Mike McCaffrey was selected as the first head coachin Rivier College men's lacrosse history. He brings awealth of coaching experience to Rivier, having previously headedWheaton College in 2008, College of the Holy Cross' Division Iprogram from 2000-04 and Division II American International Collegefrom 1993-97. He was also an assistant coach at Division III NewEngland College in 1993. Additional duties have McCaffreyleading the Raiders men's and women's cross countryprograms.
Coach McCaffrey has also been active beyond the realm of collegecoaching. In 2005, he headed the Nashua High School North boys'lacrosse team in New Hampshire during its inaugural season. In 1989he founded the boys' lacrosse program at Nashua's Bishop GuertinHigh School.
During his brief stint at Wheaton College, McCaffrey wasselected Pilgrim League Coach of the Year after leading a youngLyons squad to the 2008 Pilgrim League Championship game beforelosing the NCAA Tournament bid to perennial power SpringfieldCollege. Wheaton upset nationally ranked Endicott College andNESCAC power Trinity College for the first time in the programshistory and had several players received post-season honorsincluding Pilgrim League Rookie of the Year, Pilgrim League FirstTeam Honors and Senior East/West All-Star Game participation.
At the College of the Holy Cross, which participates in thehighly competitive Patriot League, 10 of McCaffrey's players wereselected for the New England Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association(NEILA) East-West All-Star game, and six earned NEILAScholar-Athlete honors. His Crusaders earned 35 Patriot LeagueAcademic Honor Roll nods, and McCaffrey helped found John'sBrothers, a Holy Cross-based mentoring program in the Worcesterpublic schools that honors the memory of former captain John Price.During his first two years at Holy Cross, McCaffrey helpedestablish five individual team awards, including two named for lateplayers.
McCaffrey previously spent time at American International, wherehe was also the men's soccer coach in addition to serving as chairof the Northeast-10 Conference's lacrosse committee and on theDivision II All-America selection committee. In addition to hiscoaching duties, McCaffrey taught physical education for the healthstudies department. During his year at New England College,McCaffrey was the offensive coordinator for a lacrosse squad thatwon the league championship. He was also an assistant for the men'sice hockey team.
Prior to coaching at the college level, McCaffrey was a lacrossedevelopment officer in 1991-92 for the former English LacrosseUnion, based in Manchester, England. McCaffrey was hired by theBritish government to teach and coach lacrosse to the country'syouth. He was also responsible for coaching and instructing theEnglish National Team in preparation for the 1994 World LacrosseChampionship.
A native of Billerica, MA, McCaffrey graduated from BillericaHigh School before attending the Loomis-Chaffee School in Windsor,CT where he was a Lacrosse All-American and selected to play in theNational North/South High School All-Star game held at John’sHopkins. McCaffrey played 4 years of varsity lacrosseat the University of New Hampshire helping the Wildcatsadvance to their first ever NCAA Tournament in 1986 beforegraduating in 1988 with a degree in sports communication.
A former board member of the Big Brothers Big Sister of CentralMass/Metrowest, McCaffrey is working toward a Masters Degree inBusiness at Rivier College and resides at the Triple Knoll Farm inHollis, NH with his wife, Sharon, and daughter Teagan Mei Lu.
