Aug. 10, 2004

Stony Brook, N.Y. - Lars Tiffany, former assistant coach at Penn State University, was named head men's lacrosse coach at Stony Brook University, Director of Athletics Jim Fiore announced. Tiffany becomes the fourth coach in the program's history, coming to Stony Brook after four years at Penn State and highly successful stints at Dartmouth, Washington & Lee and LeMoyne. "Coach Tiffany is one of the rising stars in Division I college lacrosse today and has been a part of building three programs to national prominence during his formative years as an assistant coach," said Fiore. " Most impressive about Lars is his understanding of the integral role the head coach plays as an educator, mentor and role model to our student-athletes. His passion for coaching will not only build a strong lacrosse program at Stony Brook but also prove fruitful to our university community for many years to come." Tiffany, 36, spent four years at Penn State as the top assistant under head coach Glenn Thiel. He was involved in all facets of the lacrosse program as the team's defensive coordinator and recruiting coordinator. His first recruiting class helped Penn State move from 20th in the USILA national rankings in 2001 to an 8-5 record and a No. 13 ranking in 2003. The ranking, along with a win over No. 8 Rutgers, helped PSU earn its first-ever NCAA tournament bid for a program that has been in existence since 1913. Tiffany's defensive units were outstanding during his four years and in 2002 the Nittany Lions led the nation in man-down defense. "Our primary goal for the Stony Brook Men's Lacrosse program will be to provide these young men the tools and character to achieve success in their academic pursuits, their playing careers, their professions, and their emotional lives," said Tiffany. "I will do my best to lead them to be great men, giving them guidance to be outstanding teammates, leaders, sons, brothers, and fathers someday. I want my players to truly understand the words passion and commitment." Prior to Penn State, Tiffany was an assistant coach at Dartmouth College where he spent the 1999 and 2000 seasons under head coach Rick Sowell. In his two seasons as defensive coordinator for the Big Green, the team's goals allowed per game in Ivy League contests dropped from 15.3 to 9.0. His recruiting classes went on to earn Dartmouth's first share of the Ivy League title and a spot in the NCAA tournament in 2003. Tiffany was an assistant coach from 1997-98 at Washington & Lee University under current Rutgers head coach Jim Stagnitta. In 1998, the Generals went 13-3 and advanced to the quarterfinals of the NCAA Tournament while finishing fifth in the USILA Division III national rankings. Tiffany began his collegiate coaching career at LeMoyne College, where he served as an assistant coach of men's lacrosse and co-head coach of the women's lacrosse program from 1994-96. A 1990 graduate of Brown University, he was a two-time team captain and starter on defense for three years under Dom Starsia, now the head coach at Virginia. He played on two Bear teams that advanced to the NCAA Tournament (1987 & 1990) and led the Bears to their first-ever NCAA playoff victory in 1990. Following the conclusion of his senior season, he participated in the North-South All-Star game and was named co-team MVP. Tiffany is a native of LaFayette, N.Y. and graduated from LaFayette High School where he lettered in football, basketball and lacrosse. Upon graduation, he taught Biology and coached lacrosse and football at the Robert Louis Stevenson School in Pebble Beach, Calif. from 1990-94. A press conference to introduce Tiffany is scheduled for August 19.