The University of Lynchburg’s Men’s Lacrosse Alumni Association has been supporting Lynchburg’s men’s lacrosse program in a variety of ways over the past several years.
“Our alumni have been supporting our program for a long time, but we wanted to put more of a structure in place,” said Steve Koudelka, men’s lacrosse head coach for the past 30 years. “We feel like we have one of the best, if not the best, alumni groups in the country, because of how connected we try to get them to be in our program.
“What we’re hoping to do is have alumni feel they’re part of this — our program and the school itself — and some are able to give back in different ways than others can.”
The Men’s Lacrosse Alumni Association was founded by A.J. Kreshock ’91, Andrew McKenna ’99, and Tom Sipple ’91 — all men’s lacrosse alums and current or former members of the University’s board of trustees.
The association’s membership includes more than 300 players from the 1980s to the present day. In addition to donations, they fund new equipment, travel, and other initiatives. A couple of years ago, for example, the men’s lacrosse team was able to fly to a match in Massachusetts, rather than travel many hours by bus.
When alumni are on campus or back in Lynchburg, Koudelka often invites them to talk to the team. Last season, Kreshock spoke with players before the Washington and Lee game.
“We’re enhancing who they are, as individuals, competitively and confidently,” the tech industry executive, investor, and consultant, said. “I spoke last year, before the game to get them fired up and to talk about life.”
In January, the association launched the L10 task force. Described as “the premiere alumni engine” of the men’s lacrosse program, it has three focus areas: Endowment, Alumni Huddle, and Alumni Mentorship.
The Lynchburg Men’s Lacrosse Endowment resulted from a 2021 Zoom call between University President Dr. Alison Morrison-Shetlar and members of the association. “One of them said, ‘What can we do to help?’” Koudelka said. “Without batting an eye, [the president] said, ‘You can be the first program to set up an endowment.’”
The endowment was established in 2024 and is currently valued at more than $600,000. The goal is to raise an additional $300,000 this year, and disbursements will begin sometime after the endowment hits the $1 million mark.
“Once we get to that number, that really sets us up for success down the line, which is phenomenal,” Koudelka said. “We would like to do a trip overseas. We’ve never done that before. When President Alison said that on the Zoom call, I was like, ‘Alright, game on.’
“We were raising money a year at a time versus taking a long-term approach to this.”
Koudelka said the association also wants to “create a blueprint” for other Lynchburg athletic teams that might want to start an endowment.
L10’s Alumni Huddle organizes get-togethers and other events, like a recent meetup at the Mustang Classic, an annual tournament that showcases top NCAA Division III men’s lacrosse teams, including Lynchburg.
“The Mustang Classic weekend in Baltimore each March has become a consistent and important alumni gathering point, further reinforcing engagement and camaraderie,” said Johnny Black ’08, who oversees the Alumni Huddle.
This and other alumni-focused events create what Black describes as “meaningful opportunities for former players to reconnect with one another and the program.”
L10’s Alumni Mentorship branch focuses on developing future generations of men’s lacrosse alums. Sean Ahearn ’16, who helps lead this initiative, has connected with numerous players who want to pursue careers in federal law enforcement or accounting, fields where he has been employed.
“I’ve shared my post-college journey, from starting in public accounting to now working in law enforcement, provided feedback on players resumes, and brainstormed ideas on what internships or entry level jobs may be best to help a player get into the career field they envisioned being in,” he said.
“The coolest part about this … is that some of my interactions with players started by connecting over career interests and have led to friendships with these players that I still maintain to this day — monthly check-ins to ask how their job is, how they are doing personally, and sharing any big life events.”
In addition to his work on the Alumni Huddle, Black, who runs a Baltimore-based search firm, Chesapeake Search Partners, helps student-athletes transition from college to careers. “I have consistently volunteered both my time and firm resources to support current and former members of the program,” he said.
“This includes helping secure internships and full-time opportunities, providing career guidance, preparing players for interviews, and leveraging my network to create professional introductions.
“I view career development as one of the most impactful ways I can give back to the program and to the individuals who represent it.”
Black added that he is “deeply passionate” about Lynchburg’s men’s lacrosse program, its coach, and “the strength of our alumni network. My goal is to continue building alumni engagement, while ensuring that current and former players benefit from the long-term professional and personal support that L10 is designed to foster.”
As GiveDays approach on April 15-16, what’s front-of-mind for the Men’s Lacrosse Alumni Association and its L10 task force is fundraising for a dedicated men’s lacrosse locker room. It’s an amenity the 47-year-old athletics program has never had.
Currently, men’s lacrosse shares locker room space with men’s soccer, with soccer using it in the fall and then vacating it for lacrosse in the spring.
“We’re … one of the sports that has the most equipment and a year-round locker room has been desired for years,” Koudelka said. “I don’t know how many times I’ve been told to keep it out of the residence halls because it smells. We’re one of the last teams to get our own space.”
The new men’s lacrosse locker room will be located in the multipurpose room on the third floor of Turner Gymnasium. “That will be our GiveDays focus,” Koudelka said. “We’re hoping to have renderings and cost analysis at that time.”
Since 2012, the men’s lacrosse program has won seven Old Dominion Athletic Conference championships. They’ve appeared in 12 of the last 13 conference championship games, made it to the NCAA Division III Elite 8 five times, and played for the national championship in 2015.
The association’s aim is to “up the caliber” of the program, Kreshock said, with the ultimate goal of winning a national championship. “It’s all about the brotherhood and about what we’re doing to develop these young men.”
On GiveDays, April 15-16, an alumnus will match dollar-for-dollar, up to $25,000, any donations made for the men’s lacrosse locker room. You can also give to other already-established funds or set up your own match or challenge by reaching out to the Office of Advancement at [email protected]. If you’d like to make your gift early, visit lynchburg.edu/givedays and help us reach our 1,000-donor goal.
