Lycoming Tabs Anken Men's Lax Head Coach
Former Mars Hill Mentor Ready for New Opportunity

WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. --- Lycoming athletics welcomed its newest member to the blue and gold line in August as Director of Athletics Frank Girardi announced that Brian Anken has been tabbed as the new men’s lacrosse head coach.  Anken is the fourth head coach in the program’s 10-year history, taking over for Mike Talarico who resigned following the 2006 campaign after two seasons in Williamsport.

“I am very excited for this opportunity,” stated Anken.  “Lycoming College provides a great atmosphere for a college lacrosse player, and has a tremendous support system in place to help promote success both on and off the field.”

Anken takes over a Warrior squad that just missed the Middle Atlantic Conference playoffs.  Anken feels he can build off that success to spur immediate results.

“I inherit a talented and athletic group of student-athletes,” explained Anken.  “But most importantly, they are all very focused on reestablishing themselves as one of the most competitive teams in the MAC.  We play in a tough conference and have a challenging schedule that includes three nationally ranked opponents.  I have very high expectations to build Lycoming lacrosse into a program will compete at the national level.

Anken comes to Lycoming from Mars Hill College in North Carolina where he served three years as head coach.  In just his first season guiding the Lions, Anken was recognized as the Deep South Conference Coach of the Year for the 2004 campaign. In 2005, his team set a program record for conference wins and final conference standing. The Lions finished that schedule ranked third in the DSC with a league record of 4-3.  The 2005 season also marked the second straight in which Anken coached the league’s Rookie of the Year. In 2006 Anken guided the Lions to a 10-5 regular season record, resetting the overall and conference win total records set the previous year. The Lions finished tied for first in the DSC with a 7-2 mark with four players earning All-Conference honors including the program’s first DSC Player of the Year.

Anken also became the winningest lacrosse coach at Mars Hill in 2006 while leading the Lions to their first national ranking (11^th).

During his tenure at Mars Hill, Anken served on the USILA All-American Committee and Ranking Committee.  He also served as chairman of the Deep South Lacrosse Conference in 2005-2006.  Anken moved to Mars Hill from Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) in Rochester, New York, where he served as the head assistant coach and defensive coordinator. During Anken’s time at RIT, the Tigers held a top twenty national ranking and finished second in the Empire Eight Conference. Prior to his time at RIT, Anken was the head assistant coach and defensive coordinator at Pfeiffer University located in Misenheimer, North Carolina. At Pfeiffer he assisted the Falcons to a top ten national ranking and a second place finish in the Deep South Conference. 

In addition to the positions he held at RIT and Pfeiffer, Anken has also coached at the high school level including head coaching positions at West Seneca West High School and Clarence High School, located in Buffalo, New York.

A former standout goaltender and scholar athlete at Medaille College in Buffalo, New York, Anken’s coaching philosophy focuses on the importance of academics as well as proper strength and conditioning.  Anken holds a certification in strength training and is the founder of the New York based Athletic Enhancement Training Center where his primary responsibility included designing and implementing training routines for high school, college, and professional athletes. Because of this knowledge and desire to compete, he has always taken pride in the physical and mental development of his players.

A native of West Seneca, New York, Anken now resides in Williamsport.