Will Manny - Lacrosse Coach - University of Utah Athletics

Will Manny

Title:
Assistant Coach
Email:
will.manny@utah.edu
Phone:
516-655-2249
Instagram:
@willmanny1

Professional lacrosse all-star Will Manny enters his first season as defensive coordinator after serving as an assistant coach the last two campaigns at Utah. He is also in his fifth year overall with the program having assisted with the transition from club to NCAA competition.

The 2020 season was cut short after just six matches (3-3-0) but saw Colin Burke post 31 points (15g, 16a) and Jimmy Perkins tally 21 points (18g, 3a) in that short stretch. The Utes were also having an offensive breakout year tallying 123 points, which was already 54-percent of last year’s offensive output, through just six matches.

Utah went 5-10 in its inaugural NCAA season in 2019. Josh Stout led Utah with 43 goals while James Sexton had team highs with 49 points and 25 assists. Sexton scored 13 points against Detroit Mercy, the most in a game by any player in the nation that year while his eight assists tied for second most in a game nationally.

Manny first came to Utah with the Utes club team in 2017 and helped lead Utah to the 2018 Rocky Mountain Lacrosse Conference Championship with two appearances in the Men’s Collegiate Lacrosse Association tournament. The Utes finished 16-1 overall in 2018 and had seven All-Americans, nine all-conference selections and finished fifth in the final coaches poll.

Manny began his college coaching career at Wagner College and ran the offense in his two seasons with the Seahawks (2015-16). Wagner set a school record for wins both years.

A five-time professional all-star (2019 PLL, 2015-18 MLL), Manny led the league in the inaugural Premier Lacrosse League season with 35 goals and 50 points for Archers LC. In Archers’ playoff game against Atlas, he set league records for goals (seven) and points (11) in a game and led all players in the playoffs with 13 goals, seven assists and 20 total points. Manny competed six seasons in Major League Lacrosse and ranked among the top 10 in the league in points his last four years. In 2018, he ranked second in the MLL in points (62) and goals (41, tie). Manny was a nominee for the 2018 MLL Man of the Year Award, named the New York Lizards Offensive Player of the Year and All-Star Game MVP after scoring the game-winning goal in overtime. He was drafted in the second round by the Boston Cannons in 2013 and spent four seasons in Beantown before being traded to New York midway through 2017. Manny was named Boston’s Offensive Player of the Year back-to-back years (2015-16) after leading the team in points and was the team’s Most Valuable Player in 2016 when he also led the team in goals.

He was also part of the 50-man training roster for Team USA leading up to the 2018 World Games.

Manny earned first-team All-America honors and was one of five finalists for the 2012 Tewaarton Trophy as a junior at the University of Massachusetts. The 2012 Colonial Athletic Association Player of the Year helped lead UMass to an undefeated regular season, No. 1 national ranking and CAA Tournament title that season while totaling 77 points (44g, 33a). Manny’s 4.75 points per game in 2012 is still a CAA single-season record. The four-time All-CAA player (first team in 2012) was also the 2010 CAA Rookie of the Year. In addition, Manny was named the 2012 New England Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association Player of the Year and a three-time First-Team All-NEILA player. Manny ranks fifth all-time in UMass history with 201 points (107 goals, 94 assists) despite struggling with a broken thumb his senior year. Manny led UMass in assists all four seasons from his attack position, while pacing the Minutemen in points from 2010-12 and goals in 2010 and 2012.

A native of Long Island, N.Y., Manny earned his degree from UMass in resource economics in 2013 and received his MBA in management from Wagner College in 2016.