Thomas More University announced its head coaches for the newly launched men’s lacrosse program, and the women’s lacrosse program.
Sean McGinnis will lead the men’s Saints team while Pat Thatcher will coach the women’s team.
McGinnis spent eight years as head coach at Archbishop Moeller High School in Cincinnati, winning a state title in 2017. He is a graduate of Cleveland State University where he earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees.
During his time at Moeller, he helped grow the program from 55 players to 80 by the end of his tenure.Â
“First of all, I would like to thank President (Joseph) Chillo and Athletic Director Terry Connor for this great opportunity to become the first men’s lacrosse coach at Thomas More,” said McGinnis. McGinnis also stated that he is “grateful and excited to build a program from the start that meets the mission of our school and athletic department.”
“Starting the program at an athletic rich university with an outstanding tradition of academics will give tri-state area high school students an opportunity to stay close to home to continue their academics and athletic pursuits,” said McGinnis.
McGinnis said that his “goal is to attract the best local talent in the tri-state area and help grow the game of lacrosse in the Northern Kentucky region.” He noted that the team also wants to be viable in the community with learning service opportunities. “We want to establish a culture of winning, serving, and leadership over the next few years,” McGinnis said.
Thatcher served as director of Fellowship of Christian Athletes Lacrosse since 2012 and also served as athletic performance coach at Anderson High School in Ohio from 2004 to 2020.
He earned a bachelor’s degree from Northern Kentucky University and a master’s degree from Mt. St. Joseph University.
“The opportunity to become the first full-time women’s lacrosse coach at Thomas More is exciting and humbling at the same time,” said Thatcher. “I am looking forward to strengthen and develop the women’s lacrosse program and help put Thomas More lacrosse on the map.
“I want to build a strong leadership culture that will consist of a close-knit team that develops into a family, building on what is already a strong community here at Thomas More. We are looking forward to rising to a more competitive NAIA program by adding numbers and gaining more lacrosse experience,” Thatcher said.
Thomas More women’s lacrosse will resume play in the spring of 2022 while the men’s program will spend their first year as a club.
-Staff report