GRANTHAM, Pa. - On Thursday morning, Messiah University announced the hiring of
Dan Carson as the new head coach of the Messiah men's lacrosse team. Carson brings nearly a decade of lacrosse coaching experience to Grantham, most recently at Santa Fe Christian School where he has served as the Director of Lacrosse in Solana Beach, Calif. He will begin his role as the Falcons' men's lacrosse head coach later this week on July 10th.
"We are so excited to welcome Dan into our department and the greater Messiah community," said Athletic Director
Sarah Gustin-Hamrock. "Dan's passion for Christ and his desire to develop young men was evident from our very first conversation. He brings a high-level of experience and enthusiasm to the role and will be a great fit for our department."
As mentioned, Carson brings nearly a decade of coaching experience to Grantham, with eight seasons in the collegiate ranks. A 2012 graduate of Marymount University, Carson made year-long stops at Ohio Valley (Division II), Grove City (DIII club), Richmond (Division I), and Princeton (Division I) before landing at the United States Air Force Academy for four seasons as the offensive coordinator, recruiting coordinator, and faceoff coach from 2016-2020. This past year, Carson was the director of lacrosse at the Santa Fe Christian School.
"I have to say thanks to
Sarah Gustin-Hamrock, the staff, and the search committee for making this all possible," said Carson on Wednesday. "It's a really exciting opportunity. I'm thrilled that this opportunity presented itself. To be candid, coming to Messiah is 1000% the Lord! He's guided my steps the entire way."
A native of Arlington, Va., Carson graduated Marymount University in 2012 and was a four-year starter on attack for the Saints' lacrosse team. He netted 63 goals and finished his career with 98 career points while also competing on the Marymount swimming team for three years.
After graduation, Carson attended Ohio Valley University where he served as a Graduate Assistant for the men's lacrosse team while earning his Masters of Education in Curriculum and Instruction. For the 2013-14 academic year, Carson was the head coach of the Grove City Club Lacrosse team while also holding roles as FCA (Fellowship of Christian Athletes) Campus Director and Club Sport Director.
Carson then made the jump to Division I coaching, serving as an assistant coach for the University of Richmond Spiders in the 2015 season and the Princeton University Tigers in 2016. Following his time with the Tigers, Carson took over as the Offensive Coordinator at the United States Air Force Academy where he helped the Falcons to Southern Conference Championships in two of his four seasons (2017 and 2019). During his four years leading the offense, the Falcons averaged 10.79 goals per game with a 27-20 overall record.
"I got into college coaching right after undergrad and I haven't looked back since. I had a short stint at the high school level this past year, which was a blessing. I got to re-integrate my faith with sport in a really fun way and it started the wheels turning again that my favorite place to be is with 18–22-year-olds, teaching them about sport, competition, and discipline while incorporating faith and showing how it honors and glorifies the Lord."
In his new role, Carson takes over a Messiah men's lacrosse program that has claimed a pair of Conference Championships (2001 and 2004) along with eight additional trips to the Conference Championship Game since 2000. The Falcons went 3-7 during the 2021 season.
Dan, his wife Jill, their son Isaiah, and their dog Akira will be moving to Central Pennsylvania later this month.
