Takes Hold of Quakers' Reins After 11 Years at Amherst

GREENSBORO, N.C. --- Guilford College Director of Athletics Tom Palombo announced the appointment of Tom Carmean as the school’s head men’s lacrosse coach Tuesday. Carmean, the 12^th head men’s lacrosse coach in school history, replaces Andrew Rowe, who resigned in April after six seasons.

Carmean (carr-MEEN) spent the past 11 seasons as head men’s lacrosse coach at Amherst College where he guided the Lord Jeffs to an 82-76 record. He coached three All-Americans and 25 All-New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) selections in his tenure, including two-time league Player of the Year Derek Cherney. Amherst went 7-7 in 2010 with four losses by three goals or less. The Lord Jeffs were 5-4 in the NESCAC, which ranks among the nation’s top NCAA Division III men’s lacrosse leagues. NESCAC schools have played in six of the last 11 Division III men’s lacrosse finals and won four times, including 2010 national champion Tufts University.

“The search committee and I were impressed by Tom’s successful experience at an institution as well regarded as Amherst,” Palombo said. “We look forward to having him on staff and working with the student-athletes on the men’s lacrosse team.”

In addition to his efforts with the lacrosse team, Carmean coached Amherst’s women’s squash squad for three seasons and helped the 2010 club to its highest national ranking (13^th). He served on the Division III Men’s Lacrosse Regional Advisory Committee and assisted in Amherst’s community outreach program that raised support for pediatric brain tumor research and Hurricane Katrina relief. The program also provided tutoring for local children with special needs.

Prior to taking the an assistant’s job at Amherst in 1999, Carmean spent six years as an English teacher and coach at South Hadley (Mass.) High School. He also worked many summers at a variety of lacrosse camps, which led to his co-founding of the Elite 180 Recruiting Camp and Fall Combine in 2005. The Elite 180 program is geared towards potential student-athletes interested in playing lacrosse at some of the nation’s most prestigious colleges and universities.

Carmean parlayed a prolific scholastic career at Ithaca (N.Y.) High School into a lacrosse scholarship at the University of Massachusetts. The attackman led the Minutemen’s scorers in each of his three seasons and played in two NCAA Tournaments for legendary coach Dick Garber. Carmean was an honorable mention All-America selection by the United States Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association in 1985 before securing second-team laurels in 1986 and first-team recognition in 1987. He scored 186 career points (88 goals, 98 assists), which still stand among the Minutemen’s all-time leaders, and graduated in 1988 with a degree in English.

Carmean served as an assistant men’s lacrosse coach at Massachusetts in 1988 and from 1990-92. The Minutemen compiled a 38-17 record in his four years as an assistant and made three trips to the NCAA Division I Tournament. He earned his master’s degree in education from the school in 1992.

In addition to coaching, Carmean enjoyed an 11-season professional lacrosse career that included five All-Pro seasons. He helped the Boston Blazers to three Major Indoor Lacrosse League Championships Series and also played with the New York Saints and Rochester Knighthawks in the National Lacrosse League. Carmean served as a team captain five times and won six team Most Valuable Player Awards. In 2001, he suited up for the Bridgeport Barrage of Major League Lacrosse.

Carmean takes over a Guilford team scheduled to return as many as 23 letter winners from the 2010 club, which went 3-13 overall and 1-6 in the rugged Old Dominion Athletic Conference.

This release is courtesy of the Guilford College sports information department.