ANNVILLE, Pa. -
John Haus, former head coach of the University of North Carolina and Johns Hopkins University who also led Washington College to the 1998 NCAA Division III Championship, has been named the head coach of men's lacrosse at Lebanon Valley College. Haus will lead the re-introduction of lacrosse at Lebanon Valley, with men's and women's teams to begin play in the spring of 2010.
Both men's and women's lacrosse teams will begin competition in 2010. Haus, who will also carry the title of director of lacrosse, will begin to coordinate the start of both programs on Jan. 5. A search will be conducted for a women's head coach to be hired in the summer of 2009.
LVC is bringing back lacrosse after a 25-year absence; the College sponsored men's lacrosse from 1965 to 1985 and women's lacrosse from 1975 to 1985. Lebanon Valley will now have 23 varsity athletic programs.
"We are tremendously excited to bring in someone with an exceptional track record like John Haus," said Director of Athletics
Rick Beard '90 M'92. "John's experience and passion for the sport will enable Lebanon Valley to be a success in bringing back its lacrosse programs."
Haus, a 1983 graduate of North Carolina, holds a 125-80 career record in 14 years as a head coach at Washington, Johns Hopkins, and UNC. In that span, he led those teams to eight NCAA tournaments - including five NCAA semifinal or final appearances - and coached 55 all-Americans.
A proven winner, Haus now gets the new challenge of starting a program from the ground up.
"It is a great opportunity for me to come to Lebanon Valley and mold a lacrosse program from the beginning," Haus said. "I couldn't be more excited to work for a school as committed to succeeding in lacrosse as LVC is."
Haus spent the past eight seasons at North Carolina, his alma mater, turning around a struggling Tar Heel program by going 58-52 with three NCAA Tournament appearances, including back-to-back bids in 2007 and 2008, including the program's first top-4 seed in the NCAA tournament since 1996. Playing in the ultra-competitive Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC), Haus mentored 19 all-Americans, including 2004 Tewaaraton Trophy finalist Jed Prossner.
Prior to returning to Chapel Hill, Haus was the head coach of lacrosse's most storied program, Johns Hopkins, where he led the Blue Jays to a 20-7 record and two NCAA semifinal appearances in his two seasons there.
No stranger to Division III, Haus led Washington College to unprecedented success in the late 1990s. After taking over the program and going 6-8 in his first season, Haus installed his first recruiting class and led the Shoremen to a 13-5 record and the NCAA championship game a year later in 1996, earning Division III National Coach of the Year honors in the process. His team returned to the final in 1997 with seven all-Americans and the national goalkeeper of the year; the third time was the charm in 1998 as the team won the NCAA championship. Haus was 47-21 in four seasons with the Shoremen.
Before his stint at Washington, Haus was assistant coach and defensive coordinator at Hopkins, helping the team to seven straight NCAA appearances, including the 1989 national final and two other semifinal appearances. He twice coached the national defensemen and goalies of the year.
Haus found just as much success as a player, leading North Carolina to two NCAA championships as an all-American defenseman. The Tar Heels made it at least as far as the NCAA semifinals during each of his four years, and went an undefeated 26-0 during his sophomore and junior seasons. He earned all-America and all-ACC honors as a junior and senior.
Haus resides with his wife,
Lisa, and their four boys,
John, Will, Luke, and
Grant.
Founded in 1866, Lebanon Valley College is a liberal arts and pre-professional college located in Annville, Pa., with an enrollment of 1,600 undergraduate students. The College provides an affordable, private, liberal arts education in an environment that fosters success and achievement, and offers four-year graduation and housing guarantees. An outstanding faculty oversees 35 majors, and students can choose from over 60 clubs and organizations and 12 study-abroad programs. The College automatically offers scholarships to students who graduate in the top 30 percent of their high school class, up to half the cost of tuition.
Photos courtesy University of North Carolina athletic media relations