Over the summer, it was announced that Brian Small would be joining the men’s lacrosse team as an assistant coach for the 2017 season. The 2005 alumnus of Ohio Wesleyan University is a native of Baltimore and joins head coach Frank Fedorjaka in leading the Bison to success.

Small’s introduction to lacrosse came when he was just six years old. He started playing for Towsontowne Recreation Center in Towson, Md. growing up, and continued playing at Calvert Hall College High School. Small stood out enough to sustain a lacrosse career throughout college, pursuing an impressive four years at Ohio Wesleyan University. As a senior midfielder, he was named an Honorable Mention United States Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association (USILA) All-American and was a two-time First Team All-North Coast Athletic Conference (NCAC) selection. Small found success continuing even beyond that, as he played professionally for the Baltimore Bayhawks of Major League Lacrosse in 2006.

Small’s lengthy history with coaching began in 2005 when he started his three-year stint coaching high school teams. His coaching experience at the collegiate level began in 2009 when he started to assistant coach at his alma mater. He remained coaching at the collegiate level the past eight years, making coaching appearances at Sacred Heart as assistant coach, Quinnipiac University as defensive coordinator and assistant coach, head coaching at John Carroll University, and most recently as assistant coach at Dartmouth College.

At John Carroll, Small played an instrumental role in founding the school’s men’s lacrosse program. He was the first head coach of the school’s men’s lacrosse team in the 2012-2013 season. In the first season of NCAA competition, under Small’s guidance, the team went 13-4 and made it to the Ohio Athletic Conference championship.

In his transition to the University, Small expressed interest in working with Bison athletes.

“I am excited to work with a great group of young men and coaches who strive to be the best each and every day,” Small said. “We will compete for a National and Patriot League Championship, and that gets my juices going. I love working with people who have the same goals and mindset as myself.”

Small has had interactions with Fedorjaka and associate head coach Joe Conner Jr., having worked the Orange and Blue lacrosse camp for multiple summers. The University’s coaching staff, academic reputation, and impressive lacrosse program were all important factors that drew Small to Lewisburg.

“[The University] has a great academic tradition as well as lacrosse tradition as being one of the top programs in Division I lacrosse as not only a team, but also offensively and defensively,” Small said.

Beyond the day-to-day responsibilities of coaching lacrosse, Small spends his time with his wife, 15-month old son, and their two dogs. He also enjoys fishing, swimming, and rooting on the Baltimore Ravens and Orioles, the Los Angeles Lakers, and his favorite lacrosse player Gary Gait.

Small looks to join the Bison men’s lacrosse team as it returns this spring from its most recent 10-5 season.