Men's Lacrosse
- Title:
- Assistant Coach
- Email:
- lcrogers@syr.edu
- Phone:
- 4708
A veteran head coach at the Division III and professional levels, Lelan Rogers was named an assistant coach and the Orange’s defensive coordinator following the 2007 season. Since his appointment, he has transformed Syracuse into one of the top defensive teams in the nation, before leaving the program after 14 seasons at the conclusion of the 2021 campaign.
Rogers presided over the most successful defensive era in program history during his 14 years. In that time, Syracuse won two national championships (2008 and 2009) and his units ranked in the top five nationally in scoring defense three times (2009-11), top-15 six times and in the top three in their league in 10 of the 12 seasons since Syracuse joined a conference in 2010.
In 2010, SU allowed 7.4 goals per game, marking the first time since the NCAA began tracking the national leaders in 1996 that Syracuse led the country in scoring defense. The Orange bettered that mark in 2011, giving up 6.9 goals per contest, which was third-best nationally.
Under Rogers, Syracuse has also consistently ranked among the national leaders in caused turnovers since they became an official NCAA statistic in 2010. The Orange was second (10.67 per game) in that category in 2010, fifth (9.82 per game) in 2011 and eighth in both 2012 (8.59 per game) and 2020 (9.80 per game). Rogers’ teams have also been excellent clearing teams, posting six of the 47 total seasons that a team has cleared at 90-percent or better since the statistic was created, including a 91-percent mark in 2020 before the season was stopped. That was fifth in the nation at the time.
His unit’s overall success has led to individual recognition for a host of Orange defenders. Rogers has coached 17 different defensive players to earn a combined 31 defensive All-Americans at Syracuse, highlighted by three-time All-American Brandon Mullins. The group includes two-time USILA First Team selections Joel White, John Lade and John Galloway. All three of those players were voted the best at their positions in either 2010 or 2011. In 2010, White became the first long stick to the win the Lt. Donald C. MacLaughlin Jr. Award as the nation’s top midfielder. He was also a Tewaaraton Award finalist as national player of the year as a junior and senior.
Galloway became the first player in SU history to win the USILA’s Ensign C. Markland Kelly Jr. Award as the country’s top goaltender in 2010. He repeated as the Kelly Award winner the following year and joined White as a Tewaaraton finalist.
Lade took home the 2011 William C. Schmeisser Award as the nation’s most outstanding defenseman, the fourth player in school history to be so honored.
Other defensemen to receive All-America accolades during Rogers’ tenure are: Peter Dearth (2019, 2020, 2021), Brett Kennedy (2019, 2020, 2021), Drake Porter (2020), Nick Mellen (2018, 2019), Paolo Ciferri (2017), Scott Firman (2017), Sean Young (2015), Peter Macartney (2015), Matt Harris (2014), Brian Megill (2012, 2013), Matt Tierney (2010), Sid Smith (2008, 2009) and Kyle Guadagnolo (2008).
In addition to his work with the defense, Rogers also plays a key role in Orange recruiting. During his tenure, Syracuse’s recruiting classes have consistently been ranked among the nation’s best. In 2014, while he was recruiting coordinator, the Orange welcomed the No. 2 overall class to campus. It featured seven Inside Lacrosse “Power 100” players, including No. 1 overall prospect Jordan Evans.
A 1987 graduate of Syracuse, Rogers returned to his alma mater in 2005, following a five-year stint as head men’s lacrosse coach at Cortland, to serve as the director of lacrosse operations. He was also the head coach of Major League Lacrosse’s (MLL) Chicago Machine during the summer of 2007.
Rogers still ranks as one of the top head coaches nationally, as his .787 winning percentage (185-50) still ranks 14th all-time of any collegiate coach at any level.
Rogers compiled a record of 76-17 (.817) during his five seasons at Cortland. He guided the Red Dragons to five NCAA Division III Tournament berths and four SUNYAC titles. In 2003, Rogers was named SUNYAC Coach of the Year after Cortland finished 17-3 and just missed advancing to the national championship game, losing in double overtime to three-time defending champion Middlebury in the semifinals.
Rogers also previously coached at Ohio Wesleyan from 1991-99, where he led the lacrosse team to seven NCAA Division III playoff appearances and a 109-33 record. He guided the Battling Bishops to the NCAA Division III championship game in 1993 and five additional national semifinal appearances. His teams won six North Coast Athletic Conference (NCAC) titles and he was named NCAC Coach of the Year four times.
Among the standouts Rogers mentored at the Division III level were Cortland’s Justin Mendelson, the 2002 USILA Defenseman of the Year, and 1998 USILA Player of the Year Darren McGurn of Ohio Wesleyan.
In addition to his lacrosse duties, Rogers was an assistant facility director and physical education teacher at Ohio Wesleyan. He served as an assistant football coach from 1990-94, and he was the owner and director of the Ohio Wesleyan Midwest All-Star Lacrosse Camp for nine years and the Ohio Wesleyan Best of the West 150 Lacrosse Camp for four years.
A native of Fulton, N.Y., Rogers earned a bachelor’s degree in speech communication in 1987 and a master’s degree in higher education administration/athletic administration from Syracuse in 1990. He was a member of SU’s NCAA semifinal team in 1987 and worked as a graduate assistant for SU’s national championship squads from 1988-90.
A captain for the SU wrestling team, Rogers was an NCAA qualifier and New York State Collegiate champion. He was also a two-time Eastern Intercollegiate Wrestling Association (EIWA) finalist.
Before enrolling at Syracuse, Rogers attended St. Lawrence University where he played lacrosse, football and served as captain of the wrestling team. He was the Division III national wrestling champion at 190 pounds in 1985 and the national runner-up at 177 pounds in 1983.
Rogers resides in Syracuse. He has a daughter, Paige, and son, Casey. Paige is a former member of the Orange women’s lacrosse team, Casey is a defensive end on the Nebraska football team.
