Men's Lacrosse

Paul L. Schimoler, the winningest coach in program history, enters his sixth year as Saint Michael's men's lacrosse coach in 2009. In 2003 he became the program's first full-time coach.

"Paul's impressive playing and coaching stints at Cornell University, and most recently Rensselaer, make him a great role model for our student-athletes both on and off the field," Knortz said. "We are thrilled to welcome him to Saint Michael's."

In his five years at Saint Michael's, Schimoler has guided the Purple Knights to a 38-36 record (.514). After compiling a 4-10 season in 2004, Schimoler led Saint Michael's to the biggest turnaround in program history in 2005, going 8-6 and earning a berth in the Northeast-10 Conference playoffs. In 2006, Schimoler guided the Purple Knights to a 9-6 record, including a home playoff win versus Bentley College to advance to the NE-10 semifinals.  Completing a 9-7 season in 2007, the Purple Knights again hosted and won a NE-10 playoff contest. And in 2008, Saint Michael's finished with an 8-7 record, marking just the second time in program history Saint Michael's earned four straight winning seasons (a five-year run from 1985-89 is the longest).   

Schimoler has done so in large part due to his widespread recruiting efforts. In 2005, the Purple Knights included players from as far away as Texas and Virginia, and in 2006, players from Illinois, Ohio and Washington joined the squad. That, in addition to the Duffy Turf Field project completed in August of 2005, should help the men's lacrosse program reach the next level.

During his time at Saint Michael's, Schimoler has also been a member of the United States World Team Selection Committee, which helped pick the players who represented the country at the 2006 International Lacrosse Federation World Championships in London, Ontario. He has also been a featured speaker at the 2005 National US Lacrosse Convention in Philadelphia, Pa.

For the three seasons prior to joining Saint Michael's, Schimoler was an assistant coach for Division III Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, leading the Engineers to a 10-3 mark and a No. 19 national ranking in 2003. From 1992-94 he served as an assistant coach for his alma mater, Cornell University, where he helped with the recruiting effort, organized team practices, and monitored the academic and athletic development of the players.

For nearly two decades, he has been an instructor at numerous lacrosse camps throughout the country. He has been a guest speaker at regional and national clinics including the USLacrosse Foundation Vermont Chapter coach's clinic. He also co-developed and produced the lacrosse goaltending video "Peak Performance" in 1992 and that same year organized the "Stick it in Stowe" tournament.

He has extensive post-collegiate playing experience as a member of the 1990 and 1994 World Teams both of which were Gold Winners. He was drafted by the Boston Cannons of the Major Lacrosse League in 2001 and played club lacrosse in the USCLA where he was active in the national tournament circuit.

A 1989 graduate of Cornell, he was a four time All-Ivy and All-American selection and the Ivy League Rookie of the Year as a freshman. During his sophomore year the Big Red were crowned Ivy League Champions and were NCAA Division I runners-up in 1987 and 1988. In his final campaign he was named Ivy Player of the Year and was selected to the North-South team.

Schimoler holds the Division I record for most saves in an NCAA Tournament (85, in 1988). He was inducted into the Cornell Hall of Fame in 1999, and the Long Island Metropolitan Lacrosse Hall of Fame in 2004.

In addition, Schimoler was also named the College's student worker supervisor when he became the first full-time men's lacrosse coach in program history prior to the 2004 season. He oversees the work study program for the athletic department.

Schimoler's Year-by-Year Results