and earned a national ranking along with its first postseason berth in the past two years.
"We are very excited to name Andrew McMinn as our new head coach for men's lacrosse," Coleman said. "He has been an integral part of the program since its earliest stages and has been key in designing an offense that is tops in the nation. We look forward to our lacrosse program improving each and every year."
McMinn, a native of Mt. Lebanon, Pa., served as the Colonials' offensive coordinator in each of the past two seasons and led the RMU offense to previously unimaginable heights. Robert Morris became the first Division I program to lead the nation in scoring offense in back-to-back seasons since Virginia accomplished the feat in 1996-97. Robert Morris averaged 13.8 goals per game under McMinn in 2011, leading the rest of the country by more than one goal per game for the second-consecutive season. The Colonials reached double digits in the scoring column in 11 of their final 12 games, with the lone exception being an upset victory of eventual NCAA Tournament participant Bucknell that doubled as RMU's first victory over a nationally-ranked opponent in school history. Robert Morris put home at least 20 tallies twice in its final four games, including posting a school-record and Division I season-high 27 goals in its playoff-clinching, regular-season finale. The Colonials led the nation in assists per game for the second-consecutive season, a hallmark of McMinn's quick ball-movement attacking scheme. RMU also finished second nationally in shooting percentage, converting on over 34 percent of its shot attempts, proving as efficient as it is effective.
The primary leader of McMinn's offense was Trevor Moore, a scoring machine who led the nation with 3.33 goals per game. Moore was the only Division I player to average more than a hat trick per game in 2011 and claimed United States Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association (USILA) All-America honors for the second straight season. Moore recorded a single-season school record 50 goals and also reset the single-game RMU record with seven scores in an April 13 road game.
As the offensive coordinator in 2010, McMinn oversaw an attack that led the nation in scoring with 15.33 goals per game, the second-highest Division I mark since 2002. The Colonials finished well in front of the field as the distance--1.88 goals per game--between RMU and the second-place team was greater than the margin between second place and ninth place in the national rankings. Robert Morris scored at least 12 goals in all but one game (when it scored nine at No. 1 Virginia) and set a then school record in the season opener when it scored 24 times in a win over Penn State.
Two of McMinn's offensive performers, both of which he helped recruit in his early years with the program, finished among the top 25 nationally in points per game in 2010 with Moore leading the way at 3.93. Classmate Corbyn Tao-Brambleby also led the nation in shooting percentage, converting on 53.2 percent of his attempts, while RMU finished third nationally as a team in that category, finding the net on over one-third of the shots it took.
"I would like to thank Athletic Director Craig Coleman and everyone involved in making this decision," McMinn said. "It is an extreme honor to become the next head coach of Robert Morris men's lacrosse. It means a great deal to me to know that my time here over the past six years has been valued, and I am committed to building upon the great successes that Coach Davis has brought to this program."
While McMinn has helped Robert Morris develop into a winner on the field, he has also played a role in improving the performance of the Colonials in the classroom. He oversaw the academic progress of student-athletes and developed systems aimed at improvement. McMinn's commitment in this area clearly paid off as Robert Morris earned the highest grade-point average among all Northeast Conference men's lacrosse programs this past season with its 3.12 mark. The Colonials also placed a men's lacrosse conference-high 22 student-athletes on the NEC Academic Honor Roll, a total that was more than double any of its conference foes, and earned the same number of men's lacrosse selections to the prestigious NEC Commissioner's Honor Roll as the rest of the league combined.
McMinn progressively earned additional responsibilities within the Colonial program in recent years, including aiding in the hiring and management of other staff members and overseeing certain budgetary matters. He also represented Robert Morris as a speaker at the USILA national convention, where he led a presentation on transition offense.
Before joining the Colonials' coaching staff, McMinn was a standout goaltender for the Providence Friars of the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC). In three seasons as the starting goaltender, he helped lead his team to two regular-season championships, a MAAC Tournament Championship and a berth in the 2004 NCAA Tournament. He was a three-time All-MAAC selection, a 2004 MAAC All-Tournament Team honoree, and he held the top two single-season goals against average marks in MAAC history at the time of his graduation.
During his career, he ranked among the top goaltenders in Division I in both save percentage and goals against average. He ranked fourth nationally in GAA in 2003, allowing just 6.91 tallies per game, and was seventh nationally in save percentage in 2005 with a .599 mark.
McMinn earned his Bachelor's degree in management with a minor in finance from Providence in 2005 and is expecting to complete his Master's degree in instructional leadership with a concentration in sport management from Robert Morris this fall. He replaces former head coach Bear Davis, who resigned to accept the associate athletic director position at Archbishop Spalding High School.