Former Golden Griffins defensive standout Dan Coates ’11 joined the Canisius men’s lacrosse staff as a volunteer assistant coach in September 2019.
A native of St. Catherines, Ontario, Coates brings a wealth of coaching experience with him on his return to Main Street, most recently serving as the head middle school and assistant high school coach with the Colorado Academy in Denver during the 2019 season, his second stint with the program. He also spent two seasons as the defensive coordinator with the Regis Jesuit varsity boys program, helping guide the squad to the 2018 Colorado Class 5A state championship and state-finalist appearance in 2017.
In addition to his work at the high school level, Coates spent a year as an assistant coach and defensive specialist for the St. Catharines Athletics of the Ontario Jr. A Lacrosse, where he was a co-recipient of the Jim Bishop Memorial Award, given annually to the league’s most outstanding coaching staff. He also has experience on the camp and club circuits, working with Nike’s Xcelerate Lacrosse camps as well as the Denver Elite (LXTC) club lacrosse program.
Coates appeared in 50 games during his four-year career at Canisius (2008-11), helping the program capture its first Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Tournament Championship. Coates, the first defender in program history to garner All-MAAC First Team distinction, finished his collegiate career with 113 ground balls and 40 caused turnovers to go along with two goals and four assists.
A 2011 First-Round Draft Pick (Eighth Overall) of the National Lacrosse League’s Colorado Mammoth, Coates recently completed his eighth season with the franchise. Serving as team captain of the squad for the past four seasons, he has appeared in 116 games with Colorado, amassing 70 points (13g, 57a), 460 loose balls and 134 caused turnovers in that time frame.
Coates has also honed his box lacrosse skills during the summer months, having played with the Six Nation Chiefs of the Ontario Lacrosse Association and Major Series Lacrosse, helping guide the Chiefs to Mann Cup titles in 2013, 2014 and 2016.
Internationally, Coates has won gold medals with Team Canada at the 2014 FIL World Championship and 2015 World Indoor Lacrosse Championship. He was recently selected to once again represent Canada in the 2019 World Indoor Lacrosse Championship that will be held in Langley, British Columbia later this month.
Coates received his undergraduate degree in marketing from Canisius and later earned his master’s in sports administration from the College.
